James Talarico, a Texas state representative and U.S. Senate candidate, said on the Politics War Room podcast that atheists and adherents of other faiths can sometimes be "more Christ-like" than some Christian lawmakers. He urged inward reflection over the enforcement of religious practices in public institutions and criticized "Christian nationalism" for aligning faith with partisan politics. The remarks drew strong criticism from conservatives and revived earlier controversies surrounding his comments about faith and scripture.
Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico Says Atheists Can Be 'More Christ‑Like' Than Some Christian Colleagues — Sparks Backlash
State Rep. James Talarico addresses the crowd during a campaign rally after launching his Senate campaign for the seat held by John Cornyn in Round Rock, Texas, Sept. 9, 2025.(Getty Images)
Texas state representative and U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico faced renewed controversy after telling the Politics War Room podcast that atheists and followers of other religions can be "more Christ-like than" some Christian colleagues in the Texas House.
The Vatican and St. Peter's Square during the canonization Mass of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati in 2025.
What He Said
On the national podcast hosted by Al Hunt and James Carville, Talarico argued that faith should prompt personal reflection rather than enforcement of religious practices in public institutions. "Instead of putting the 10 Commandments in every classroom, instead of forcing school children to read the Bible against their wills, why don't we... look inward and figure out how we can be more Christ-like, even when it's uncomfortable," he said.
State Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat from Texas and U.S. Senate candidate, joined Joe Rogan’s podcast in September 2025, where he also claimed the Bible permits abortion.
"I have met so many Hindus, Buddhists, Sikh Jews, Muslims, atheists, agnostics who are more Christ-like than some of the Christians I serve with in the Texas legislature. It is about how you treat other people." — James Talarico
Reaction
Conservative commentators and social-media users criticized the remarks as dismissive of Christian believers. RNC spokesman Zach Kraft accused Talarico of promoting a "woke" reading of Christianity and warned such positions would be unpopular in Texas. Supporters say Talarico's comments call for living Christian teachings—compassion and service—rather than politicizing faith.
Campaign Context And Background
Talarico, a former public school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian, is running to unseat Republican Sen. John Cornyn in a state where Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate seat since 1988. Religion has been a recurring theme in his public life: in 2021 he told the Texas legislature "God is nonbinary," and he later discussed his interpretation of scripture on Joe Rogan's podcast in September 2025. In a January interview on a New York Times podcast he said his Christian faith had grown as he learned about Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
As the campaign continues, Talarico framed his remarks as part of a broader critique of what he calls "Christian nationalism"—the blending of partisan politics with religious identity—and the ways that political allegiances can, in his view, contradict charitable policy positions like health care, food assistance and support for low-income workers. Fox News Digital reached out to Talarico's campaign for further comment.
Help us improve.
