James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S.Senate in Texas, once described parents who refused to acknowledge their children’s gender identity as potentially engaging in "abusive" behavior."I think there are some folks that would think that if you deny your child's gender identity, that's incredibly harmful.
And whether or not we label it with the term abuse, it's abusive for sure," Talarico said while speaking at a committee hearing in the Texas Legislature in 2019.Talarico’s resurfaced comments add to a growing pile of past remarks that cut against his efforts to paint himself as a moderate on issues like gender, policing and border security as he attempts to win over Texas, a historically Republican-leaning state.TALARICO SAYS HE 'MISSED THE MARK' AS HE BACKTRACKS ON CONTROVERSIAL WOKE STATEMENTSDemocratic U.S.Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a campaign rally at the Cailloux Theater on Aug.
31, 2026, in Kerrville, Texas.Talarico is campaigning across the state in a close race against Republican candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ahead of the Nov.
3 general election.(Brandon Bell/Getty Images)In the clip, Talarico had been speaking about HB 1910.The legislation aimed to ensure that parents who refused to affirm their child’s gender identity would not be considered guilty of child abuse in cases deciding custody."In determining whether to appoint a party as a sole or joint managing conservator of a child, the court may not consider evidence regarding whether the party demonstrates a history or pattern of acknowledging or declining to acknowledge the child’s gender identity or expression," its text read.Talarico opposed the bill, arguing that he would not rule out an overlap: that, in some cases, the lack of acknowledgment could border on abuse."My concern is ruling it out as not being abuse, I think, is dangerous and could certainly harm some of our most vulnerable kids in the state."TALARICO CAMPAIGNS WITH SURGEON WHO OP...