(Blog) Have We Lost Texas? - Ep. 973 - September 9, 2026

Have We Lost Texas? Stakes in the 2026 Senate Race

For Alan Smith and Jeff Rowland, Texas is the central political and spiritual battleground in America. They argue that a change in Texas would carry national consequences because of the state's electoral influence and its long-standing place in conservative politics.

Their discussion centers on the Senate race involving Ken Paxton and James Talarico, but it expands into immigration, biblical teaching, spiritual blindness, revival, and what they believe is a growing departure from faith. Their message is direct: Christians in Texas must respond through prayer, worship, and public biblical conviction.

Why the Hosts Call Texas "Ground Zero"

Smith and Rowland say some states, including Minnesota, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Maine, were already far along a political path that conservatives could no longer stop. In their view, Texas is different because it has remained a major conservative stronghold and carries substantial weight in presidential elections.

They believe the fight for Texas could affect the direction of the country more than similar contests elsewhere. One host said Texas had once seemed like the final place a conservative could move if other states changed beyond recognition. That confidence has weakened as progressive candidates gain attention and support within the state.

"If we lose Texas, we lose the nation."

The hosts present that statement as their political interpretation of Texas' importance. They also describe the state as a battleground in both natural and spiritual terms.

Concern over migration and political change

The conversation also connects Texas politics with people moving into the state from California and other areas. Smith and Rowland fear that political patterns from more progressive states could take root in Texas.

They argue that Texas must remain conservative because losing it would affect both the Electoral College and the larger conservative voice in American politics. Their concern is not limited to elections. They see cultural and spiritual change taking place alongside political change.

The Paxton and Talarico Senate Race

The hosts focus much of the episode on the Texas Senate contest between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Although they say they are not strong Paxton supporters, they view him as the only acceptable choice when compared with Talarico.

Talarico, a Texas politician and former educator, is described in the conversation as a Democratic nominee who has also identified himself as a preacher. The hosts say he was educated at the University of Texas and Harvard, taught school, and is associated with Presbyterian preaching.

Fundraising figures raised during the program

Smith and Rowland say Talarico had raised far more money than Paxton at the time of the episode.

The hosts see that gap as evidence that major effort and money are going toward shifting Texas politically. One host also called on President Trump to send money to Paxton's campaign.

Talarico's earlier statements and later interview

The hosts say Talarico had previously made statements that there are "six biological sexes," that God is non-binary, and that the southern border should have a welcome mat for immigrants. They say he made those comments while seeking the Democratic nomination and now appears to be adjusting his language for a statewide Texas campaign.

They discussed what they described as Talarico's first Fox News interview. According to the hosts, he said he had misspoken about biological sex, affirmed that there are two sexes, and referred to genetic conditions that can affect biological development.

Smith and Rowland questioned whether those comments showed a real change of belief or an effort to appeal to Texas voters. Their concern is that voters are left wondering which version of Talarico's views is genuine.

Faith, Scripture, and progressive politics

The hosts object strongly to Talarico's use of Christian language. They say he quotes the Bible while advancing progressive political positions they believe conflict with Scripture.

They also refer to statements attributed to Talarico about Jesus and the Ten Commandments being incompatible. One host said he had personally heard Talarico make that claim. In their view, Talarico has taken biblical passages and altered their meaning to support his political beliefs.

The hosts' central objection is that progressive left-wing politics cannot be reconciled with the biblical teaching they affirm. They describe Talarico's statements about God, sex, and Scripture as a perversion of Christian doctrine.

A Theological Warning About False Teaching

Smith and Rowland frame their concerns in theological terms, not only political ones. They say that people can quote the Bible while using it to advance ideas that oppose its message.

For that reason, they describe this kind of teaching as evidence of what they call "the spirit of the Antichrist." That is their religious judgment about public figures who invoke Christianity while promoting views the hosts believe reject biblical authority.

They argue that this pattern is already visible in American culture. In their view, false teaching does not always reject Scripture openly. Instead, it can use biblical words and themes while changing their meaning.

Pressure from the north and south

The hosts describe what they see as two distinct pressures on the United States. They associate northern states with what they call false religious teaching and Muslim influence. At the southern border, they focus on progressive sexual-identity politics and illegal immigration.

Their comments about migrants included broad allegations that many people crossing into Texas have criminal or hostile intentions. They said they were not referring to every person who crossed the border, but they argued that even a smaller percentage of harmful actors could damage a country.

These claims form part of their political and spiritual framework. They believe the southern border is tied to national security, cultural change, Texas elections, and the future of the country.

