Texas Democrat Talarico fields voter questions on abortion, faith and Gaza at CNN town hall

James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for the US Senate in Texas, took questions face to face from several undecided voters at a CNN town hall on Wednesday evening. The topics were contentious: Israel's military campaign in Gaza, abortion and foreign aid. The race is tight, and the latest polls show Talarico with a narrow lead over the Republican nominee, Ken Paxton.

Faith and abortion

One voter, a devout small business owner, questioned whether Talarico's faith was genuine, citing an earlier remark in which he described God as nonbinary. Talarico admitted he had been provocative at the time. He argued the underlying idea, that God cannot be defined through human categories, is not theologically controversial, and said the late Charlie Kirk and the late Pope Benedict had said the same.

Jodi Hunt, who described herself as a single-issue voter, asked how a Catholic could trust a pro-choice candidate to protect the innocent. Talarico said the Bible is silent on abortion; Hunt replied by quoting "Thou shalt not kill." He said they might reach different moral conclusions but share the same public policy goal, framing abortion as a public health issue that could be addressed by reducing unplanned pregnancies.

Disinformation and the rival

Over the weekend Talarico became the target of a disinformation campaign after more than a week away from the campaign trail. His campaign said he had a bad case of flu, while conservative influencers falsely claimed he had been treated at a mental health facility in Ohio. Paxton and Donald Trump helped spread the rumor. Talarico denied it, noting he has never been to Ohio, and at the town hall called such viral falsehoods the "rage economy."

Paxton declined CNN's invitation, host Erin Burnett said at the start of the event. Leaked audio from a closed-door meeting, posted online, reveals him criticizing his own party and campaign leaders in Washington. The Texas legislature impeached him in 2023 on allegations including bribery and abuse of public trust, though he was later acquitted. Trump endorsed Paxton over incumbent Republican John Cornyn.