James Talarico Could Challenge Dan Patrick
to Weight Lift-Off after Lightweight Depiction
Capitol Inside
July 10, 2026
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick gave Democrat James Talarico a golden opportunity for a publicity stunt when he portrayed the U.S. Senate nominee on Thursday as a "90-pound weakling" who's a momma's boy and predicted that former primary rival Jasmine Crockett would torpedo his bid by refusing to support it.
The Texas Senate president the GOP strategy of attacking Talarico personally to a another new level in an interview on Fox News with host Laura Ingraham - who set Talarico up for the kill by describing him to Patrick as "pro-LGBTQIA," pro-trans, pro abortion and "radically left wing" in the exchange on her show.
"He's 37-years-old - and on his filing when he announced for U.S. Senate - the only bank account, checking account he has, is with his mother," Patrick contended. "So momma, how much money can I have? We want this guy in the Senate?"
While Patrick ran the risk of offending independent male voters who have close relationships with their mothers like many of his fellow Republicans, , the lieutenant governor could have set himself up for embarrassment on multiple fronts if Talarico doesn't choose to simply ignore the insults on national television.
"He's a lightweight," Patrick asserted. "He's a 90 pound weakling. He couldn't lift a 10-pound weight in the gym if you helped him."
Talarico could respond to the berating by challenging Patrick to a weight lift-off at one of the gyms around Austin. The YMCA on the edge of downtown Austin across the street from Town Lake could be an option. Patrick has always appeared to be in good physical shape. Patrick is several inches taller than Talarico and weighs a lot more than the Democrat. But Patrick may not be a muscular as envisions himself to be at the age of 76.
Even if Patrick could push or pull more weight into the air than Talarico, the Democrat could do 10 or 15 curls with 100 pounds on a barbell before an audience of television cameras and show he's 10 times stronger than the low bar that the lieutenant governor set for a baseline to prove his point.
Talarico could have some fun if he showed up for the muscle man competition hauling bags stuffed with cash to symbolize the record-shattering performance he's delivered in the fundraising arena with more than $70 million worth of contributions in 10 months. Talarico revealed this week that he rounded up $30 million for the Senate campaign in the past three months alone. The Democratic Senate candidate could drag some 90-pound bags of fertilizer made from farm animal manure, slap Patrick's picture on them and see how many he could hoist into the bed of the Republican's vintage pickup truck.
But Talarico could have a field day if Paxton declined the challenge for a duel in the weight room to show whether the senior citizen is as physically strong or stronger than the Democratic U.S. Senate contender who's less than half his age. Talarico could cut a new video ad that shows Patrick doing a chicken dance like those that were regularly featured in the classic television comedy series Arrested Development.
Talarico, a state representative from Austin, faces Republican state attorney general Ken Paxton in the general election in a U.S. Senate race that's crowning the ballot in Texas this year. Patrick is squaring-off with Democrat Vikki Goodwin, who also represents the Capitol City in the Texas House, in a campaign for a fourth term as the lieutenant governor.
Talarico may see a muscle-flexing showdown with a grey-haired individual who's been eligible for Medicare for nearly a dozen years as something that could hurt him with the oldest voters. But Talarico would have little or nothing to lose if Patrick accepted a dare on a weight lift-off as an exhibition of manliness to prevent chicken dance videos going viral like he might be doing if he spurned the challenge.
Talarico, a native Texan, could use the challenge to point out that Patrick was born and raised in Baltimore and didn't move to Texas until he was an adult. Talarico has depicted Paxton as a carpetbagger who didn't live in Texas until he moved here for college and has missed being in California ever since.
The entertainment value would be off the charts enough to justify the expense if Fox News decided to send Ingraham with a crew to chronicle the weight lift-off that Patrick would have inspired if it materialized. Patrick could appear on her show the night before decked in gym clothes and Nikes as a teaser for the novel event.
Crockett, who lost to Talarico in the March primary election, has been coy and distant on the possibility of rallying in full force behind the nominee who eliminated her from the race. Crockett said the Senate race was racist at a recent forum without elaboration. But she may or may not appreciate Patrick's flattering while speaking for her plans for the Senate race.
"Jasmine Crockett, who a lot of people thought would be the easier to beat, I actually think would have been tougher because, even though she was outlandish, she would have had 100 percent of the Black vote," Patrick said in the appearance on Fox News. Talarico "will not. She would have been a tougher campaigner."
Talarico has enjoyed overwhelming support from Black voters in polls on the Texas Senate race, however, despite his former foe's posturing. But Patrick sees it through a different lens. "I don't think that Jasmine and the Black community will come out and support him - and that will sink him," the lieutenant governor added.
more to come ...
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