Dem. Senate candidate James Talarico’s mysterious girlfriend revealed — and she’s vegan

He’s no Tofu Talarico — but he’s got a tofu-loving girlfriend. Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico’s mysterious beau is a vegan political lobbyist who previously worked as his chief of staff, The Post has learned. Brianna Menard, 30, describes herself as a “committed vegan,” yoga buff and cat mom who likes “dancing the night away” at local gay bar Cheer Up Charlies in Austin, according her bio at a local food coop, where she serves on the board. “James is not and never has been a vegan, much to his girlfriend’s chagrin. As the saying goes, true love conquers all,” said Talarico spokesman JT Ennis in a statement Friday.

Despite Menard’s dietary preferences, Talarico — a state lawmaker who dominated the Lone Star State’s Senate Democratic primary in March — has dismissed rumors of his own vegan-ness as “fighting words” after his Republican rival, former Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, accused him of being meat-free. “I’m an eighth-generation Texan,” he has said. “I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment.” In addition to highlighting his opponent’s comment that “God is non-binary” and other remarks in favor of gender fluidity, Paxton has also dubbed him “tofu Talarico,” “six-gender Jimmy,” “James Talafreako” for his supposed hippie-dippy lifestyle. Talarico has gleefully embraced the latter moniker, putting the slogan, “I’m a Talafreako,” on his own campaign T-shirts and selling the merchandise for $36 a pop. The pair met when Menard landed a job in Talarico’s office in 2022 — but didn’t start dating until January the following year. News of Talarico’s mysterious Latina lover broke earlier this month, though he declined to reveal her identity. “She is my rock.

She is my best friend,” Talarico first said on an episode of the “The Jamie Kern Lima Show” podcast. “I don’t know if I could have gotten through the last six months of this crazy race if she hadn’t been by my side.” That bae he kept under wraps appears to be a picture-perfect Democratic activist with a lily-white record. Menard currently works as a lobbyist for the Texas Medical Association focused on “bipartisan efforts to advance early learning, childcare access, workforce development, and healthcare affordability.” But the association has wrangled with Texas Republicans with its support for puberty blockers and hormone care and what it has called their “criminalization of evidence-based, gender-affirming care for transgender youth and adolescents.” Its PAC has donated to the GOP and endorsed Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) over former state attorney general Ken Paxton in their 2026 primary race.

Meanwhile — Menard, who was first identified by Texas outlet Current Revolt — had managed to stay out of the spotlight. After working for Talarico, Menard went on to become chief of staff for state Representative Salman Bhojani in January 2023. Bhojani recalled in a December 2022 panel with the Texas Tribune how he “had a wonderful state representative send me an email saying that their chief of staff would love to get a job.” Talarico and Menard frequently attend music concerts — including visiting Austin City Limits every year — and like to hike at Big Bend National Park annually, as well as take other trips, photos obtained by The Post show. They’re also avid Texas Longhorns college football fans and San Antonio Spurs devotees.

Brianna also has Texas roots with one ancestor, Michael B. Menard, having both a West Central state county named after him. He also signed the Texas Declaration of Independence. Talarico trounced Rep.

Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) in the March 3 Democratic primary and hopes to become the first non-Republican elected to statewide office since Ann Richards was voted as governor in 1990. Fox host Jessie Watters questioned whether or not Talarico was just making her up on Wednesday’s edition of “Jesse Watters Primetime.” “Does she live in Canada?” a co-host quipped.