116: The Right's Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate Machine Targets James Talarico feat. Parker Molloy

From Posting Through It by Jared Holt and Michael Edison Hayden

June 22, 2026 · 1h 21m · Season 2 · Episode 116

About this episode

The episode discusses the anti-LGBTQ attacks against Texas Senate candidate James Talarico and the broader implications for the 2026 midterm elections.

James Talarico, a Texas candidate for US Senate, might be the Democrat who Republicans fear most ahead of 2026 midterm elections. Talarico has gained national attention for the unusual ways he's centered faith, masculinity, and progressive politics in his campaign — often defying the right-left "culture war" paradigm. As polling shows him to be a serious threat to the GOP's control of the Senate this fall, the Right's attacks against him have taken on an increasingly bigoted tenor, with right-wing politicians, influencers, and activist groups portraying him as secretly gay, transgender, or part of a broader LGBTQ conspiracy. Jared and Mike are joined by Parker Molloy , an award-winning journalist and the author of " The Present Age ," whose work is essential reading for those seeking to understand the modern conservative media ecosystem. Together, they examine MAGA's attacks against Talarico, the resurgence of anti-LGBTQ politics on the American right, and how messaging once aimed primarily at transgender people have expanded into a broader strategy of ridicule, fear, and moral panic. They also discuss this year's Pride Month controversies, the role of…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jared Holt, Michael Edison Hayden

Guest: Parker Molloy

Topics covered

anti-LGBTQ politics
James Talarico
2026 midterm elections
right-wing media
political narratives
Pride Month controversies

Keywords

James Talarico
anti-LGBTQ
MAGA
Republicans
Pride Month
political attacks
right-wing media

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Present Age, MAGA, GOP, Republicans, right-wing media