Cornyn demands Texas Senate candidate Talarico condemn pastor’s sermon
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Sen. John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, called on Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico to “condemn” his pastor’s Sunday sermon, saying Talarico’s pastor “shed light” on the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner last Saturday.
Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, has centered his campaign and progressive policies — which include anti-ICE messages and open borders — on his religious background. At the same time, he spoke out against Christian nationalism and called for the separation of church and state.
“James Talarico claims to campaign on love and kindness, but his pastor made light of an assassination attempt on the President of the United States in Washington, DC over the weekend, in which a Secret Service officer was seriously injured,” Cornyn posted on X. “All Texans should be outraged and Talarico must condemn it.”
Talarico Minister Dr. Jim Rigby addressed the assassination attempt during his sermon on Sunday, saying he knows “a lot of people have mixed feelings” about Trump’s third assassination attempt. His comment elicited light laughter from the audience.
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Sen. John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, is calling on Democratic challenger James Talarico to condemn his pastor for ridiculing President Donald Trump’s third assassination attempt. (Photo by Danielle Villasana // by Heather Diehl/)
“But it’s really important, if we want to be the healing agents of the world, to understand that violence is not going to eliminate the problem that we have,” Rigby said.
He went on to say that the Confederacy is the “heart of the MAGA movement” and that it is a “fascist movement.”
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday was cut short after a gunman forced open the doors leading to the ballroom of the Hilton Hotel in Washington. He fired several shots before being arrested by the police.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the alleged assassination attempt on Cole Thomas Allen, 31, “was intended to target people who work in the administration, likely including the president,” according to a preliminary review of evidence.
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Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to members of the media at the Austin Marriott Downtown in Austin, Texas, March 3. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital has contacted Rigby and Talarico for comment.
National Republican Senatorial Committee regional press secretary Samantha Cantrell criticized Talarico’s silence.
“It’s hard to believe that James Talarico seriously condemns political violence when he stands there and helps his pastor radicalize an entire congregation,” Cantrell said.
Republican National Committee spokesman Zach Kraft called the remark from Talarico’s “self-proclaimed mentor” “disgusting.”
Texas Senate candidate James Talarico speaks at a campaign rally in Houston on March 2, 2026. (Danielle Villasana/Getty Images)
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“But this is nothing new,” Kraft said. “Democrats have fanned the flames of radical left-wing violence for years and have gleefully put targets on the backs of President Trump, Charlie Kirk and conservatives, as well as conservatives across America. For Talarico and the Democrats, murder is simply the price of doing business in their quest for power.”
Rigby is a strong supporter of left-wing causes. The Washington Examiner reported in March that Rigby spoke at a pro-Palestinian protest in 2009.
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White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino jumps over a chair after an incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, DC, April 25, 2026. President Donald Trump and other officials were evacuated from the Washington Hilton following reports of shots fired. The FBI’s Washington Field Office said one subject was in custody. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“If there is to be hope for humanity, then we must all understand that true jihad is the struggle for peace and justice,” Rigby said during his speech.
In the Islamic faith, some view jihad as an inner struggle to bring an individual closer to God, but the term has been invoked by Islamic terrorists and extremists to commit acts of violence in broader political contexts.
