Texas state representative and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign has addressed public outrage sparked by a resurfaced video. The video shows Talarico discussing his views on the Bible and education.
In a video from 2025, hosted by the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Talarico, a Christian seminarian, spoke about his legislative battles. He was asked about facing “Christian Nationalists,” a term referring to those who consider the U.S. a fundamentally Christian nation. Talarico described what he called “the most insidious” legislation he opposed during his time in Texas government. He claimed a bill required schools to teach Bible stories as historical fact, which he argued promoted “propaganda” to children, detrimental to education and society.
“It was a new state curriculum that would teach Christian Bible stories as historical fact, as the only truth to our youngest students, and I mean kindergarten, first graders,” Talarico said. “These are kids who aren’t able to think for themselves yet. They haven’t formed their own worldviews.”
Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, retweeted the clip, responding with, “Um, wut?” Other commentators similarly reacted.
Mary Elizabeth Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values, told Fox News Digital that Talarico’s claim was misleading. She said the curriculum mentioned was the Bluebonnet curriculum, adopted in winter 2024 as part of English Language Arts. It aimed to help students understand various biblical references, such as those in Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Castle argued the curriculum was supported by religious liberty law firms and public figures like Dr. Ben Carson and boosted reading comprehension. Most parents and stakeholders favored the curriculum, which the State Board of Education approved.
Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel for First Liberty, noted that courts recognize the Bible’s influence on Western culture, making it essential literature. He argued that a complete education includes understanding the Bible’s historical impact. The ACLU agreed that Bible teaching is permissible in Texas schools.
Tim Graham, executive editor of the Media Research Center’s NewsBusters, commented on the contrasting definitions of “indoctrination.” He accused Talarico of opposing biblical perspectives, aligning with leftist ideology, and resisting Bible discussions in classrooms.
A spokesperson for Talarico’s campaign stated that he is committed to Jesus Christ’s teachings, battling corruption perceived in mixing scripture and politics. They criticized figures like Ken Paxton for attacking Talarico’s faith. Talarico aims to unite Texans across the political spectrum by promoting neighborly love.
In a podcast interview with Joe Rogan, Talarico emphasized the importance of church-state separation. He expressed concern for students of various faiths feeling marginalized due to government-imposed religious displays. He justified his stance against the bill on both theological and constitutional grounds.
Talarico’s campaign has faced criticism for supporting the raising of transgender children while opposing procedures like gender reassignment surgeries for minors. He clarified this stance in a June interview.