James Talarcio, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, declared at a Pride event that Senate Bill 14 “infuriates me” and called it “the most dangerous” bill that passed in the state. The comment, captured in a video at a Pride Month Celebration, targeted the 2023 law that protected Texas children from gender-transition surgeries and related chemical treatments for minors. Talarico, a state representative from the Austin area, paired the criticism with opposition to Senate Bill 12, the measure restricting sexually oriented performances, including drag shows, in the presence of children.
SB 14 was signed by Governor Greg Abbott. This legislation prohibited physicians from performing irreversible procedures on those under 18 and barred the use of state funds for such treatments. Talarico voted against the bill. In the same appearance, James Talarcio framed limits on explicit materials in school libraries as incompatible with being “pro-freedom”, reinforcing a consistent pattern of opposition to the restrictions Republicans have advanced to protect minors. Both bills that came under scrutiny were passed with bipartisan support.
Rep. James Talarico faces Attorney General Ken Paxton in the November 2026 election for U.S. Senate.