Rep. James Talarico, D-Texas, has called for a politics of civility, but old posts showed he was willing to engage in fiery rhetoric to go after prominent Texas Republicans and warn of "radicalized white men." (Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
In the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, Talarico condemned his murder and, despite a wide difference in their politics, said he found a middle ground in their shared faith.
"I am tired of being pitted against my neighbor," Talarico said in the hours following the news of Kirk’s death. "I am tired of being told to hate my neighbor. People across the political spectrum in this state and in this country are hungry for a different kind of politics, not a politics of fear, not a politics of hate, not a politics of violence, but a politics of love, a love that can heal what's broken in this country."
But four years earlier, he was using fiery rhetoric online.
"Black Americans in a church. Mexican Americans in a store. Asian Americans in a spa," Talarico said.
"Radicalized White men are the greatest domestic terrorist threat in our country," he continued.
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Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a bill signing in the State Capitol on April 23, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
"As a young man himself, James feels a responsibility to speak out against this for-profit rage economy that’s destroying our youth — recently addressing this crisis in his widely circulated comments calling for a politics of love in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination," he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "That’s how we turn down the temperature."
There are other instances in that same year when Talarico used fiery rhetoric against prominent Texas politicians, notably Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas.
On Jan. 6, 2021, Talarico posted, "You sacrificed your country for your ambition. You’re not a senator, you’re a traitor," in response to Cruz’s calls for people "storming the Capitol" to stop.
And on Nov. 19, 2021, Talarico blasted Abbott for celebrating Kyle Rittenhouse’s not guilty verdict after being charged for fatally shooting two people during a night of civil unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
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"Are you our governor or a white supremacist troll?" he asked at the time.
Ennis also defended Talarico’s rhetoric in those moments.
"Texans need leaders who fight for their principles — like calling out those who promote insurrection and violence — while also working across the aisle to deliver bipartisan legislation that gets things done for working people," he said. "James is that kind of leader."
Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-senate-hopeful-calls-civility-despite-past-warning-radicalized-white-men