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Masculinity · Political Campaigns · Texas Politics · Voter Behavior
Ken Paxton, after winning the Texas Republican Senate primary, launched explicit masculinity attacks against Democratic opponent James Talarico, using terms like "Low-T Talarico" and "six-gender Jimmy," making manhood a central theme in the Texas Senate race.
Paxton quickly released an ad stating "Radical Talarico: too low-T for Texas." White House advisor Stephen Miller and Florida Republican congressional candidate Dan Weldon amplified these attacks, questioning Talarico's gender identity and football knowledge, while Fox host Jesse Watters taunted Talarico as a "gay vegan." Talarico has refuted these claims, referencing Paxton's 2015 indictment on federal securities fraud charges. Texas Republican strategist Brendan Steinhauser believes these tactics appeal to voters valuing "traditional masculinity" in the conservative state.
Progressive strategist Cliff Walker argues Paxton uses these attacks to distract from his own scandals, including the 2015 indictment and a Texas House impeachment. Political scientist Dan Cassino notes the explicit language, drawn from the "manosphere," is now mainstream political dialogue, reflecting an effort to "rewind modern views of gender roles" and label certain men as "weaker."
