Texas Democrat James Talarico Backtracks on 'God Is Non-Binary' Comment, Admits Past Remarks 'Missed the Mark'
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico on Wednesday sought to distance himself from some of his more controversial past remarks, telling CBS News that certain comments—including his 2021 declaration that “God is non-binary”—had “missed the mark.”
During an interview with CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe, Talarico faced questions about a series of past statements the Republican opponent, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, has been using in campaign ads to paint the Democrat as too extreme for a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office in three decades.
“Well, you know, I think I was being intentionally provocative with that statement,” Talarico said of the God comment. “But what it means is that God cannot be defined by human categories. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, says that in Christ there is neither male nor female.”
He appeared to be referencing Galatians 3:28, a verse that speaks to how Christ views believers rather than Christ’s own identity. The passage reads, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
When pressed on his earlier claim that modern science recognizes six biological variations based on chromosomes—an argument he had used to suggest sex is a spectrum—Talarico clarified: “I know there are two sexes, men and women. I also know there is a very small percentage of people who have these chromosomal abnormalities, and I believe they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.”
O’Keefe specifically asked whether Talarico regretted the “God is non-binary” line. “There are some statements that I have made that I certainly regret. There are statements that I have made where I have missed the mark. I will be the first to admit that,” Talarico responded. “But Ken Paxton is intentionally clipping my cringey comments to distract from his career of corruption.”
Talarico then pivoted to his legislative record, noting he has served four terms in the Texas House and passed more than 60 bipartisan bills. “I have brought Republican legislators and Democratic legislators together to cut property taxes, to raise teacher pay, to lower the cost of housing and child care and prescription drugs,” he said. He also pointed out that he has criticized both President Biden for border policy failures and Paxton for “blatant corruption.”
The exchange comes as Paxton—who faces an ongoing securities fraud indictment and a separate FBI investigation—has aggressively highlighted Talarico’s past progressive rhetoric in a state where GOP voters dominate the political landscape. Political analysts say the attacks could further erode Talarico’s already slim chances in the general election, though his campaign hopes to rally moderate and independent voters by emphasizing his bipartisan work.
Fox News Digital reached out to Paxton’s office and campaign but did not receive an immediate response.
This article has been edited for clarity and length. Original reporting by CBS News and Fox News.