# Undercover Videos Target Talarico's Church Over Doctrine, Politics

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/undercover-videos-target-talaricos-church-over-doctrine-politics
- Published: 2026-09-24T13:08:19.675511+00:00
- Topics: james-talarico, texas-senate-race, religion, christianity, campaign-2026

## What the left says
- James Talarico's personal faith is theologically progressive and inclusive, drawing on a tradition within Christianity that emphasizes doubt, mystery, and social justice over rigid literalism.
- Undercover recordings targeting clergy at his church represent a coordinated opposition-research effort designed to weaponize private theological conversations against a Senate candidate rather than engage with his policy positions.
- Pastors and ministers routinely explore complex, unresolved theological questions in private settings, and selectively edited clips can distort nuanced discussions of faith into inflammatory soundbites.
- Talarico has explicitly said his pastor and church leaders do not speak for him, and holding a candidate responsible for every statement made by clergy he associates with sets an unreasonable standard not applied evenly across politics.

## What the right says
- Voters deserve to know the religious influences shaping a Senate candidate who has built part of his public identity around his Christian faith and cites his pastor as one of his greatest personal influences.
- Clergy at Talarico's church have made statements rejecting core Christian doctrines, including the resurrection and the virgin birth, and disparaging evangelical Christians as unintelligent, raising questions about the values informing his worldview.
- Separate footage suggests Talarico may be strategically softening his public positions on abortion and gender issues to appeal to moderate voters while planning to revert to more progressive stances once elected.
- The church's history of sheltering immigrants facing deportation orders reflects a political activism that voters should factor into their understanding of Talarico's associations and values.

## Common ground
- James Talarico has publicly described Jim Rigby and his home church, St. Andrew's Presbyterian, as major influences on his faith and worldview.
- Talarico is running against Attorney General Ken Paxton for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas, and religion has become a central theme in his campaign messaging.
- Multiple pastors and ministers at St. Andrew's have made public statements, on camera or on social media, questioning traditional Christian doctrines like the resurrection and virgin birth.
- St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church has a documented history of sheltering immigrants facing deportation, a fact acknowledged by church leadership itself.

## Sources
- [Blaze Media](https://www.theblaze.com/news/exclusive-hidden-camera-footage-captures-talaricos-pastor-saying-evangelical-christians-are-not-smart-and-comparing-trump-to-hitler) (Right)
- [Breitbart](https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/09/23/james-talaricos-pastor-and-mentor-doubts-resurrection-of-jesus-in-easter-message-maybe-jesus-rose-from-the-dead-but-maybe-not/) (Right)
- [Daily Wire](https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-talaricos-pastor-says-jesus-didnt-die-for-sins-slanders-virgin-mary) (Right)
- [Daily Wire](https://www.dailywire.com/news/talaricos-longtime-church-has-a-history-of-shielding-illegal-aliens) (Right)
- [PJ Media](https://pjmedia.com/videos/2026/09/23/hidden-camera-catches-talaricos-mom-planning-move-to-dc-to-keep-him-in-line-n4957568) (Unknown)
- [RedState](https://redstate.com/videos/2026/09/23/hidden-camera-catches-talaricos-mom-planning-move-to-dc-to-keep-him-in-line-n2207291) (Unknown)
- [Townhall](https://townhall.com/news/kyleolson/2026/09/23/talaricos-pastor-predicts-candidates-mom-may-move-to-dc-to-help-him-keep-radical-views-n2683429) (Right)
- [The Daily Signal](https://www.dailysignal.com/2026/09/23/talarico-pastor-evangelical-christians-not-smart/) (Right)
- [Washington Free Beacon](https://freebeacon.com/democrats/sour-patch-abdul-el-sayed-is-weird-about-his-beard/) (Unknown)
- [Washington Free Beacon](https://freebeacon.com/trump-administration/best-way-for-trump-to-win-the-midterms-is-to-win-the-war-before-the-election/) (Unknown)
- [Washington Free Beacon](https://freebeacon.com/democrats/meet-the-jews-for-abdul-el-sayed-ads-feature-social-justice-activists-tied-to-group-that-excused-oct-7/) (Unknown)

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