Ken Paxton’s campaign released an AI-produced ad portraying James Talarico as a false teacher who distorts the Bible.
Paxton, the Texas Attorney General, defeated incumbent John Cornyn in the Republican primary with Donald Trump’s endorsement. He now faces Talarico in the 2026 Texas Senate race. His latest ad uses Talarico’s own past statements, rendered through AI-generated video, to make the case that his opponent’s Christian faith is manufactured.
The ad opens with a mocking paraphrase of scripture. “In the beginning, God was non-binary, and He wasn’t a Christian,” the AI-generated version of Talarico says. It continues: “God said, let there be six genders, and there were.” The spot then attributes to Talarico the claim that Jesus “was a radical feminist and never asked people to worship Him,” before featuring the line Talarico himself has used publicly: “I always think of myself as a Christian who hates Christianity.” Paxton closes the ad with his approval and a direct warning: “James Talarico, wrong for Texas, and wrong for America too.”
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The statements in the ad are drawn from Talarico’s own record. According to a report, Talarico has described himself as a “Christian who hates Christianity,” criticized conservative Christians for not supporting progressive legislation, and suggested God is a non-binary figure. He called Texas Republicans less Christian than his Muslim, Hindu, and atheist colleagues over their votes against the latest progressive agenda items.
Talarico also publicly opposed his own state’s decision to include Bible instruction in public schools, calling it “insidious” to teach the Bible as historical fact. He has defended abortion using biblical arguments, a position that sits uneasily alongside his stated skepticism of the Bible’s historical reliability.
Podcaster Benny Johnson amplified the ad on X, writing that Talarico has been using “his own twisted interpretation of the Bible to push his sick agenda on the campaign trail.” Johnson listed Talarico’s stated positions, including that God is nonbinary, that there are six genders, and that Jesus was a radical feminist. He closed his post with a call to action: “Texas must reject this. Elect Ken Paxton.”
Talarico earned his spot on the ballot with a 6-point primary win over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. He pulled 52.4% of the vote to her 46.2%.
Despite the ad’s sharp tone, the general election remains close. A late August poll shows Talarico at 44% and Paxton at 43.6%, a margin well within striking distance for either side. Republican Governor Greg Abbott holds a similarly thin 1-point lead over his Democratic challenger. With margins this narrow, both campaigns will be fighting hard for every vote between now and November 2026.
