Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico Faces Criticism Over Stance on Transgender Issues

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico is facing scrutiny following the release of undercover video footage featuring members of his church, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin. In the recordings, the Rev. Babs Miller, a chaplain at the church, suggests that Talarico’s recent shift in position regarding gender-transition surgeries for minors and transgender athletes in sports is a temporary political strategy. Miller expressed her belief that Talarico is following campaign advice to moderate his views to secure electoral support, predicting he will return to his previous stances if he wins the race against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Separately, the church’s longtime pastor, the Rev. Jim Rigby, was featured in another undercover report discussing his use of "The Inclusive Bible," a translation that removes gendered language for God and Jesus. The reports have sparked public discussion regarding the alignment between Talarico’s current campaign platform and the theological environment of his home congregation. Talarico, who is currently campaigning for the November 3 general election, has not publicly addressed the specific claims made by the church staff in the videos.