Paxton Opens General Election With 'Low-T' Ad Blitz as Masculinity Becomes the Central Battleground Against Talarico

Ken Paxton officially won the Texas Republican Senate primary runoff on Tuesday, May 27. Within hours, he released his first general election ad — labeling Democratic nominee James Talarico "too low-T for Texas," according to NPR.

The Attack Escalates Nationally

The effort extends far beyond Paxton's campaign.

White House advisor Stephen Miller went on Fox News and called Talarico the Democrats' "first transgender Senate candidate." Talarico is not transgender. Miller added — in his actual words — "When Talarico goes in for a blood test, soy milk comes out." According to NPR, Miller made these comments Wednesday on Fox News.

Fox host Jesse Watters called Talarico a "gay vegan" on air, then immediately corrected himself, saying Talarico is "not gay and not vegan, for the record."

Florida Republican congressional candidate Dan Weldon questioned Talarico's manhood by suggesting he couldn't name an obscure wide receiver from the early 2000s.

Republican congressman Wesley Hunt, who lost to Paxton in the primary, posted "what's his name" on social media after Talarico confirmed he has a girlfriend, according to Salon.

The Right-Leaning Press Response

The Daily Wire ran a piece headlined "James 'Tofu Talarico' Has A Vegan, Leftist Activist Girlfriend" — treating the existence of his girlfriend as opposition research. The focus: his girlfriend, not policy or Paxton's record.

The Left-Leaning Press Response

NPR and Salon frame this as a masculinity-politics trend story — Trump changed the GOP, testosterone is the new campaign metric. Salon republished the 19th News piece nearly verbatim.

Neither outlet addresses the core tension Newsweek identified: Paxton is selling a "Christian warrior" brand while carrying one of the most scandal-scarred records of any politician on a general election ballot in America.

The Texas House impeached Paxton in 2023 on allegations including bribery, abuse of office, and obstruction. The Texas Senate acquitted him. Allegations of extramarital affairs surfaced during those proceedings. His wife filed for divorce citing "biblical grounds," according to Newsweek. He's also faced securities fraud charges stretching back years.

Paxton has denied wrongdoing. How does a man with that baggage become the face of masculine Christian authority? The left-leaning press doesn't ask because they'd rather make it about Trump and the manosphere. The right-leaning press doesn't ask because Paxton is their guy.

The Real Dynamic

Newsweek identified the actual framing: this is a contest between two men who each violate a different expectation of Texas manhood.

Talarico is a Presbyterian seminarian and former middle school teacher who made campaign-trail comments about veganism in 2022 — comments he's since walked back. Paxton is a two-fisted MAGA brawler with a divorce, an impeachment, and a decades-long securities fraud case.

Texas voters are being asked to pick which kind of imperfect Christian man they trust with a Senate seat.

The Numbers

Texas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1988 — 38 years of Republican dominance.

Talarico's fundraising has energized Democrats nationally. Polling suggests a close general election contest, according to Salon.

What Voters Actually Need

Texans are about to get buried in ads about testosterone levels, tofu, and soy milk. None of that addresses how either man would vote on taxes, the border, healthcare, or gun rights.

Paxton wants to talk about Talarico's masculinity. Talarico wants to talk about Paxton's scandals. Both are avoiding a straightforward policy debate.