Texas Lt. Gov. Says Democratic Senate Nominee James Talarico Will “Go To Hell”

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told delegates at the Republican Party of Texas convention in Houston on June 12 that Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico would "go to hell" if he continued to campaign "against God."

The comments targeted Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, whose progressive Christian message has become a major feature of his Senate campaign.

By Friday evening, Talarico fired back on X, sparking a sharp public debate over faith, power, and who gets to define Christianity in Texas politics.

Patrick made the remarks from the main stage at the state GOP convention, where he spoke to delegates and attendees, according to the Texas Tribune.

He accused Talarico of bringing religion into the campaign and misusing Christianity as part of his political message. His sharpest line came when he said Talarico would go to hell if he kept campaigning "against God."

Talarico brings an unusual profile to the race. He is a 36-year-old politician and a Presbyterian seminarian working toward ordination. He has made frequent comments about how his progressive Christian faith shapes his politics, which has put religion not just near the campaign, but right in the middle of it.

During the 2025 Texas legislative session, Talarico drew national attention with viral social media clips showing him sparring with Republican colleagues while citing his Christian faith.

Several of his TikTok videos went viral, pulling in millions of views, and he later appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast. That September, he announced his run for the U.S. Senate.

The scrutiny grew after Talarico appeared on Rogan's podcast last year and discussed what he sees as biblical support for abortion, referencing the story of the Annunciation.

That argument drew attention from outlets across the political and religious spectrum, including Religion Unplugged and Fox News. Patrick's convention comments added a new level of intensity to that dispute.

Talarico answered Patrick on Friday evening with a direct attack of his own. He wrote on X, "For decades, Dan Patrick has sold out the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable to enrich his donors. Love feels like blasphemy when you worship power."

The exchange quickly drew public reaction from people who saw Patrick's comments as crossing a line between politics and religion.

One widely shared social media post mocked the remark, saying Texans had learned their lieutenant governor's duties now include "issuing official forecasts on eternal damnation."

Another commentary, published by Baptist News Global, stated: "Dan Patrick does not get to decide who goes to hell. That is not Christianity. That is political intimidation wrapped in religious fear."

The responses reflected the broader argument now surrounding the race: whether Talarico's use of Christian language opens him to criticism from religious conservatives, or whether Patrick's attack overstepped by casting a political opponent as spiritually condemned.

For Patrick, the issue centers on Talarico's interpretation of the Bible and his decision to make faith part of his campaign. For Talarico, it is an argument about whether progressive Christianity deserves a seat at the table in a state where the Republican Party has long treated evangelical values as its own political property.