Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, is accusing Democrats and late-night host Stephen Colbert of orchestrating a massive fundraising stunt around a shelved television interview with Texas state Senate candidate James Talarico.
According to Newsmax, Gill argued that Talarico, a Democratic state representative now seeking a U.S. Senate seat, has emerged as the clear political winner from the controversy surrounding his unaired appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Colbert told his audience on Monday that CBS network attorneys had blocked the segment, claiming they feared the interview could run afoul of Federal Communications Commission equal-time rules governing broadcast access for political candidates.
The program was reportedly not explicitly banned from airing the interview, but was instead advised that broadcasting it might trigger those equal-time obligations, a risk the network ultimately chose not to take.
Gill, appearing on Rob Schmitt Tonight, said the entire episode has been a financial windfall for Talarico and a textbook example of how progressive media can be weaponized to boost favored Democrats. It's amazing how good of a fundraiser Stephen Colbert is, Gill said, describing the uproar as carefully choreographed rather than spontaneous. This whole deal was a massive fundraising stunt, he added, contending that the supposed censorship narrative was crafted to inflame liberal donors and drive contributions to Talaricos campaign.
The Texas Republican stressed that conservatives were not demanding Colbert extend his platform to GOP Senate contenders, but that Democrats themselves were fighting over access to the late-night stage. Gill noted that the equal-time dispute centered on Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, Talaricos primary rival, whose supporters argued she deserved comparable exposure if Talaricos interview aired. This was an internecine Democrat war that Stephen Colbert wanted to put his thumb on the scale on, Gill said, suggesting the host sought to tilt the primary in favor of Talarico rather than remain neutral.
Gill maintained that the controversy was quickly repurposed into a fundraising bonanza, with Talarico casting himself as a victim of corporate or regulatory suppression. Talarico was able to make a big stink out of this with Colbert's help and raise $2.5 million within 24 hours of this pseudo scandal, he said, underscoring how swiftly the campaign converted media drama into cash. For Gill, that rapid haul underscored what he views as a cynical alliance between progressive politicians and liberal entertainment figures, who, in his view, routinely blur the line between comedy and political activism.
The congressman did not mince words in describing what he sees as the ethical implications of the episode. I mean, it's really grotesque, Gill said, arguing that the public is being misled by a manufactured narrative of victimhood. It shows how just absolutely dishonest these people are, he added, framing the incident as emblematic of a broader pattern in which left-leaning media personalities and Democratic operatives coordinate to shape public perception while claiming to be independent voices.
Gill further portrayed Talarico as a carefully curated product of the Democratic establishment rather than a grassroots candidate with broad appeal. He's like a straight Pete Buttigieg, Gill said, invoking the former South Bend mayor and current Transportation secretary, who has long been a favorite of the partys elite and coastal media. He's very articulate but not very appealing to most Americans. But the Democrat elite have been propping him up. And yet most people don't like him. They don't find him appealing. And when we dig in just a little bit more deeply, you realize how absolutely, insanely leftist this guy is, Gill continued, arguing that Talaricos polished rhetoric masks a radical policy agenda.
To Gill, Talaricos record and public statements place him firmly on the far-left fringe of the Democratic Party, out of step with the values of most Texans. This is a guy who has comments on the record referring to God as non-binary, Gill said, highlighting remarks that many religious conservatives would regard as deeply offensive and theologically unsound. By elevating such a candidate, Gill suggested, Democratic power brokers are signaling their comfort with cultural radicalism that dismisses traditional faith and the Judeo-Christian foundations that have long underpinned American public life.
The Texas Republican framed the Democratic primary as a contest between competing brands of progressivism, neither of which he believes can win over the states increasingly conservative electorate. Whether it's Talarico, whether it's Jasmine Crockett, whoever it is who wins the Democrat primary, Republicans are going to win in November, Gill said, expressing confidence that Texas voters will ultimately reject the leftward drift of the Democratic field. In his view, the Colbert controversy may energize liberal donors and activists, but it will do little to persuade independents or moderates who are more concerned with border security, inflation, crime, and parental rights than with late-night television theatrics.
Gills comments reflect a broader conservative critique of the modern media ecosystem, in which late-night comedy shows have become de facto arms of the Democratic messaging machine. From his perspective, the Talarico episode is not an isolated incident but part of a recurring pattern in which progressive entertainers amplify select Democrats, generate outrage over alleged censorship or unfair treatment, and then convert that outrage into fundraising and political momentum. For Republicans like Gill, this dynamic underscores the importance of building alternative platforms and media outlets that can challenge the cultural dominance of the left and offer voters a competing narrative grounded in faith, family, and limited government.
As the Texas Senate race unfolds, the Colbert-Talarico flap is likely to remain a flashpoint in the broader debate over media bias, regulatory rules, and the proper role of entertainment in electoral politics. Gills prediction that Republicans are going to win in November sets the stakes clearly: if he is right, the Democrats reliance on celebrity-driven fundraising and cultural provocation may prove a poor substitute for policies that resonate with everyday Texans who are looking for security, prosperity, and leaders who respect their faith and values.
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