A Big Stretch: The Atlantic Reaches Across the Pond to Find a Writer Who Believes James Talarico Is Manly

The Atlantic reached across the Atlantic to find someone (anyone) willing to defend Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico’s manliness, or lack thereof. Apparently, Americans, and more specifically Texans, have a narrow definition of masculinity according to the U.K. writer. It’s hilarious that the leftists at The Atlantic think a drinker of English tea knows what constitutes a man better than the rugged Lone Star State voters who subsist on Texas Tea (oil, that is).

Here’s more. (READ)

Attacks on James Talarico show the GOP’s narrow, anxious definition of masculinity—and how difficult making a positive case for the party’s own candidate is, Helen Lewis argues: https://t.co/Do6jheWqf8

📸: Danielle Villasana / Getty pic.twitter.com/3d6WkCuEL7
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) June 8, 2026

My dudes, you couldn't even find a *male* writer to talk about masculinity? Sad.
— Its A Dry Heat (@Its_a_dryheat) June 8, 2026

They were busy trying on dresses, apparently. Writer Helen Lewis lists all of Talarico’s political positions and qualities that have led observant Texans to label him a ‘soy boy.’

Per The Atlantic:

The attacks on James Talarico have not been subtle. In the weeks since the 37-year-old state representative won the Democratic U.S. Senate primary in Texas, Republicans have been describing him as “Low-T Talarico,” “James Talafreako,” and “Six-Gender Jimmy.” On May 28, the White House immigration czar Stephen Miller said on Fox News that it was “brave, courageous, that the Democratic Party would choose Texas, of all places, to nominate their first transgender Senate candidate.”

You can hear Helen Lewis straining her wrist to clutch pearls while writing this.
— Tony Kinnett (@TheTonus) June 8, 2026

Courtesy of 'oyster farmer' Graham Platner, no doubt. Lewis frets over the many Republicans who are simply pointing out that Talarico and other Democrat men are ‘weak and woke.’

The Republicans have long marketed themselves as the manlier party, but the anti-Talarico blitzkrieg is both obviously coordinated and unusually overt. The overarching strategy here, as the Democratic presidential hopeful Rahm Emanuel has previously pointed out, is to associate the entire left with being “weak and woke.” Not manly, in other words. Talarico’s aw-shucks niceness and youthful looks are reframed as the result of low testosterone, and his (admittedly mawkish and over-egged) statements of concern for gender-nonconforming children make him a “freak.” Worst of all, according to the Florida Republican Dan Weldon, Talarico looks as though he “couldn’t name a single obscure wide receiver from the early 2000s.” Supporters of the Republican candidate, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, portray Democrats as wusses, cucks, soy boys who don’t follow sports. One commentator mused about whether Talarico wears “frilly underwear.”
Mostly, the attacks on Talarico have taken the form of 99,999 dog whistles implying that he is gay. On Fox News, Jesse Watters laughingly observed that the Democrats had rebuffed rumors that Talarico is vegan by posting photos of him “swallowing large sticks of meat.” He added: “He’s also 37 and not married.” When the New York Post confirmed that Talarico’s girlfriend exists by revealing her identity, the attack line mutated—did you know that she’s vegan? Pretty gay.

‘Lots of straight men meet their girlfriends in gay clubs,’ said no serious person ever.

Posters say Democrats are so frightened of genuine masculinity that they are forced to redefine it. Remember the Harris/Walz campaign’s unintentionally cringe ‘Man Enough’ ad? (WATCH)

I present to you the cringiest political ad ever created. pic.twitter.com/P0JMI1caNS
— Champagne Joshi (@JoshWalkos) October 11, 2024

Dems cannot pick a normal straight white male candidate if their lives depended on it
— That Chick From Seattle (@burnedinseattle) June 8, 2026

“You better hush your pretty little mouth about Jim Talarico round here, buckaroo” pic.twitter.com/Siq9P2XvLq
— janitor in a suit (@SuitJanitor) June 8, 2026

Lol, you guys can't help yourselves pic.twitter.com/kG0ZJUSQER
— Amphibious Rodent (@inthecitylimits) June 8, 2026

LOL. Democrats can’t define masculinity, or what a man is. It’s why they keep coming up with these caricatures of men. @helenlewis is a moron.
— Taro Tsujimoto (@LegendofTaro183) June 8, 2026

No one in the ad is even remotely believable.

Commenters say Lewis needs to stick to things she knows, assuming she knows anything at all. Talarico is as manly as paper doilies.

You know nothing about Texas voters. Stay in your lane. The guy is a freak who loves trans kids, open borders, boys in girls sports, mutilating confused children, taking away our no state income tax and believes in 6 genders. And yes, he is a feminine man.
— Huckleberrycrew5 (@AnneDAngelo5) June 8, 2026

Talarico would have to be masculine to fit even a narrow definition of masculinity.
— JayJay McMaster, CD (@tantrumblue1) June 8, 2026

The GOP is not questioning his manhood, they are rightfully outright denying it ever existed.
— Nic Z (@z649278) June 8, 2026

And if Texans ever see a glimmer of masculinity in Talarico, they’ll let you know. Go ahead and make other plans, though. That day’s never coming, Helen.

Editor's Note: Do you enjoy Twitchy's conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.

Join Twitchy VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.