James Talarico reveals Trump’s insulting nickname for him has become his best-selling merchandise
James Talarico, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Texas, revealed that President Donald Trump’s derisive nickname for him has become a best-selling piece of campaign merchandise.
Trump, who frequently assigns nicknames to political rivals, has taken to calling the 37-year-old candidate “Talafreako” in interviews and in Truth Social posts.
“I call him Talafreako…Becuase he is. He’s a freaky guy. He’s got something wrong with him,” the Republican president told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham Thursday. He described Talarico as a “religious fanatic” who “throws up after every time he eats.”
Talarico responded to the president’s latest comments during an interview with Jimmy Kimmel posted to YouTube. The interview will not air on ABC due to the network’s legal troubles with Trump’s FCC, the host said.
“I am excited to announce that we have ‘I’m a Talafreako’ t-shirts available on our website,” the Democrat told Kimmel. “It’s actually the fastest selling item on our website.”
“We’re grateful for the president for the nickname,” he added.
The shirts, which are available in white and black, are currently listed on the Senate hopeful’s website for $36 each.
“I think people are tired of politics as professional wrestling,” Talarico said elsewhere in the interview. “These old guys lathered up in their fake tans…throwing corny nicknames at each other. I mean these nicknames, they don’t lower the price of groceries, they don’t lower the price of gas, they don’t lower the cost of health care.”
A state lawmaker and Presbyterian seminarian, Talarico won the Democratic nomination in March. He is set to face off against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee, in November.
The matchup has quickly turned combative, with both campaigns trading sharp attacks. Paxton’s allies have sought to paint Talarico as too liberal for Texas, highlighting his support for abortion rights, falsely claiming he is a vegan and questioning the sincerity of his faith.
“First of all, he said God is nonbinary. He also said, ‘I’m a Christian, but I hate Christianity.’ How many Christians do you know have said that?” Paxton told supporters last month.
Talarico, in turn, has focused heavily on Paxton’s legal troubles and ethics issues, casting the 63-year-old attorney general as an emblem of corruption. Paxton was acquitted in 2023 on impeachment charges brought by Texas lawmakers related to abuse of office and bribery allegations.
“Those closest to Ken Paxton know he’s unfit for office because he’s not a public servant — he’s a puppet who abuses his office to enrich himself and his donors at the expense of working Texans,” the Democrat said recently.
Trump has endorsed Paxton, though his praise for the Republican has repeatedly been couched in insults.
