What a hound dog! Texas Senate candidate James Talarico just can't keep his hands off of staffers.
Last month, Talarico was asked by an interviewer if he had a girlfriend, and he replied that he did, and she was his rock. That sparked a lot of jokes about how she went to school in Canada, and you wouldn't know her, seeing as she'd never been seen in public with him. The New York Post, however, tracked down Talarico's neighbor with a uterus: a vegan political lobbyist who previously worked as his chief of staff and enjoyed dancing the night away at gay bars. Speaking of gay bars, The Bulwark's Tim Miller gloated and asked the GOP for more posts about Talarcio's "hot vegan girlfriend."
Now, Texas Scorecard has tracked down another former Capitol staffer who confirms she had a romantic relationship with Talarico.
NEW: A second former Capitol staffer has confirmed a past romantic relationship with Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico https://t.co/U46q2wHxRU
— Brandon Waltens (@bwaltens) June 8, 2026
Brandon Waltens writes:
A former Capitol staffer has publicly confirmed that she was previously in a romantic relationship with State Rep. James Talarico of Austin, adding to questions surrounding the Democrat lawmaker’s relationships with legislative staffers.
In a statement posted online last week, former Mexican American Legislative Caucus Executive Director Irma Reyes said she and the now Democrat Senate candidate had been in a relationship that ended approximately five years ago.
“My private personal relationship with James Talarico ended five years ago,” Reyes wrote. “I will not be commenting further on the matter.”
The statement comes as Talarico faces scrutiny over his relationship with former staffer Brianna Menard, a former employee in his legislative office who now works as a healthcare lobbyist.
Waltens adds, "Social media posts from the period show the pair publicly acknowledging their relationship, including birthday tributes, affectionate exchanges, and references to spending Valentine’s Day together."
Um, the scrutiny hasn't really been over whether Talarico had relationships with staffers.
We’re about two weeks from liberals planting sexual harrassment stories to try proving he’s heterosexual.
— Sean Spicier - Former Tango Dancer (Parody) (@sean_spicier) June 8, 2026
First campaign in history to make up fake scandals about their own candidate to try to make him seem more appealing
— 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗘 (@RepubRepartee) June 9, 2026
These “revelations” are being leaked by his campaign to try to convince us he isn’t a vegan eunuch.
— Senator Scott Whiner (@Scott_Whiner) June 8, 2026
Are we about to troll Talarico into bragging about having inappropriate relations with multiple female coworkers?
— Thomas Collins (@ThoRCol) June 9, 2026
It's like, okay, fine, you're right, you're not gay, you're a predator. lol
I can’t believe we successfully gaslighted the campaign into confirming multiple relationships with staffers just to prove he’s straight. Diabolical. https://t.co/JargCvcKYG
— Jarvis (@jarvis_best) June 9, 2026
Still not convinced
— Bill Davis & The History Of Rock’n’Roll (@kelso839) June 9, 2026
I think the campaign needs to drop a sex tape. https://t.co/j5EGDDBssT
— Jarvis (@jarvis_best) June 9, 2026
Fulfilling the 11th commandment (Though shalt cyber bully journalists and politicians) daily. Good work all.
— Gary with a T (@spampots2020) June 9, 2026
Going to need to see proof of romance.
— The Cat Who Says the Word (@slurcat) June 9, 2026
Like those photos of Sen. Cory Booker and Rosario Dawson not being able to keep their hands off each other.
The internet is undefeated
— Brandon St. Randy (@thegnarlyCortez) June 9, 2026
X managed to get the Talarico campaign and the official account of the Democrats to post the same photo of Talarico tearing into some barbecue after "vegan accusations" arose after a video surfaced of him saying he was running a meat-free campaign.
We're just having fun. As our own Warren Squire reported on Monday, The Atlantic reached all the way across the Atlantic to find a woman to argue that Americans, especially Texans, have a narrow definition of masculinity.
We don't care about Talarcio's masculinity (or lack thereof) because 1) there's no way he's going to win in Texas, and 2) it just reminds us of Jan Brady's boyfriend, George Glass. It's been fun watching his campaign try to prove he's a ladies' man with an insatiable appetite for meat.
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