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Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called on Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico to “condemn” his pastor’s Sunday sermon, claiming that Talarico’s pastor “made light” of the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner this past Saturday.
Talarico, a Presbyterian seminarian, has centered his campaign and progressive policies — which include anti-ICE and open borders messaging — on his faith background. At the same time, he has railed against Christian nationalism and called for the separation of church and state.
“James Talarico claims to be campaigning on love and kindness, but his Pastor made light of an assassination attempt on the President of the United States in Washington, DC this weekend where a Secret Service officer was seriously injured,” Cornyn posted on X. “All Texans should be outraged and Talarico must condemn it.”
On Sunday, Talarico’s minister, Dr. Jim Rigby, mentioned the assassination attempt during his sermon, saying that he knows “a lot of people have mixed feelings” about the third attempt on Trump’s life. His comment garnered light laughter from the audience.
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Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is calling Democratic challenger James Talarico to condemn his pastor for making light of third assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life (Photo by Danielle Villasana // by Heather Diehl/)
“But it’s really important that if we’re going to be the healing agents of the world to realize that violence is not going to get rid of the problem we have,” Rigby said.
He went on to say that the Confederacy is the “heart of the MAGA movement” and that it’s a “fascistic movement.”
The White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday was cut short after an armed gunman rushed the doors leading to the ballroom at the Washington Hilton Hotel. He fired several shots before being apprehended by law enforcement.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said that the alleged attempted assassin Cole Thomas Allen, 31, was “set out to target folks that 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, on March 3. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to Rigby and Talarico for comment.
National Republican Senate Committee Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell slammed Talarico’s silence.
“It’s hard to believe James Talarico is serious about condemning political violence while he stands by and helps his pastor radicalize an entire congregation,” Cantrell said.
Republican National Committee spokesman Zach Kraft called Talarico’s “self-proclaimed mentor’s” remark “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 it is nothing new,” Kraft said. “Democrats have fanned the flames of radical left-wing violence for years and gleefully put targets on the back of President Trump, Charlie Kirk and conservatives, and conservatives across America. To Talarico and Democrats, murder is simply the cost of doing business in their conquest for power.”
Rigby is a vocal supporter of leftist 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, D.C., on April 25, 2026. President Donald Trump and other officials were evacuated from the Washington Hilton following reports of gunfire. The FBI’s Washington field office said a subject is in custody. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
“If there is to be hope for humankind, then we must all realize that the true jihad is the struggle for peace and justice,” Rigby said during his speech.
In the Islamic faith, jihad is understood by some to be an inner struggle meant to bring an individual closer to God, but the term has been invoked by terrorists and Islamic extremists to commit acts of violence in broader political contexts.
