MAGA trying to score male votes with cringe machismo: report

Allies of Ken Paxton are pushing AI-generated photos of his Democratic opponent James Talarico dressed in women's clothing.

"If you were making a list of 1,000 adjectives to describe this guy, 'masculine' would not be one of them. I mean, if a stiff breeze came by, it would blow him over like a feather," Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told Fox News on Monday.

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller claimed that Talarico was "transitioning into a female." Talarico is not transgender or gay or a vegan.

The New Republic's Brynn Tannehill noted that Paxton has been a scandal-plagued attorney general who narrowly avoided indictments for securities fraud and bribery. Paxton allowed a child predator to serve one day in jail and to avoid sex offender registration. Paxton has been involved in multiple cheating scandals. Despite this, Republican strategists have focused on Talarico eating a meatless breakfast wrap and his unwillingness to eradicate transgender people.

Tannehill compared the tactic to Nazi propaganda. During the 1930s and 40s, Nazis would accuse political opponents of being Jews or having "Jewish blood." Tannehill said Republicans are using similar tactics, but targeting the LGBTQ community.

Tannehill noted that Republicans have used claims that Democrats are forcing children to undergo sexual reassignment surgeries at school, despite transgender individuals representing 0.5 percent of the population.

"Republicans offer a vision of manhood that is meant to look like a parade of Aryan Übermenschen but instead comes across as a depressingly absurd circus sideshow," Tannehill wrote.

Tannehill also pointed to Trump Cabinet secretaries' exercise videos. Robert Kennedy appeared in a hot tub with Kid Rock in a workout video. Secretary Pete Hegseth has posted videos of push-ups and pull-ups, and appears to use fake plates to make it look like he's bench pressing over 300 pounds. Hegseth was forced out of the National Guard before promotion beyond the rank of major.

Tannehill said the pattern reflects what she called "performative masculinity" that relies on emotional reactivity. She pointed to Trump's angry rants on Truth Social and reports that he threw ketchup at walls during moments of rage.

The 2026 Texas Senate race has emerged as one of the nation's most contentious matchups.

Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian and first-term state representative, has built his campaign around economic populism and social justice issues, positioning himself as a progressive alternative to the incumbent Paxton. The race reflects broader national divisions over cultural issues and leadership style. Paxton, who has served as Texas attorney general since 2015, has positioned himself as a tough-on-crime conservative while facing ongoing legal scrutiny.

Political analysts have noted that the reliance on personal attacks and cultural grievances by Paxton's allies suggests an attempt to shift focus away from substantive policy debates. The use of AI-generated imagery represents an escalation in disinformation tactics during the 2026 cycle, raising concerns among election security experts about deepfakes and their potential impact on voter decision-making in crucial swing races.