James Talarico, a Texas Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, quickly identified Alyssa Edwards as his favorite drag queen during a campaign event. This took place at the primary election watch party on March 3, 2026, in Austin, Texas. Alyssa Edwards, whose real name is Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, has actively advocated for youth drag shows.
Mr. Talarico has been facing criticism in the Senate race for his past comments on gender and sexuality. These include statements like “God is nonbinary” and his praise for Texas having “some of the best drag queens in the nation.” A video from the event captures a man acknowledging Talarico’s support for drag performers.
At the event, the man asked Talarico his favorite drag queen in Texas, to which Talarico replied without hesitation: “Probably Alyssa Edwards.” This exchange follows an earlier 2021 event in Taylor, Texas, where Talarico headlined “Taylor PRIDE,” featuring an 11-year-old boy performing in drag.
Alyssa Edwards has highlighted her experiences, such as performing at World Pride in New York with her dance students, describing these moments as powerful. Her work with young dancers was showcased in “Dancing Queen,” a Netflix docuseries. The Dallas Observer noted a particular 10-year-old male student called her “mini-me,” dressing as Edwards during an episode of the series.
When questioned about the exchange and past controversial remarks, a spokesperson for Talarico directed criticism at his Republican opponent. The spokesperson, JT Ennis, commented on Ken Paxton, accusing him of providing favorable deals to child sex predators.
Talarico, when asked about his previous gender-related comments, admitted he “missed the mark” on some statements. He clarified that he no longer believes in multiple sexes and suggested that criticism aims to distract from economic issues like “six dollar diesel.” Brooke Taylor from Fox News contributed to this report, having worked in both the New York and Washington bureaus since 2013.
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