James Talarico’s Favorite Drag Queen Tears Into Ken Paxton - Newsweek
RuPaul's Drag Race star Alyssa Edwards has penned an open letter to Ken Paxton after the Texas attorney general released an ad featuring her to attack Democratic Senate rival James Talarico.
In an open letter the drag queen, real name Justin Johnson, said she did not understand his motive in trying to “disparage” her name, character or reputation, adding “the way we choose to speak about others often says far more about our own character than it ever will about others.”
Paxton has repeatedly mentioned Talarico and in social media posts since an interview where Talarico was asked who his favorite drag queen is, to which he responded: “Probably Alyssa Edwards.”
But on Tuesday, he shared a campaign ad featuring clips of Edwards from various TV shows and her YouTube channel, including her work with children. In the caption, Paxton said: “Meet Alyssa Edwards: James Talarico’s favorite sick and twisted drag queen.”
The advert with the full-screen message read: “James Talarico: Too Weird, Too Radical for Texas.”
Newsweek reached out to James Talarico, Ken Paxton and Alyssa Edwards' publicist via email.
Alyssa Edwards is the stage name of drag performer Justin Johnson who rose to fame after appearing on Season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and later appearing on and winning RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars.
Born and raised in Mesquite, Texas, Edwards said in her open letter that she has spent roughly 30 years as an educator and founded the Beyond Belief Dance Company, a studio that trains young dancers.
Edwards previously shared her appreciation for being named by Talarico as his favorite drag queen. In a September 18 TikTok video, Edwards said: “I am truly flattered to be mentioned as James Talarico’s favorite drag queen. Thank you, James, for celebrating a fellow Texan. And while we may live two very different lives, that’s exactly the point."
In an open letter shared on Wednesday, Edwards said that she was a proud Texan, adding: “I would hope that your focus would remain on policy, leadership and what you intend to provide for the future of ALL Texans.”
She went on to talk about her Christian faith and how she grew up in the Baptist church.
“My life may look different from yours, but difference does not diminish character, faith, service, or a person’s ability to positively contribute to their community,” Edwards wrote. “Texas is big enough for all of us.”
Edwards’ publicist Waylon Tate also took to social media to respond to Paxton’s ad, saying that the attorney general “seems to have developed quite the fascination with my client Alyssa Edwards.”
“Suddenly Alyssa’s name is being used as political ammunition in a U.S. senate race she isn’t running in,” Tate said in a video on Instagram. “There’s really only one word for it—desperate.”
The back and forth comes as James Talarico holds a six-point lead over Ken Paxton, according to a new Marist poll.
Talarico (50 percent) edges Paxton (44 percent) among registered voters statewide, with Talarico also polling at 55 percent among independent voters.
This comes just days after a private poll acquired by Harvey Kronberg’s Quorum Report gave Talarico an 11-point lead with 52 percent vote share. A week earlier, Talarico led Paxton in eight different polls, marking the first time he led with each of the pollsters.
Paxton has long been controversial even within Texas Republican circles and was impeached in 2023 by the Texas House after being accused of misuse of power, but was later acquitted by the state Senate.
If Talarico does take the upcoming election, it would be the first time since 1988 that Republicans lost a Senate race in Texas.
Paxton’s estranged wife Senator Angela Paxton seemed to come to his aid this week, despite filing for divorce on “biblical grounds” in July 2025 with a filing that claimed he committed adultery.
In an address to the Texas Federation of Republican Women, the state senator stressed that “it’s not the people, it’s the seat,” adding that “we have more control over that seat and the future when we control the seat, when it’s still in the family, even if we’re mad at them.”
Update 09/24/26 06:55 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Cristina Diciu.
