LUBBOCK, TX – Nothing is more quintessentially Texas than oil derricks, longhorn cattle and, of course, barbecue.
So when James Talarico, the Democratic nominee in the highly contested Senate race in Texas, ordered potato, egg and cheese breakfast tacos during a visit to Taco Joint in Austin with President Barack Obama in early May, a chorus of critics chimed in with opinions about the Central Texas lawmaker's meatless meal – Republicans, political pundits, Texans and non-Texans alike.
"Potato egg and cheese? Homie is not beating the vegetarian allegations," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, said on his campaign's X account.
As Texas’ closely-watched Senate race heats up, Talarico's opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his Republican allies, including President Donald Trump, are painting the Democrat as out of touch and too radical for the Lone Star state, especially in relation to a key industry in the state: beef.
“He’s a vegan in Texas, and you can’t get elected as a vegan in Texas,” Trump told reporters on May 20. Paxton, during a May 26 victory speech after defeating Republican Sen. John Cornyn in a runoff, gave his Democratic opponent the nickname “Tofu Talarico” and again accused him of being vegan.
“It’s hard to imagine someone more radical than that,” Paxton said.
Talarico has denied that he’s a vegan. And he's also, clearly, not afraid of going head-to-head with Paxton, who in recent years has been...
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