Fact-checking Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign commercial

After what seemed like the longest primary race ever, we now have only two candidates vying for the open U.S. Senate seat that is available now that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton trounced incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the May Republican runoff election. 

Thanks in large part to President Donald Trump giving Paxton his last-minute endorsement, the scandal-prone AG now faces off against insurgent state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat from Round Rock. In relatively short order, Talarico, who defeated Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary, began hammering Paxton’s well-publicized and lengthy list of accusations and indictments. For his part, Paxton predictably dropped his year-long mudslinging war against Cornyn to take aim at Talarico’s liberal stances, often referring to them as “not Texan.”  

Of course, that battle has made its way into social media and television airwaves through campaign ads. An ad Paxton released has even made it beyond the basic regional channels a state campaign would typically seek, but not for reasons the AG was likely hoping for. 

Late night political comedian and talk show host Bill Maher recently took a moment on his HBO show to call out the ad for its creative editing of a Talarico quote. Maher said “that’s how you run a dirty campaign.” More on that specific clip in question later. In fact, that commercial used six video clips from various Talarico speeches and appearances to present a case that he, according to the ad, “is not Texas.” 

Was the clip Maher referred to the only one that received a dishonest edit? Let’s take a look. 

The clip

Talarico, speaking at a 2021 hearing of the Texas House Public Education Committee, was discussing legislation regarding transgender athletes in school sports when he said, “Modern science obviously recognizes that there are many more than two biological sexes. In fact, there are six.” That’s where the Paxton commercial cuts things off. 

The facts

In reality, Talarico kept speaking, adding “Honestly, Representative [Cole] Hefner, it surprised me too, because I am not well versed in this issue area, I am not a scientist, I’m a politician, a lot worse than a scientist.”

Honest or not?

Not honest. The way in which the clip is cut, the viewer is made to believe Talarico is advocating for the case of six genders, or that he is championing such a claim. But when viewed in its entirety, it is clear Talarico is merely offering up something he had learned, not something he was teaching, which is apparent when he expressed his surprise at the number. 

The clip

The second video included in Paxton’s ad shows Talarico speaking at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Austin in 2019 when at one point he says “The American flag is such a complicated symbol for most of us.”

The facts

Again, this specific clip has been strategically cut to exclude further context and explanation for why Talarico feels this way about the American flag. If you are already sensing a trend, that is for good reason. In the same breath that he says the part that was included in the ad, he continues, saying “And in many ways, like Jesus, like the cross, it’s been co-opted, and in some ways, its true meaning has been betrayed.”

Honest or not?

Not honest. It’s not surprising that by cutting statements in half, the meaning of it is drastically altered, which again, is what happened here. Talarico doesn’t express any dissatisfaction with “the flag,” but suggests that it, just as is the case with many religious symbols, has sort of morphed into something that is more exclusive rather than inclusive. 

The clip

Following his 2026 primary victory, Talarico gave a lengthy speech to his supporters as the race was called. Paxton’s ad pulled only Talarico saying, “They’re going to call me a radical leftist,” from it, although, as is the case with the other clips, it was sandwiched by important bits of context. 

The facts

Talarico’s entire quote, including the “radical” snippet was the Democrat predicting what would happen next now that the opposing party could focus on him alone rather than him and Crockett. 

“They’re going to throw everything they have at us,” he said. “They’re going to call me a radical leftist. They’re going to call me a fake Christian. They’ll call our movement un-Texan, un-American. They’ll call us a threat. The only truth is, we are a threat — to their corrupt system.”

The clip

A section of a video podcast interview shows Talarico saying “I love the trans children.”

The facts

If that clip sounds awkward in its working and brevity, that’s for a reason. Perhaps more than any other of the six video quote clips in the ad, this one was ripped from its context more than any of the rest. 

When being interviewed for a 2023 episode of the “Superbloom Podcast” with Candace King, Talarico was asked to name something he loves other than family or friends. 

“I love … the trans children who showed up yesterday at the State Capitol to advocate for their humanity,” he replied, referring to a May 2023 Austin rally when LGBTQ advocates visited the Capitol to speak out against legislation for banning gender-affirming care for minors.

Honest or not

No. The main hint of this clip’s dishonest use was the “the” before “trans children”. Clearly he was speaking of a specific group and wasn’t referring to an entire community with such specificity. He was speaking of something that he suggests he was inspired by that week, which is not honestly portrayed in the clip’s usage either. 

The clip

This is the one that caught Bill Maher’s attention, and for good reason. The commercial shows Talrico saying “Our southern border should be like our front porch. “There should be a giant welcome mat out front,” during a January primary debate. 

The facts

Oddly enough, although the meaning of the words was drastically altered by not including the rest of it, there wasn’t that much on the back end to include. For the full quote, Talaarico says, “Our southern border should be like our front porch. There should be a giant welcome mat out front and a lock on the door.” 

Honest or not?

No. What’s left out of the clip changes the entire message and would serve to undercut Paxton’s claims that Talarico wants some sort of lawless free-for-all at the border as the “welcome mat” snippet suggests by itself. Paxton’s commercial left out the “a lock on the front door,” which would be something that Republicans in favor of strong border security would likely agree with. 

The clip

During a 2022 appearance before the Texas Humane Legislation Network, Talarico is seen saying, “It is existential that we try and reduce our meat consumption… I’m proud to say that our campaign has officially become a non-meat campaign.”

The facts

Unlike the previous clips, this one is more or less presented with its full meaning, but it’s the timeline that is manipulated. Talarico, who was wearing a mask in the clip, made these comments during his 2022 campaign for the Texas House of Representatives, not during his 2026 Senate campaign. 

Honest or not?

Probably not. There is no proof or solid reporting indicating that Talarico has made a similar meat-free campaign pledge. In May, following more rumors and reports that he is a vegan, the Democratic candidate publicly refuted those claims saying that he is not, nor has ever been, a vegan and that he indeed enjoys Texas barbecue.