Back in March, a 2022 video went viral showing Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (still wearing a COVID mask) telling an audience it was “existential” to reduce meat consumption to fight climate change, and pledging that his campaign was buying only vegan products from local vegan businesses. That's not something you say when you're trying to be elected to represent the state that produces the most beef in the nation. A day later, a spokesperson for the Talarico campaign posted the campaign's official response to the "vegan accusations" — a photo of Talarico tearing into some barbecue.
On Sunday, Talarico, having recovered from the flu, stopped by a halal barbecue restaurant in Dallas. Talarico not only loves trans kids; he loves Muslims, and he loves meat.
James stopped by Kafi BBQ in DFW, where their halal take on Texas barbecue has earned national recognition and the title of Best BBQ in Dallas from the Dallas Observer. https://t.co/NTLFco6vCL
— Team Talarico (@TeamTalaricoHQ) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ You're a buffoon.
— JWF (@JammieWF) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ This should lose you an election in Texas by itself.
— Vierd 🇺🇸 (@Vierd1) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Texas BBQ isn’t halal.
— Swig 🇺🇸 (@OldRowSwig) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ As a Texan, I can say there’s no such thing as “Halal Texas BBQ” Not just no but HELL NO!
— 🇺🇸🇺🇸Bob🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@HornsUpBob) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ How were the pork ribs?
— TXIND1836⭐️FEMALE, REG. VOTER, RURAL TEXAS! (@txind1836) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Best pulled pork in town.
— Augustian (@Augustian227) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Can we get Vegan Jimmy to give us his take on the halal method for slaughtering animals? You know, where their throats are slit and they're left to bleed out fully?
— Brodie Bruce (@ChuckEWeiss) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Doesn’t look like Texas BBQ to me
— Texican (@FCB5999) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Wasn't his goal to be photographed with as much meat in his mouth as possible? How come there is no meat in his mouth?
— EdgeCrusher (@EdgeCrusher14) October 19, 2026
He stopped by, but did he partake? How was it? The best in Dallas?
@TeamTalaricoHQ ...from the Dallas Observer.😂 Leftist rag.💩
— Pepe LePewPew (@janky_future) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Literally no one with taste buds calls it the best BBQ in Dallas. A claim from a leftist political rag is not a solid BBQ reference.
— Matt Wright (@mattwr) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ The "Dallas Observer" is a leftist website though.
— Ulysses Walker (@PrimeBeef45) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Muslims, he met with muslims.
— The Crusader - 100% English Colonizer (@CrusadeAgain) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ https://t.co/6ZX9GhnKHU
— FrankTown (@FrankTown) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Heretic clown
— BLF (@BurningLimb) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Halal is not welcome in Texas or America! Disgusting tradition and cruelty to all animals involved.
— july4thbaby (@TerriMorrison4) October 19, 2026
@TeamTalaricoHQ Halal BBQ? That’s what you thought you needed to broadcast the day before early voting opens? Fire your communications team lmfao
— John Arthur Cannifax (@JohnACannifax) October 19, 2026
There's no video of Talarico digging into some of that halal barbecue. How was it? We can understand why he didn't bring along his hot vegan girlfriend to this campaign stop.
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