James Talarico faces backlash after endorsing Bobby Pulido, whose past comments and associations are under scrutiny
James Talarico, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate from Texas, is catching heat for an alliance that looks tone-deaf to many voters. His endorsement of Tejano star Bobby Pulido, who is now running for Congress, has unleashed criticism after old posts and past touring partnerships resurfaced. The controversy centers on Pulido’s comments about child molestation and his long association with a musician convicted of indecent contact with an eight-year-old. Conservatives and independent voters are questioning why Talarico would align himself with someone tied to those issues at a time when trust and character are top concerns.
The two men publicly endorsed each other at a joint rally in South Texas, signaling an early effort to court Latino voters and reach people who backed Trump in 2024. That public handshake was meant to expand Talarico’s appeal beyond the party base, but instead it has amplified scrutiny of Pulido’s record and past statements. Critics say the decision reflects poor judgment and exposes Talarico to attacks on his priorities and alliances. The optics have been damaging enough that social media users are now amplifying every problematic line and association.
In a joint Democratic rally in South Texas, U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico and Tejano music star Bobby Pulido, who is running for Congress, endorsed each other, forming an early alliance this election cycle and solidifying Talarico’s intentions of wooing Latino voters.
Pulido and Talarico praised each other’s desire to look beyond party lines as they both hope to gain the support of Latinos who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
“We refuse to be confined to our party,” said Talarico, a state representative from Austin. “We’re speaking to something deeper in this state and in this country, and I think you’re already seeing it in Bobby’s campaign. He is bringing people together across the political spectrum.”
Pulido, who is running to be the nominee in Texas’ 15th Congressional District, said he’d been a fan of Talarico since before he gained popularity online from his interviews or his speeches on the floor of the Texas House.
Pulido has tried to walk back worry by saying he doesn’t agree with all of Talarico’s comments, specifically noting disagreements over Talarico’s remark that God is “nonbinary.” Still, Pulido insists he’s the right person to represent Texans in the House. That answer hasn’t satisfied everyone, because questions about judgment and proximity to wrongdoing linger and are easy political targets.
Pulido is a two-time Latin Grammy winner and a recognizable name in Texas, but his musical history includes a long professional relationship with accordionist Frankie Caballero. Caballero was convicted in 2014 for indecent contact with an eight-year-old and remains a registered sex offender, yet he performed and recorded with Pulido in the 1990s and continued touring with him afterward. Voters are asking how a public figure could keep such close ties and whether Pulido should have known his bandmate’s background earlier.
When pressed, Pulido’s campaign manager said Pulido was never aware of the registration and would never knowingly associate with someone with that kind of history, and that Pulido extends his sympathies to the victims. That defense is typical in politics, but it hasn’t stopped critics from replaying the timeline and demanding tougher answers. The presence of a convicted offender at benefit concerts where children were in the audience raises particularly sharp questions about responsibility and oversight.
What really reignited the firestorm was an old post from Pulido on X that many found chilling in tone. The post attempted to compare the public reaction to child molestation with other crimes and used provocative rhetoric that left readers stunned. That single paragraph has become a focal point for opponents who argue it reveals a worldview unfit for public office and incompatible with protecting kids.
Child molestation is abhorrent. But is not necessarily rape or murder, what you said. My point, and Geraldo’s point, is they have been unfairly demonized. It’s like if I said that whites shouldn’t be able to buy guns because most mass shooters are white
Pulido wrote those words days after performing at a benefit concert, and the timing made the reaction even harsher. Many on the right ask how a Democrat like Talarico can credibly claim to defend children and community values while endorsing someone connected to these controversies. The contrast is easy to frame politically and damaging in campaigns where character is treated as a decisive issue.
There’s another layer to the critique aimed directly at Talarico: his record on transgender and pediatric health issues. Critics point to his support for gender-affirming care for children and suggest his judgment on protecting kids is already under debate. That framing gives opponents a neat two-pronged attack — question both his political alliances and his policy priorities.
For now, Talarico is left to manage fallout from an endorsement that was supposed to broaden his appeal and instead sharpen scrutiny. Pulido’s celebrity and crossover appeal may help with name recognition, but the baggage from past associations and his controversial social posts are proving expensive. In a race where voters weigh trust and values, this story is likely to be replayed as proof of poor judgment by both the endorser and the endorsed.
https://x.com/Republicans/status/2092277091710521807
