‘I can’t call him a man’: Stephen Miller’s remarks about Texas Democrat James Talarico fuel controversy as Senate race heats up

Texas – A new political controversy has erupted in Texas after White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller questioned the gender of Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, drawing fresh attention to one of the state’s most closely watched races ahead of the midterm elections.

Miller made the remarks during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity while discussing Talarico, a Texas state representative from Austin who won the Democratic Senate primary in March.

The conversation centered on Talarico’s past comments regarding gender identity and transgender rights, subjects that have increasingly become flashpoints in national political debates.

During the interview, Miller said, “All I can say about Talarico is that Texas is not going to elect an individual—I can’t call him a man—who knows what gender he is?”

The statement immediately stood out because Talarico is not transgender. Miller’s comments appeared to reference the Democrat’s past support for transgender rights and previous public remarks about gender.

Debate over past comments resurfaces

The criticism directed at Talarico is not new.

Republicans have repeatedly highlighted comments he made in 2021 while defending transgender student athletes during a debate over legislation backed by Texas Republicans. At the time, Talarico argued against efforts to prevent transgender students from competing on sports teams that matched their gender identity.

During that discussion, he made remarks that later became frequent targets in Republican campaign messaging.

Among them was a statement that God is non-binary, as well as comments suggesting there are six genders based on chromosomal variations.

Those remarks have continued to follow Talarico as his political profile has grown.

Miller returned to those issues during his appearance with Hannity. “They’re not going to elect an individual, an entity, who has said the thing he loves most in the whole world is trans children,” Miller said.

The Trump adviser did not stop there. “He’s a weird, strange, bizarre, totally unelectable human who is never, ever, ever going to be the senator from the great state of Texas,” Miller added.

Part of a broader Republican attack

The latest comments fit into a larger strategy that Republicans have used against Talarico as he seeks statewide office.

Miller has previously targeted the Texas Democrat on social media, at one point claiming that Democrats had nominated their first transgender Senate candidate in Texas.

The Democrats made history in Texas by nominating their first transgender senate candidate. https://t.co/KaGDLn2naP

— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) May 27, 2026

President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the race.

In several Truth Social posts, Trump criticized Talarico’s views on gender and religion, describing him as “beyond woke.” The president also accused him of making statements that are “an insult to Jesus.”

Talarico, however, identifies as a practicing Christian and has frequently spoken about his faith in public appearances. At the same time, he has consistently supported the separation of church and state and has advocated for protections for LGBTQ individuals.

His supporters argue that Republicans are focusing on cultural issues in an effort to distract from policy debates and energize conservative voters.

A competitive race gains national attention

The controversy arrives as the Texas Senate race appears to be growing increasingly competitive.

Talarico is seeking a seat that Republicans have long viewed as critical, and recent polling suggests the contest may be closer than many expected.

According to a recent poll, Talarico currently holds a three-point advantage over Republican candidate Ken Paxton.

Paxton enters the race with strong support from Trump but also carries political baggage from previous controversies. In 2023, the Texas House impeached him on allegations involving bribery and abuse of public trust. He was later acquitted by the Texas Senate and remained in office.

With the election drawing closer, cultural issues, religion, gender identity, and education are expected to remain central topics in the campaign.

Miller’s latest comments have ensured that Talarico’s past statements are once again receiving national attention. Whether those attacks resonate with voters remains unclear, but they highlight the increasingly personal nature of a race that both parties view as highly important.

As campaigning intensifies, the clash between Talarico and his Republican critics appears likely to become even sharper, turning an already high-profile Senate contest into one of the most closely watched political battles of the election cycle.