James Talarico, the Democrats' nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas, likes to tout his Christian beliefs. They're progressive, of course, with Talarico believing in gay marriage, that abortion is Biblically based, and that displaying the Ten Commandments is an act of violence. But that hasn't stopped the Democrats from embracing Talarico's form of Christianity. They're embracing it as a new way forward for Democrats.
But what does that Christianity look like in practice? Well, Talarico has said that Reverend Jim Rigby of the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Austin is one of his mentors. Talarico even sang Rigby's praises in a recent podcast.
"Our pastor, Dr. Jim Rigby, who I've known since I was two years old. He married my parents, he baptized me, he is still my pastor today. And he showed me what it means to act with courage from the pulpit," Talarico said. "He, in the 1990s, made the decision to ordain gay and lesbian clergy, to bless same-sex marriages. He risked his own ordination. He was put on trial by the National Presbyterian Denomination for those actions. In the 2000s, Dr. Jim made the decision to allow an atheist to join our congregation, again setting off a firestorm within the church."
But here's what else Rigby thinks is "courage from the pulpit." After the failed third assassination attempt against President Trump this past weekend, Rigby took the opportunity to joke about the congregation being disappointed that President Trump wasn't killed.
James Talarico's pastor:
— ATX data (@data_atx) April 27, 2026
"Last night there was an assassination attempt. I know a lot of people have mixed feelings < congregation laughs >"
continues to say violence is not the answer and its important to not do to this fascist movement what they are doing to rest of world pic.twitter.com/kb8eXXLhZs
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He also went on to say that Republicans are fascists who want to take America back to the days of slavery.
"You may know if you check the news at all, there was an assassination attempt," Rigby said. "And I know a lot of people have mixed feelings. But it's really, really important if we are going to be healing agents of the world to realize that violence is not going to get rid of the problem that we have."
"I said last week, if violence could have gotten rid of racism, the Civil War would have worked," Rigby continued. "But if you look at the Bible Belt, and the heart of the MAGA movement, it is the Confederacy, the America they want to get back to, is the Confederate States of America. Not the United States of America."
"It's very important that even as we fight for justice, even as we protect each other from this fascistic movement, that we not do to them what they're doing to the rest."
But that's not the only radical view Rigby has taken. In 2023, he led the charge against the Texas law that would ban sex changes for children.
"Anyone who preaches hate in Jesus’ name and we remain silent, then we are complicit,” Rigby said at the time. He also has a nonbinary minister preaching at his church and openly hangs the LGBTQ+ flag over the cross. His church also boasts of using "inclusive language" that says God is nonbinary, a position that James Talarico has publicly claimed. That same church was awarded the "Reproductive Freedom Congregation" designation from the Texas Freedom Network's Just Texas Project. The award defines such congregations that "proudly proclaim abortion is a moral and social good." In 2016, Rigby called a bill that mandated the burial or cremation of fetal remains a "ghoulish assault on Texas women" and claimed it was a Trojan horse to make reproductive healthcare less accessible. He compared fetal remains to extracted teeth or an amputated limb.
Rigby's problematic statements go back years. In 2015, Rigby posted a lengthy rant on Facebook questioning Christian beliefs.
"We don't have to be loving or kind like Jesus to be saved from God's wrath. In fact we don't have to do a single thing Jesus commanded us to do. All that matters is that we admit that we are worthless trash, but that Jesus likes us anyway. Oh, and we have to LITERALLY believe Jesus' corpse got up. If you believe all the above you will get to be with God in heaven. Let's just hope God has a handle on that anger problem by now," Rigby wrote. And in 2009, Rigby preached about "true jihad" at a pro-Palestinian rally.
"If there is to be hope for humankind, then we must all realize that the true jihad is the struggle for peace and justice," Rigby said.
Texas voters, the majority of whom are Christian, deserve to know who is mentoring Talarico as he runs for Senate. His mentor has a troubling history of radical views, including attacks on President Trump and Republicans that further fan the flames of violent rhetoric.
"Absolutely disgusting stuff from James Talarico's self-proclaimed mentor, but it is nothing new. Democrats have fanned the flames of radical left-wing violence for years and gleefully put targets on the back of President Trump, Charlie Kirk, and conservatives across America. To Talarico and Democrats, murder is simply the cost of doing business in their conquest for power," said RNC spokesman Zach Kraft.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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