Texas Democrat Compares White People to a Disease, Then Cries ‘Out of Context’ [WATCH]

Democratic Texas state Rep. James Talarico said Saturday that supporters of President Donald Trump were misrepresenting his past statements and declined to apologize for remarks made in a 2020 social media thread that have recently drawn renewed attention.

Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian and former middle school teacher, secured the Democratic nomination in the March 3 primary after defeating Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett for the party’s bid to challenge Republican Sen. John Cornyn.

The issue resurfaced during an interview at the South by Southwest festival, where Fox News contributor Jessica Tarlov questioned Talarico about a 2020 thread posted on X following the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery.

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Arbery, a black jogger, was shot by a father and son who believed he was an armed burglar.

During the interview, Tarlov referenced one of Talarico’s past statements.

“I want you to help me out because this is what my incoming looks like because of you. So, I still love you, but you and Gavin Newsom are complicating my life to say the least,” Tarlov said.

She then quoted directly from the 2020 post, saying, “We’ve got white skin gives me and every white American immunity from the virus, but we spread it wherever we go through our words, our actions, and our systems. We don’t have to be showing symptoms like a white hood or a Confederate flag to be contagious. One from 2020.”

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Talarico responded by arguing that the criticism directed at him stems from how his statements have been presented.

“Yeah, and I think an important thing to recognize with all the attacks that are coming from MAGA toward our movement right now, all of them depend on taking these things out of context,” Talarico said.

He continued, “All of them depend on cutting some of the quotes before they end or cutting them at the beginning to kind of paint them in the worst possible light and so for that in that case it was a tweet that was part of a larger thread about how we all have a responsibility to combat racism.”

Talarico acknowledged he might have phrased the comments differently but said his views have not changed.

“And so would I word it differently? Would I use a different metaphor? Maybe. But I still believe that racism is wrong and I still believe that we all have a responsibility to combat it,” he said.

He added, “And I think it’s telling when some people are triggered by that.”

Talarico continued, “And so, I, of course, looking back at some of these old statements from years ago would maybe word them differently or communicate them differently, but the values that I hold are still the same.”

The controversy surrounding the resurfaced posts comes as Talarico prepares for a general election campaign for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Cornyn.

In addition to the remarks about race, Talarico has drawn attention from conservatives for statements on other issues. His positions on religion and public policy, including comments about the nature of God and his claim that the Bible justifies abortion, have been cited by critics since his primary victory.

Talarico also addressed immigration policy during his primary debate with Crockett, where he called for what he described as a “welcome mat” approach at the U.S.-Mexico border.

His positions on education and the Second Amendment have also been part of broader scrutiny surrounding his campaign as he moves forward as the Democratic nominee.

The exchange at South by Southwest highlighted how past statements are continuing to factor into the Senate race, as both supporters and critics examine Talarico’s record ahead of the general election.

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