Unearthed comments made by Ken Paxton about his upbringing in California seem to undermine one of his key talking points against his Democratic rival, Texas State Rep. James Talarico.

The Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas, who was born in North Dakota but spent much of his childhood in California, has frequently said that Talarico’s core message aligns more with the Golden State than the Lone Star State.

“His messages don’t fit with Texas; they fit with California,” Paxton said on Fox News’ “The Will Cain Show” in May before winning the Republican nomination. “I think he would be, probably, a good nominee for U.S. Senate in California, maybe Illinois, maybe Massachusetts.”

Despite Paxton making the often-used “Don’t California my Texas” conservative argument to disparage Talarico, his past comments show that he enjoyed growing up there.

“The hardest for me was leaving California because I was a junior in high school, and to move from California to Lawton, Oklahoma, was somewhat of an adjustment,” Paxton said during an appearance on “The Trey Blocker Show” in 2017.

Paxton not only speaks highly of growing up in California, he also enjoys visiting there.

“I like places in California, even though I don’t like to admit that I go to California, but it’s beautiful.” Paxton said in 2025 on the “Swimming with the Sharks” podcast.

Talarico has also brought up Paxton’s California upbringing while addressing Republican attacks that he somehow doesn’t embody the ethos of Texas, despite his family having deep roots in the state.

“Yeah, I think it’s funny because I’m the eighth-generation Texan in the race,” Talarico said earlier this month on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe.” “As you mentioned, Ken Paxton was born in North Dakota. He was raised in California. And I think California transplants like Ken Paxton can become Texans – that’s what’s great about our state. You know, Texas is a state of mind, as John Steinbeck wrote.”

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