Texas Senate Candidate Talarico Discusses Drag Culture Amidst Campaign Criticisms

At a campaign event, Texas Democratic Senate hopeful James Talarico quickly named Alyssa Edwards as his favorite drag queen in the state. Alyssa Edwards, known off-stage as Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, is recognized for being a drag performer involved in youth drag shows.

Talarico has faced scrutiny for past statements on gender and sexuality, such as referring to God as nonbinary and commending Texas for its drag queens. These comments have become focal points in the Senate race.

A man attending the event said, “Mr. Talarico, so nice to meet you… I was there when you defended the drags,” as they took a photo together.

When asked about his favorite drag queen, Talarico replied without hesitation, citing Alyssa Edwards. This exchange follows a report by the Washington Free Beacon about Talarico headlining a 2021 event called “Taylor PRIDE,” where an 11-year-old performed under the name Kween Kee Kee.

Alyssa Edwards, Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, has been vocal about supporting youth drag shows. Johnson appeared in the Netflix docuseries “Dancing Queen” and has expressed pride in sharing stages with dance students. He referred to a 10-year-old student as his “mini-me” in the series, who performed dressed as Alyssa Edwards.

When questioned about the encounter, a spokesperson for Talarico redirected criticism toward his Republican opponent, Ken Paxton.

Talarico acknowledged missing the mark with some past comments when recently questioned. He clarified his stance, saying he no longer supports certain views, emphasizing focus on economic issues like fuel prices.

Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson’s representatives for comments but did not provide additional statements.