Arkansas – “Not a huge surprise: Talarico loves to play dress up when he pretends to be a moderate,” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said as she joined Republican criticism of Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico after he named drag performer Alyssa Edwards as his favorite drag queen.
Sanders made the comment in a Sept. 17 post responding to a video shared by RNC Research showing Talarico being asked at a campaign event to name his favorite drag queen in Texas. Talarico immediately responded, “Oh, my gosh. Probably Alyssa Edwards.”
The exchange has become another point of controversy in the Texas Senate race, where Talarico is facing Republican nominee Ken Paxton.
Fox News first reported, saying Talarico was approached by a man who mentioned that he had previously seen Talarico defend drag performers before asking him to name his favorite drag queen. Talarico quickly named Alyssa Edwards, the stage name of Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, a Texas-born drag performer and television personality.
The Washington Times subsequently reported on the controversy, describing the incident as another issue being used by Republicans to criticize Talarico as he campaigns for the Senate.
The New York Post also reported that the video quickly circulated among Republican figures, with the National Republican Senatorial Committee using the exchange to criticize Talarico. The report noted that Talarico has previously praised drag performers in Texas and, in 2023, said the state produced “some of the best drag queens in the nation.”
Talarico’s answer also drew criticism because Edwards has publicly discussed working with young dancers. Fox News reported that Edwards has described himself as “a drag performer that works with children” and has spoken publicly about performing with dance students.
The Washington Examiner similarly reported that Edwards, whose legal name is Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, has been outspoken on LGBTQ issues and youth-related drag performances.
However, the available reporting does not establish that Talarico was endorsing every aspect of Edwards’ work by naming the performer as his favorite. His response was limited to identifying Edwards when asked the question at the campaign event.
The controversy also expanded after Edwards responded to the attention surrounding the exchange. According to USA Today Network reporting carried by Yahoo and AOL, Edwards reposted a post about the controversy and referred to herself as “Your favorite politician’s favorite Drag Queen,” while thanking Talarico for recognizing the arts in Texas.
Republicans have increasingly focused on Talarico’s past comments about gender and drag as the Senate campaign has intensified. Earlier in September, Talarico also faced renewed scrutiny over previous statements after he told Fox News that he had “missed the mark” on some of his past comments.
During that interview, Talarico said he no longer believed there were six biological sexes, reversing a position he had expressed during a 2021 Texas House committee hearing. He also said he did not support transgender surgeries for minors and discussed his views on transgender athletes. Fox News reported that the comments were part of Talarico’s effort to emphasize economic issues and distance himself from some of his earlier statements.
That broader debate has now become part of the argument over whether Talarico’s recent attempts to present himself as more moderate represent a genuine change in his political positions.
Sanders seized on that argument in her Sept. 17 post, saying Talarico “loves to play dress up when he pretends to be a moderate.” Her comment did not provide a detailed explanation of which of Talarico’s positions she was referring to, but it came directly after the latest controversy surrounding the drag-queen video.
The incident has received coverage from multiple outlets, including Fox News, the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner and the New York Post, while USA Today Network separately reported on Edwards’ response.
The episode is the latest example of how cultural issues have become intertwined with the Texas Senate campaign. Talarico has increasingly emphasized issues such as affordability, health care and the cost of living, while Republican opponents have continued highlighting his previous statements and positions on gender, transgender issues and drag performances.
With the November election approaching, the dispute over Talarico’s comments and his evolving positions on social issues continues to provide Republicans with material for criticizing his attempt to appeal to voters as a moderate Democrat. Sanders’ latest attack adds a prominent Republican governor from outside Texas to the growing list of officials and conservative figures commenting on the controversy.