Texas Democrat takes dig at detractors’ ages while responding to ‘low T’ attack
"When I first heard this 'low T' thing, I had to look it up. Guys my age aren't really worried about that kind of thing."
Ryan Cooper 
Texas state senator James Talarico is firing back at Republican critics who have spent the campaign questioning his masculinity. As he gears up for his November showdown against state Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico is taking aim at the age and tactics of his opponents.
The 'Low-T' Controversy
Talarico, 37, has been the target of several disparaging labels throughout the race. Critics, including 63-year-old Ken Paxton, have used emasculating monikers like “low-T Talarico” and “Tofu Talarico.”
During a recent appearance on “Morning Joe,” Talarico dismissed the attacks as relics of an older generation. “When I first heard this low T thing, I had to look it up. Guys my age aren’t really worried about that kind of thing,” Talarico told hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.
Shifting the Focus to Policy
Talarico framed these insults as an exhausting distraction from the issues that actually matter to Texans. He characterized the current political climate as a form of “professional wrestling,” driven by “old guys who are lathered up in their fake tan throwing these corny nicknames at each other.”
He argued that voters are looking for substance over schoolyard taunts. “People are wanting serious leaders who are gonna get this economy back on track, who are gonna start to lower costs, who are going to start to raise pay,” Talarico said, noting that nicknames do nothing to address the price of groceries, gas, or prescription drugs.
Reaction and Previous Stances
The response earned Talarico significant praise online. J.J. Abbott tweeted that the candidate adeptly navigated the attacks by pivoting to issues of affordability and incompetence, while former federal prosecutor Joyce White Vance simply called it a "slay."
This is not the first time Talarico has pushed back on his manhood being questioned. Following his primary victory over Rep. Jasmine Crockett, he has faced repeated claims that he is not “masculine” enough for the job. Previously, when Sen. Ted Cruz joined in on the attacks, Talarico told MS NOW’s Jen Psaki that his opponents are not “real men.”
“Real men serve others,” Talarico stated. “Weak men serve themselves. And so I welcome this debate about what it means to be a man. And I don’t think Ken Paxton or Ted Cruz are in a position to tell anybody what a real man is.”
