Meet James Talarico’s favorite drag queen: Alyssa Edwards
Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico named Alyssa Edwards as his favorite drag queen.
The name refers to Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, whose stage name is Alyssa Edwards. The drag performer has been outspoken on LGBT issues, especially in support of youth.
Talarico was approached by a man after a campaign event who said he “was there when you defended the drags.”
“Mr. Talarico, so nice to meet you.… I was there when you defended the drags.… Who is your favorite drag queen?” the unidentified man said.
To which Talarico responded, “Oh my gosh, probably Alyssa Edwards.”
“Let me be absolutely clear. Justin has never promoted youth participation in drag shows,” a publicist for Edwards said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “That is a patently false characterization of his work. For more than 20 years, he has taught and trained dancers through Beyond Belief Dance Company. Conflating his work as a dance educator with encouraging children to participate in drag is inaccurate and irresponsible.
“Justin’s position has always been that he trusts parents to decide what entertainment is right for their families. Period. Laws and political rhetoric that portray drag performers or LGBTQ+ artists as threats to children are harmful, especially to young people who are simply trying to understand and feel comfortable with who they are.”
Edwards has previously spoken out against President Donald Trump’s rhetoric. In an interview with Medium, Edwards asked the president if he knew what it was like to be “on the other side of this wall you want to build,” in reference to banning transgender people from the military.
In Texas, Edwards spoke out after former state Rep. Bryan Slaton announced in 2022 plans to propose a bill banning drag shows in front of minors. A Texas judge ultimately struck down the ban, citing First Amendment concerns.
“My thoughts: 1) Our God is a God of Love. 2) Parents are a child’s 1st & most important teacher/role model. 3) Drag is an art form which is subjective. 4) You, sir, have tweeted more about #drag than the loss at #Uvalde. Is this truly about children or politics? #Priorities,” Edwards tweeted in 2022.
The 46-year-old performer has been doing drag since the early 2000s.
In 2013, Edwards was one of 14 to compete on the fifth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. She also competed on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars in 2016 and won RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars in 2024. Currently, the TV personality lives in Mesquite, Texas, and runs Beyond Belief Dance Company, according to the performer’s website. Edwards also has a Netflix series, Dancing Queen, which aired its first season in 2018.
The Washington Examiner has reached out to Talarico for comment.
James Talarico names Alyssa Edwards as favorite drag queen
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