Opinion

JONATHAN TURLEY: James Talarico's defense of gun control leaves out a key word

The phrase seemingly referred to combat-ready militias, not modern regulatory power: Turley

By Jonathan Turley Fox News

Published July 12, 2026 3:21pm EDT

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A virtual cottage industry has emerged among people finding James Talarico clips espousing everything from declaring his campaign meat-free, to there being six genders, to God being nonbinary.

One recently uncovered video from a meet-and-greet, however, attracted my interest and deepened my concerns about Talarico, the Democratic state representative running for U.S. Senate in Texas. It shows Talarico explaining why sweeping gun control laws do not violate the Second Amendment.

The reason, he declared, is that the Second Amendment expressly embraces gun control by referring to the right to bear arms as "well regulated."

Texas state Rep. James Talarico argues the Second Amendment supports gun control. (Katina Zentz/San Antonio Express-News via Getty Images)

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In the clip, Talarico mocks those who oppose gun control measures and appears not to have taken the time to actually read the Amendment:

"A lot of politicians........

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