James Talarico launches food drive as Republicans host midterm convention

Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talrico is hosting an event countersignaling the Republican Party’s midterm convention this week.

Talarico launched a statewide food drive initiative Sept. 6, Politico reported. A graduate of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, the Democratic politician named the food drive program “Love Thy Neighbor,” casting President Donald Trump and Republicans expected to attend the midterm convention as out of touch with the needs of everyday voters.

“Next week, billionaire mega-donors and their puppet politicians will gather at a convention in Dallas to clink champagne glasses and toast their own corruption. They’re paying $20,000 for entry to a Billionaire Ball celebrating corrupt tariffs, billionaire tax breaks, and a new forever war that are all driving grocery costs through the roof,” Talarico said in a statement. “We’ll be doing something different. We’re bringing Republicans, Democrats, and Independents together to collect groceries for our neighbors who have been screwed over by corrupt politicians.”

The food drive is expected to come to an end Sept. 9, the first day of the GOP midterm convention.

>> GOP debuts midterm convention to motivate base <<

Trump is expected to campaign for Talarico’s Republican opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The Trump-aligned MAGA, Inc. super-PAC made a substantial investment in the Texas race on Sept. 6, reportedly dedicating $5 million to supporting Paxton and another $5 million to opposing Talarico.

“I'm going to spend whatever amount of money necessary to try and help us,” the President said at the White House last week.

Billionaire tech scion and former White House advisor Elon Musk and his America PAC also spent over $1.6 million on ads bolstering Paxton’s campaign.

While Democrats have not won a statewide election in Texas in decades, polling has some Republicans worried. A September survey from Overton Insights has Talarico and Paxton tied, while August surveys from Slingshot Strategies and the University of Texas place Talarico in the lead. Emerson College’s August poll gave Paxton a one-point advantage.

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While Talarico’s campaign has outraised and outspent the Paxton camp, the Democrat has been plagued by his history of far-left political positions and progressive comments. Despite his credentials as a Presbyterian seminary graduate, a recently resurfaced video clip shows Talarico suggesting that all religions are equally true..

Boasting of attending Hindu Diwali celebrations and being invited to speak at mosques, Talarico described non-Christian religions as “equal pathways to truth” on a par with Christianity.

“I always think of all the world's faith traditions as a circle, with that divine mystery of the universe in the middle,” he said. “We all have different names for that mystery, whether it's God or Yahweh or Allah or Nirvana or Great Spirit. Whatever you call it, this is — all different pathways to the same fundamental truth.”

An America PAC ad currently running in Texas emphasizes Talarico’s progressive views. Beginning with a clip of the Democrat claiming that “God is nonbinary,” the 15-second spot says that Talarico “believes there are six genders,” voted as a state legislator to allow biological males to compete in girls’ sports, and supported using taxpayer dollars to fund “gender transitions” for children.