Why a Republican Convention in Dallas Matters

The hosts said Republicans were planning a midterm political convention in Dallas, an event they considered unusual. Neither host said they had heard of a comparable midterm convention before.

They believe the choice of Dallas shows that national Republicans recognize Texas as a state that must be protected. For Smith and Rowland, the convention has political meaning because Texas now appears less secure than it did five years earlier.

Still, they say politics alone cannot settle the contest for Texas.

Texas will not be won or lost by political means alone, according to the hosts. They believe prayer, worship, and intercession will determine whether the state holds its course.

This conviction shapes the rest of their discussion. Campaign money, candidate interviews, conventions, and voting all matter to them, yet they see the deepest conflict as spiritual.

Spiritual Blindness and the 400 Years of Silence

Smith and Rowland say many Americans, including many who profess faith in Christ, are spiritually blind. They describe people as walking in darkness while failing to recognize what God may be showing through current events.

In their view, this blindness appears when people call good evil and evil good, treat knowledge as foolishness, or accept ideas that contradict plain biblical teaching. They believe people have become unable to speak plainly about spiritual and cultural realities.

The comparison with Malachi and Matthew

Rowland compares the present period to the roughly 400 years between Malachi and Matthew. That era is often described as a time of silence between the Old Testament and the arrival of John the Baptist in the New Testament.

However, the hosts argue that God did not abandon the people during that time. Their point is that the people stopped listening to God.

"God didn't go anywhere. The people quit listening to God."

They say the same problem exists now. God may still be speaking, but people are not hearing because they have turned away from biblical truth.

A present-day "in-between" period

The hosts also compare the current moment to what they describe as a possible period before the rapture of the church. They say many Christians expect a great worldwide outpouring or revival, but they question whether that expectation applies to the church in the present time.

Instead, they point to the biblical idea of a "great falling away." In their prophetic interpretation, the cultural and religious decline they see in America fits that warning more closely than an immediate global revival.

They do believe revival can come to Texas. Their concern is with what they see as a broad expectation that the church will experience a worldwide awakening before the events they associate with the end times.

The Signs They See in Names and Culture

The hosts say current events can carry spiritual meaning, including names, songs, political developments, and public statements. They reject the idea that such connections should automatically be dismissed as coincidence.

The meaning discussed for "Talarico"

During the episode, Smith says he looked up the name "Talarico" and found what he described as a Portuguese or Brazilian slang meaning. He said the term referred to a person who steals another person's romantic partner, a home wrecker, or someone who betrays a friend by dating that friend's partner.

The hosts do not present this as a factual statement about James Talarico's personal life. Instead, they see the meaning as a possible spiritual sign connected to their concern that Texas could be taken politically.

They argue that refusing to consider such connections is another form of spiritual blindness.

The Ella Langley reference

The discussion also mentions an Ella Langley song that the hosts said had remained high on the charts for more than 200 weeks and had broken records. They describe the song as involving a relationship in which one person takes another person's partner, and they connect it to Texas.

Smith and Rowland see a possible connection between the song's relationship theme, the meaning they discussed for Talarico's name, and the political struggle in Texas. Their broader belief is that events that appear unrelated can still have spiritual significance.

They insist that nothing happens without spiritual meaning attached to it. Therefore, they believe Christians should pay attention instead of treating current events as random.

The Response They Call for in Texas

Smith and Rowland call on Christians in Texas to become active in what they see as a decisive spiritual conflict. They say the church must not remain silent while political and cultural views they oppose gain influence.

Their call is centered on several actions:

• Intercessors should pray for Texas and reclaim the land for God's glory.
• Worshippers should rise up and seek an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
• Churches should pursue revival and spiritual awakening.
• Christians should speak the Word of God boldly, firmly, and with authority.
• Believers should reject teachings that the hosts believe distort Scripture.

They say Texas needs "a well of revival" to spring up within the state. In their view, that spiritual response is necessary because campaign activity alone cannot preserve the state or the nation.

Texas, Prayer, and the Future the Hosts See

Smith and Rowland see the 2026 Texas Senate race as part of a much larger struggle. They connect Talarico's statements, campaign money, the Dallas convention, border concerns, migration, false teaching, and cultural signs to one overriding concern: Texas may be at risk of losing its conservative and Christian identity.

Their answer is intercession. They believe Christians must pray, worship, speak biblical truth with conviction, and recognize the spiritual meaning they see in the events around them.

For the hosts, the question of Texas is not limited to a single election. It is a call for the church to listen to God and respond before the nation loses the ground they believe it still holds.

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