Texas State Representative Wesley Virdell, R-Texas, stated on Tuesday that he expects significant Republican victories in the state’s primary runoff elections. He predicted Attorney General Ken Paxton will defeat Democratic candidate James Talarico and win re-election in the general election this fall.
“I think we’ll have a big win,” Virdell said during an interview, adding that he believes Paxton will overcome Talarico in the upcoming contest.
Virdell criticized Talarico’s public statements, noting they were “enough crazy things” in interviews and online to shock voters. He also praised President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Paxton and his comments about Talarico.
“I worked with Talarico in the House, and he’s a nice guy,” Virdell explained. “But when he starts telling you what he believes, it just shocks people.”
Virdell added that Talarico has a “slick tongue” and does not think voters will choose him for that reason. He said, “If you listen to him, in some ways, people are like, ‘Oh man, that guy sounds like a very good preacher.’ And then you listen to his actual ideology, and it’s just completely shocking. I hope nobody falls for that.”
Virdell also discussed Governor Greg Abbott’s campaign against Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa, a current state representative. “I really want to see Gov. Abbott pull a victory off there,” he said. “But we need voters to turn out. That’s the big thing, including today. We can’t just sit at home today.”
On the lieutenant governor race between Texas State Representative Vikki Goodwin and labor organizer Marcos Velez, Virdell noted that he had not heard much about the contest. “I actually worked with Vikki Goodwin also in the Texas House,” he said. “Vikki comes across as a very nice person. She’s very quiet. I don’t know the other opponent, but she’s a nice person too. So I don’t know how much she’s actually been out there and campaigning.”
He added that the race is likely a “sleeper” contest: “I haven’t heard anything about that race, so I assume it’s kind of a sleeper race going on there.”
