Drag queen Alyssa Edwards responds to Ken Paxton's obsession with her: 'Texas is big enough for all of us'

This story originally appeared on Them.

RuPaul’s Drag Race star Alyssa Edwards has penned an open letter to Texas attorney general and Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton following the politician’s posting of a misleading video about the drag queen on his social media channels. Edwards shared the letter on social media on Wednesday evening.

“I’m not sure I fully understand your motive or intention in attempting to disparage my name, my character, or my reputation,” Edwards wrote at the top of the letter. “But I do know this: the way we choose to speak about others often says far more about our own character than it ever will about theirs.”

The letter comes just one day after Paxton, who is currently narrowly trailing Democrat James Talarico in the Senate race, shared a video about Edwards on his social media channels on Tuesday, relying on hateful rhetoric to depict her as a threat to children. The video, a montage of clips from Edwards’ media appearances, — including her YouTube series, documentaries, and time on reality TV — used several clips that included her work as an educator and mentor for young children at Beyond Belief Dance Company.

Alongside the video, Paxton issued a “VIEWER WARNING,” while saying, “Meet Alyssa Edwards: James Talarico’s favorite sick and twisted drag queen.” At one point in the video, while Edwards is shown performing, a red arrow appears on screen to point to spectators, who are labeled “YOUNG CHILDREN.”

Edwards first entered the discourse around the heated Texas Senate race when James Talarico named her as his favorite Texan drag queen at a campaign appearance, prompting right-wing politicians, including Paxton, to criticize him for even having an answer at the ready.

Edwards, whose real name is Justin Johnson, continued in her letter, “As a Texan and a very proud one at that, I would hope that your focus would remain on policy, leadership and what you intend to provide for the future of ALL Texans.”

She went on to “properly introduce” herself to Paxton, running through her extensive history and résumé, including being born in Mesquite, Texas, as well as being an educator, choreographer and mentor.

Of her many accomplishments, which include winning the inaugural season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars, Edwards said that she was most proud of founding Beyond Belief Dance Company in 2004.

“What began as a community recreation program at a YMCA grew into a place where generations of young people have been encouraged to discover their creativity, ignite their passion, develop discipline, and, perhaps most importantly, believe in themselves,” Edwards wrote, adding she had devoted “half her life” to that purpose. “Watching my students go on to attend college conservatories, pursue professional dance careers and become meaningful contributors to society has been the greatest reward of all.”

EMBED: https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2102446137034547482

Current polls show Talarico ahead of Paxton, a controversial anti-trans politician beleaguered with scandals, leading up to the November midterms.

The clip of Talarico praising Edwards went viral following a September 14 post from the social media account RNC Research, which is managed by the Republican National Committee and describes itself as “exposing the lies, hypocrisy and failed far-left policies of the Democratic Party.”

Vice President JD Vance quoted RNC Research’s original post in a misbegotten attempt to throw shade, which immediately prompted backlash, given the verified photos of Vance himself in drag, most broadly defined, wearing a crunchy blonde wig and homely striped skirt.

Both RNC Research and Vance’s attempts to align Talarico with drag in general is part of the ongoing right-wing targeting of drag artists, which has included threats against Drag Queen Story Hour performances; a shooting at “Drag Divas” night at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2022; and two states — Montana and Tennessee — explicitly restricting public drag performances, per the Movement Advancement Project, though Montana’s law is currently blocked by a federal injunction.

Edwards closed her letter on a positive note, saying, “Texas is big enough for all of us.”

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