Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D), running for Senate, delivered a sharp rebuke to Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) after Paxton appeared to confuse basic U.S. history. At a rally, as Molly Sprayregen reported for LGBTQ Nation, Paxton claimed the country celebrated its 200th anniversary on July 4th. This year marks the nation’s semiquincentennial—its 250th birthday.
Talarico’s response was swift and layered. “It was actually our 250th anniversary. Not that you would know — you spent it with the British,” he posted on social media, in just 11 words that ricocheted across platforms. The quip carried a pointed secondary jab: Paxton was documented in London on July 4th with Christian influencer Tracy Duhon, who has been identified as his mistress. Paxton’s wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton (R), filed for divorce last year but the couple remains legally married.
The exchange underscores the intensity of the Texas Senate race and raises questions about Paxton’s judgment and attention to detail—a particularly charged dynamic given his prominent role as the state’s chief law enforcement officer.
Read the full reporting and context at https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/10/quick-hit-oops-james-talarico-schools-ken-paxton-in-just-11-words-after-paxtons-huge-u-s-history-gaffe/
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