A lesbian minister at James Talarico’s longtime Austin church believes the Democrat is playing a political game in an attempt to flip Texas blue as he races to recast his record on transgender issues and his declaration that “God is non-binary,” according to undercover footage obtained by The Daily Wire.
Rev. Babs Miller, minister to the parish at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, was caught making stunning admissions about Talarico’s political makeover as he seeks to win over conservative-minded Texas moderates. The newfound shift includes striking new positions, including support for a national ban on gender-transition surgeries for minors and opposition to transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports when he believes it threatens safety or fairness.
When an undercover journalist told Miller that Republicans were attacking Talarico over his “God is non-binary” comment, she responded, “Duh,” agreeing with the theological assertion before shedding light on his internal political strategy.
“He’s getting some advice that I don’t think he should be following,” Miller said.
Miller then suggested Talarico would revert to his embrace of the LGBT movement’s most extreme elements if he wins the race against Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton.
“I can guarantee you that once he gets elected, he’ll change his tune back to where he was,” she said.
When the undercover journalist suggested Talarico had to “play this game,” Miller shook her head and agreed.
“That’s what his campaign has convinced him of,” Miller said. “The Democratic Party is backing off on their stances on trans and all of this, and so his staff is encouraging him to kind of do the same thing, just for the next 50 weeks, whatever days.”
“I think it’s bad advice personally, but if it helps him win, okay…” an exasperated Miller added.
Talarico has long attended St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, where he has delivered politically charged sermons, including one declaring “God is not a Christian.” Miller’s church bio says she has been part of the St. Andrew’s community since the mid-1990s and was ordained there in 2014 as an “out” lesbian chaplain. She retired shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic but returned in 2022.
The Daily Wire recently obtained additional undercover footage in which Texas Democratic Party organizer Jennifer Miranda described Talarico’s shift as a misleading campaign to flip disgruntled conservative Texans not thrilled about Paxton at the top of the ticket.
“I would say right now he’s trying to target a wider net, which unfortunately means being more palatable to Republicans here in Texas,” Miranda, a manager with Texas Together and the Texas Democratic Party, said. “He really needs to win those Texans over.”
The footage was published after Talarico appeared on FOX News to whitewash his most extreme past positions as Republicans flood the airwaves with attacks seeking to define him as a radical in a culturally conservative state.
“Every sport has to be safe and fair. As a former public school teacher, I care a lot about our student athletes. And so, I will oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness,” Talarico told FOX.
In 2021, however, Talarico voted against Senate Bill 29 while serving on the Texas House Public Education Committee. The bill sought to require public-school athletes to compete according to the biological sex listed on their birth certificates.
During the interview, Talarico also pledged to “absolutely” support a national ban on gender-transition surgeries for minors. In reality, Talarico voted against Senate Bill 14, the 2023 Texas legislation restricting sex-change surgeries for minors.
One GOP-sponsored ad is capitalizing on Talarico’s record on the toxic issue, running back a famous 2024-style attack to cast him as a “radical liberal” who is for “they/them” – “not you.”
Beyond his voting record, Talarico’s church in question features books containing sexually explicit content and transgender themes, The Daily Wire previously reported. There, children have access to a library stocked with “banned books,” including titles that contain descriptions of anal rape, incest, and oral sex, according to The Daily Wire’s review of its offerings.
The latest footage exposes growing tensions over Talarico’s political makeover, with his longtime church and Democratic organizers pushing back against his calculated bid to win over the voters he needs for a six-year Senate term. The Cook Political Report currently rates the Texas Senate race as a toss-up.
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