Trump’s nicknames are downright hilarious.
President Donald Trump is turning his attention to the increasingly competitive Texas Senate race — and he has already come up with a new nickname for Democratic candidate James Talarico.
Trump took a shot at the progressive Texas lawmaker by referring to him as “Talafreako,” adding that he considers Talarico’s political views outside the mainstream for the Lone Star State.
The jab comes as Republicans ramp up their efforts to elect Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to the Senate and prevent Democrats from scoring a major political breakthrough in a state that has remained reliably Republican in statewide elections for years.
At the same time, Talarico is attracting attention for another reason: the Texas Democrat is reportedly heading back to Hollywood to raise campaign cash from wealthy California donors.
Talarico Heads Back To Hollywood
Talarico is scheduled to travel to Los Angeles on Sept. 10 for a high-dollar fundraiser hosted by “Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof and his wife, Heidi.
According to Politico, tickets for the Brentwood event begin at $500 and climb as high as $13,500.
It will reportedly be Talarico’s second Hollywood fundraising event in only a few months.
The Democratic candidate previously attended a June fundraiser at the home of Hollywood producer Peter Chernin.
That event was described by Page Six as an upscale Democratic gathering featuring entertainment-industry connections.
Now, Republicans are attempting to make Talarico’s California fundraising a campaign issue as voters prepare for a closely watched Senate election.
Outside Money Becomes An Issue
The amount of money coming into Talarico’s campaign from outside Texas has already attracted scrutiny.
According to campaign finance records previously reported by Fox News Digital, roughly half of the money Talarico raised during the first quarter came from donors outside the Lone Star State.
Republicans are using those figures to draw a contrast between Talarico’s image as a Texas candidate and the national Democratic donors helping finance his campaign.
RNC spokesperson Zach Kraft went after Talarico over the issue, accusing the Democrat of being more comfortable among California liberals than ordinary Texas voters.
Kraft also mocked Talarico’s campaign image, including his appearances wearing a cowboy hat and driving a pickup truck.
Talarico’s campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment before its report was published.
Republicans Rally In Texas
The political contrast could become particularly noticeable on Sept. 10.
While Talarico is expected to be raising money in Los Angeles, Paxton will be in Dallas as Republicans gather for the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention.
Trump and other leading Republicans are also expected to participate.
Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama is reportedly scheduled to headline a Democratic House fundraiser in New York that same night.
That means major Democratic fundraising activity will be taking place on the East and West Coasts while Republicans gather inside Texas.
For the GOP, the optics provide an opportunity to reinforce its argument that national liberal donors are pouring resources into an effort to change the political direction of Texas.
Talarico’s Progressive Record Under Fire
Talarico currently serves in the Texas House of Representatives and has emerged as a prominent progressive voice within the Democratic Party.
Since securing the Democratic Senate nomination, however, Republicans have repeatedly highlighted some of his more controversial public statements.
Those remarks include describing God as “nonbinary,” arguing that there are six sexes and emphasizing reduced meat consumption as an important part of combating climate change.
Republicans are expected to keep those statements front and center as they attempt to persuade voters that Talarico’s political philosophy is too progressive for Texas.
Trump is now personally joining that effort.
The president referred to Talarico as “Talafreako” while arguing that the Democrat does not represent traditional Texas values.
Whether Trump’s newest political nickname catches on with voters remains to be seen, but the president clearly intends to make Talarico a national political target.
Texas Senate Race Is Surprisingly Close
Republicans have another reason to take the race seriously: polling has suggested the contest could be competitive.
A Fox News poll released in July showed Talarico with 51% support compared with 48% for Paxton.
However, the three-point difference was within the poll’s margin of sampling error, meaning the survey did not establish a clear leader.
For Democrats, even being competitive in Texas represents an opportunity the party has sought for years.
Democrats have repeatedly predicted that demographic and political changes could eventually transform Texas into a genuine battleground state. Republicans, meanwhile, are determined to prevent that prediction from becoming reality.
Paxton has argued that Talarico benefited from getting an early start in the general-election contest while Republicans were still dealing with a bruising primary fight involving incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.
Now that the Republican nomination has been settled, the GOP is turning its attention toward November.
Kennedy Sounds Alarm Over Campaign Cash
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., has openly acknowledged that money could become a major factor in the race.
Speaking with Fox News, Kennedy pointed specifically to Talarico’s fundraising success in California and Hollywood.
He warned that the Democrat has been bringing in substantial amounts of campaign money and argued that Republicans need additional resources to compete.
Kennedy also appealed directly to Trump for help.
The Louisiana senator said Senate Republicans had not budgeted enough money for the Texas contest and urged the president to assist Paxton.
Trump appears prepared to do exactly that.
Trump Promises To Help Paxton
Trump has pledged to personally get involved in the Texas Senate battle.
“I’m going to help Ken Paxton, and I’m going to spend a lot of time in Texas,” Trump said.
The president also pointed to his own history of winning Texas at the presidential level and made clear that Republicans are preparing to fight aggressively for the state.
Trump described Paxton as a strong candidate and said his political operation would work hard to help Republicans win the Senate contest.
Then Trump delivered the line likely to generate the most attention.
Referring to Talarico as “Talafreako,” Trump said the Democrat was “a little freaky.”
It was classic Trump political branding — a short and memorable nickname designed to define an opponent before that opponent gets the chance to define himself.
Hollywood Money Meets Texas Politics
The battle over Talarico’s Hollywood fundraising highlights a larger question likely to follow the Democrat throughout the campaign: Who is financing the effort to turn Texas blue?
Democrats will likely argue that Talarico’s fundraising demonstrates enthusiasm for his candidacy and gives the party the resources necessary to compete in a traditionally Republican state.
Republicans see the situation very differently.
They are likely to portray the influx of money from California and other states as evidence that national Democratic interests are investing heavily in an effort to reshape Texas politics.
That argument could resonate with conservative voters who remain suspicious of Hollywood’s influence in American politics.
At the same time, Republicans cannot afford to dismiss Talarico.
The polling numbers and fundraising totals suggest this could become one of the more closely watched Senate contests of the election cycle.
Trump Makes Texas A Priority
Trump’s decision to personally engage in the race shows that Republicans understand what is at stake.
Texas has long served as one of the foundations of Republican strength in national politics. A Democratic Senate victory there would not simply represent the loss of one seat — it would send political shockwaves across the country.
That helps explain why Trump is promising to spend significant time campaigning for Paxton.
It also explains why Republicans are focusing so heavily on Talarico’s progressive record and his financial support from outside Texas.
For voters, the choice is becoming increasingly clear.
Talarico is offering Democrats another opportunity to prove they can finally compete statewide in Texas, backed in part by a national fundraising network that includes wealthy donors from California.
Paxton is betting that Texas voters will ultimately remain loyal to the conservative politics that have dominated the state for decades.
And Trump?
He has already entered the fight with something that has become a familiar part of his political playbook — a brand-new nickname for his opponent.
