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Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico\u2019s mystery girlfriend is a vegan and political activist.<\/span><\/p>\n Brianna Menard, 30,<\/span> is also a lobbyist for the Texas Medical Association, an organization that has supported puberty blockers and hormone treatment and criticized Republicans for so-called \u201ccriminalization of evidence-based, gender-affirming care for transgender youth and adolescents,\u201d The New York Post reported<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n She also enjoys yoga and dancing at “Cheer Up Charlies,” a local vegan gay bar in Austin, Texas, according to the Post<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Menard met Talarico while working as his chief of staff in 2022, but the two did not start dating until 2023, according to the Post. She also worked as chief of staff for Democratic Texas state Rep. Salman Bhojani.<\/span><\/p>\n The identity of Talarico\u2019s girlfriend comes to light as Talarico has been denying rumors that he is vegan himself \u2014 even though he once suggested eating meat is morally wrong. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico’s Republican opponent in the Senate race, has dubbed him \u201cTofu Talarico.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A spokesman for Talarico\u2019s campaign said Talarico is not vegan.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cJames is not and never has been a vegan, much to his girlfriend\u2019s chagrin,\u201d spokesman JT Ennis said. \u201cAs the saying goes, true love conquers all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n During his re-election campaign to the Texas House of Representatives in 2022, however, Talarico announced his entire campaign would be \u201cnon-meat\u201d to counter climate change, The Daily Wire previously <\/span>reported<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNot just because it\u2019s the right thing to do, and the moral thing to do, but also, as all of you know, it\u2019s necessary to fight climate change,\u201d Talarico said at the time. \u201cIt is now existential that we try to reduce our meat consumption and that we try to respect animals in all aspects of society.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n To push back against the vegan claims, Democrats posted a picture of Talarico eating barbecue as the Democrat nominee hopes to flip the Republican Senate seat.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton\u2019s first indictment,\u201d Talarico said earlier this week.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to his vegan nickname, Paxton has called Talarico \u201cSix-Gender Jimmy\u201d and \u201cJames Tala-FREAKO\u201d for his comments on transgender ideology \u2014 including Talarico\u2019s remark<\/a> that what he loved most in the world was “trans children.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n