A post from the Team Talarico HQ account on X highlighted 2022 remarks by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding the Uvalde school shooting. The post stated that Paxton described the attack as part of a plan by God and noted that 21 elementary school children and teachers were killed. Online users responded with criticism of the post’s framing, with many arguing the comments were taken out of context and directing backlash toward the Talarico campaign amid the Texas Senate race.
The post appeared on X from the account @TeamTalaricoHQ. According to transcripts of Paxton’s May 2022 radio interview with host Trey Graham, he said: “If I lost one of my children, I’d be pretty devastated, especially in a way that is so senseless and seemingly has no purpose… I would just have to say, if I had the opportunity to talk to the people, I’d have to say, look, there’s always a plan. I believe God always has a plan. Life is short no matter what it is. And certainly, we’re not going to make sense of, you know, a young child being shot and killed way before their life expectancy.” The post does not include audio or video of the interview itself.
Online Pushback on Talarico’s Framing of Paxton’s Uvalde Remarks
Some users criticized Paxton’s original remarks, with one writing that he “hasn’t checked in with God in a VERY long time” and another calling the comments proof he “has no relationship with God or Christ.”
Many others focused on the post’s presentation of the quote, accusing the Talarico campaign of taking the remarks out of context or misrepresenting them. One commenter stated, “Actually, he said God always has a plan when asked about comforting the victim’s families. He didn’t say the shooting was God’s plan. Talarico’s group has to lie and make up crap about Paxton because they don’t have any integrity.”
Another wrote, “He was misquoted. Talarico is lying to you again,” while a third described the post as “so blatantly misleading and Talarico’s campaign knows it.”
Additional responses included “Why do you think you have to lie?” and “Another lie by the talifreako camp.”
The post has become part of the broader online discussion surrounding the Texas Senate race. It continues to draw responses as the campaign progresses.
