James Talarico’s “Moral Obligation” Remark Haunts His Senate Run
Texas Democrat James Talarico is trying to draw a line between what he says now and what he said before. That is not going to be easy.
On a recent podcast, Talarico said, “I oppose gender reassignment surgeries for minors.” That sounds like a clean break. But video from 2023 tells a very different part of the story.
During debate on SB 14 in the Texas House, Talarico argued against a bill aimed at restricting certain procedures and treatments for children dealing with gender transitioning, gender reassignment, or gender dysphoria. He told lawmakers, “gender … is a spectrum,” and pushed back on the idea that the state should step in.
He did not stop there. “Before this bill was filed, there was plenty of evidence that not treating extreme gender dysphoria can not only lead to suicide, but can lead to psychological and physical harm to a child, and since this bill is filed, the New England Journal of Medicine released a study of 350 young people with gender dysphoria who were receiving hormonal therapy, and it showed that that therapy reduced anxiety and depression … I’m asking us to follow that evidence, follow that science, and I’m disturbed that this body is not willing to let doctors make these decisions,” Talarico said.
He also said doctors had a “moral obligation” under the “Hippocratic oath” to treat children’s gender dysphoria. That is a serious line. And it is the kind of thing opponents are not going to let fade quietly during a Senate race.
There is also more video circulating online. In one clip shared by RNC Research, Talarico says he opposes trans surgery for minors. In another, he says he loves “trans children.” Those clips are now part of the fight over whether his current position reflects a real change or just a political cleanup job.
This is where old statements matter. Once a candidate has spoken so forcefully on a hot-button issue, it is hard to pretend the record does not exist. Voters can hear the new line. They can also watch the old one.
For Talarico, that leaves a simple but tough question: what exactly changed, and when?
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