As we understand, former president Obama is in love with our 2025 version of Beto O'Rourke. Remember Beto? He lost in 2018 against Senator Ted Cruz, faded in the 2020 presidential primary and then lost big in 2022 trying to unseat Governor Greg Abbott.

So that's Beto, and now the "white hope" is James Talarico, a Texas state rep who quotes the bible all the time. Again, President Obama has his eye on James, according to Andrew Stiles:

Barack Obama has fallen yet again for a boy-faced Democrat hoping to "turn Texas blue." During a recent interview on Marc Maron's podcast, the failed former president touted James Talarico, the Texas state lawmaker running for U.S. Senate, as a "terrific, talented young man." Democrats haven't been this excited about a U.S. Senate candidate in Texas since Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke, who lost his race in 2018 but also managed to impress Obama with his terrific talents.

Talarico won praise from Democrats earlier this year by going on Joe Rogan's podcast. He parlayed that appearance into a U.S. Senate campaign and fawning headlines, such as "Joe Rogan's Latest Guest Might Turn Texas Blue." (Fact check: He won't.) An aspiring Presbyterian preacher who quotes the Bible to explain his support for left-wing policies, Talarico is a coastal liberal's fantasy of a Democrat who can win the hearts and minds of red-state rubes.

Yes, those red-state rubes who cling to their guns and religion need a Democrat who owns a gun and clings to his Bible. Fits the script!

Talarico has run a campaign that Obama might remember, i.e. hope and change or "we don't live in red or blue states", etc. Talarico is critical of both parties, he really hates billionaires who keep us down and he knows that Bible inside out.

So far so good. However, Talarico may soon discover why Democrats do so poorly in all those rural and suburban counties. It will probably happen when someone runs a TV ad about his definition of God, as Andrew explained:

As journalist Josh Barro points out, Democrats might want to reconsider whether it's a good idea to nominate a candidate -- in Texas of all places -- who is on video saying, "God is non-binary." Talarico made those remarks during a hearing in 2021 while outlining his opposition to (very popular) legislation restricting transgender participation in female sports. He also claimed, on video, that "modern science obviously recognizes" that "there are six" biological sexes.

Talarico grilled proponents of the bill by challenging their Christian faith, and compared banning male athletes from participating in female sports to excluding black athletes from professional leagues. "Some things are more important than perfectly fair competition in sports," he said.

Good luck!

Good luck for sure. I can't wait for Talarico to quote the Bible and explain how God is non-binary.

Or explain to all those Hispanic parents in South Texas about some man taking a trophy from their "princesa" or princess as they call their daughters. I can't wait for the Bible quote explaining that one.

So we will watch Talarico go through the Democrat primary. His primary opponent is Collin Alred, the former congressman who lost to Senator Cruz by nine points in 2024. More interesting, the latest Democrat poll has Rep. Jasmine Crockett leading the pack by six points. She is not running, but she is fighting with two other Democrats in the new Texas map. So maybe she will run and give us the campaign of our lives.

Maybe Talarico will tell Crockett to stay home and quote the Bible doing so.

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Image: Larry D. Moore