By Breitbart News Network | Created at 2026-08-07 18:36:05 | Updated at 2026-08-07 20:31:05
5 hours ago
Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico is refusing to answer questions about his residency and voting history after publicly demanding that Republican opponent Ken Paxton answer questions about allegations concerning his conduct.
Talarico’s campaign promoted an ad on X writing,
“Ken Paxton is refusing to answer basic questions about his corruption and criminal record.
Texans are demanding answers. What are you hiding, @KenPaxtonTX?”
The challenge comes as The Texas Tribune and ProPublica reported that Talarico voted in five elections using his parents’ address after buying a home about six miles away in June 2022, and did not update his voter registration until September 2024. His campaign declined to answer questions about when he began living at the home he owns, instead citing “credible threats” from “right-wing actors” trying to locate Talarico and his family. The outlets noted that Texas law requires residents to register to vote where they live, but Texas ethics attorney Andrew Cates described the residency provisions as “broad and vague,” stating that prosecuting such cases would require proof that a voter knowingly or intentionally broke the law.
Breitbart News reported July 28 that Paxton said Talarico committed election fraud after reports raised questions about whether he had satisfied residency requirements before running for his Texas House seat. “James Talarico has proven he has zero regard for Texans and the rule of law,” Paxton said. “He’s been lying to voters and shamelessly committing election fraud to hold onto power.” Talarico’s campaign maintained that he lives and is registered at the north Austin home he purchased in 2022.
The issue followed Talarico to Arlington this week.
After delivering a policy speech there, Talarico did not take questions from reporters, according to CBS News Texas.
A separate video posted by RNC Research shows a man approaching Talarico and asking, “Why did you commit voter fraud?” A Talarico staffer then takes the man’s phone and turns it off.
Paxton’s campaign spokeswoman Madison Cercy told Breitbart News exclusively, “Talarico has been spoon-fed easy questions by the media throughout his entire time in office and is now refusing to answer credible questions about how he committed voter fraud. Talarico has spent his campaign flip-flopping and lying to Texans with zero accountability. Talarico must answer for defrauding his constituents by falsely claiming to live at his mother’s house.”
Paxton, meanwhile, shared a photograph showing him taking questions from a crowd of reporters during the announcement of his “Protecting the Texas Promise” agenda.
Talarico’s campaign has previously invoked “right-wing operatives” while responding to scrutiny involving the candidate. The New York Times reported that Talarico is dating health care lobbyist Brianna Menard, his former chief of staff, and that the relationship began while she worked as a top aide to him. “Four years ago, after he and his then-chief of staff developed feelings for each other and started dating, she left the office to pursue other opportunities,” Ennis said. “As right-wing operatives continue to attack James’s loved ones, the campaign is asking the public to respect Brianna’s privacy as a private citizen.” Texas House rules do not prohibit lawmakers from having relationships with lobbyists or staff members, according to the Times.
Breitbart News previously fact-checked another accusation Talarico has made against Paxton, after the Democrat said in May, “I have a legislative record — Ken Paxton has a criminal record.” Paxton has no criminal conviction stemming from the legal matters cited in that report: the securities fraud charges against him were dismissed without a trial or conviction, and the Justice Department declined to prosecute a separate corruption investigation.
Breitbart News also reported that Talarico had missed more than 800 votes during his time in the Texas Legislature.
Talarico’s financial ties to his parents have previously drawn attention. Breitbart News reported in June that his personal financial disclosure listed one Wells Fargo checking account, valued between $15,000 and $50,000, that was jointly held with his mother. Talarico also reported a $1,437.84 in-kind contribution from his parents for “moving expenses” in 2021 and listed his parents’ home as the business address for his self-employed “Education Consultant” work on his 2024 and 2025 state financial disclosures, despite purchasing a three-bedroom Austin home for more than $400,000 in 2022.
