by Bryan S. Jung

Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is facing renewed scrutiny after previously overlooked audio resurfaced showing him crediting Islamic mystics and the Muslim Sufi poet Rumi with shaping his Christian faith as much as Christian authors.

The remarks came during an April 2024 appearance on The State of Belief podcast alongside Muslim Texas Democrat state Rep. Salman Bhojani. In the interview, Talarico praised interfaith dialogue and said it had deepened his understanding of Christianity.

Talarico’s current girlfriend, Brianna Menard, was working as a staffer for Bhojani at the time of the interview, according to the Texas Scorecard. RNC Research and The Daily Wire rediscovered the 2024 podcast.

"I know personally that I've learned as much about my faith from Salman's tradition, from the Islamic mystics, from poets like Rumi, as much as I have from Christian authors and Christian writers," said Talarico, who was then a state lawmaker and pastor at the far-left woke St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin. His remarks, which listeners can view as theologically inconsistent with traditional Christian doctrine, did not appear to faze him.

He added that conversations with people of other faiths do not weaken religious conviction but instead strengthen it by bringing "new flavors and new colors" to one's tradition. Talarico also quoted the 13th-century Persian mystic Rumi, saying, "In every religion there is love, yet love has no religion."

The resurfaced comments arrive as Talarico campaigns across Texas while frequently describing his beliefs as rooted in "biblical Christianity." Critics argue that his previous statements present a markedly different theological message than the one he emphasizes on the campaign trail.

The latest controversy follows renewed attention to remarks Talarico made during a 2021 interview in which he described himself as "a Christian who hates Christianity." He later explained that he was criticizing institutional Christianity while remaining committed to the teachings of Jesus.

Talarico has also generated debate over other public statements on faith and culture. He has described God as "nonbinary," referred to Jesus as a "radical feminist," opposed legislation requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in Texas public school classrooms, and encouraged Christians to engage in interfaith dialogue.

During the 2024 podcast, Talarico praised Bhojani's election as the product of a "multi-racial, multicultural, multi-religious democracy" and criticized what he called an exclusive Christian nationalist vision for the country.

Talarico has made other controversial statements such as: "Prison is violence. It's hard to imagine a world without prisons. Just because it's hard to imagine, doesn't mean you shouldn’t."

A self-described vegan, Talarico has flip-flopped on the issue of gender-reassignment surgeries for minors, and is a big supporter of the "LGBTQ+" movement.

The renewed attention comes as religion plays an increasingly prominent role in Texas politics and as Talarico seeks to convince voters that his Christian faith is central to his campaign. His past comments are likely to remain a target for political opponents who argue they are difficult to reconcile with his campaign's emphasis on biblical Christianity.

Whether the issue gains traction with Texas voters could become clearer as the Senate race intensifies and both campaigns sharpen their focus on questions of faith, values, and public policy.