A minister at the Austin church long associated with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico said in a recently circulated video that some members of the congregation wished the gunman who attacked then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, had been more successful, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Rev. Babs Miller, identified as the “Minister to the Parish” at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, made the comments in a video obtained by Townhall Media.

“We still have people in this church who wish that the young man had not just nicked his ear, but had been more successful,” Miller said.

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The reference appears to be to Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate Trump during a July 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Trump was wounded in the attack, while Crooks was killed by law enforcement.

Miller did not identify the members she was referring to, and the video does not establish that Talarico was among those individuals.

Townhall specifically noted that it remains unclear whether the Democratic Senate candidate was included in Miller's reference.

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Talarico has maintained a longstanding relationship with St. Andrew’s. The Texas Tribune reported in February that the progressive North Austin congregation counts Talarico among its longtime members.

The Austin Presbyterian church has played a significant role in his religious upbringing and political development.

Talarico has also described St. Andrew’s as the church he has attended since childhood.

In a 2023 profile published by Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Talarico said the church “really shaped my worldview” and described its teachings about Christianity and political engagement as influential in his decision to enter politics.

Rev. Jim Rigby, the church's longtime pastor, has also been described by Talarico as a mentor.

The Texas Tribune reported that Rigby has remained Talarico's pastor and that the church has historically been active on political and social issues.

Miller has separately been identified in reporting as a religious leader who has influenced Talarico.

The Texas Tribune reported earlier this year that Miller served as one of Talarico's references when he attended seminary.

She also spoke positively about his decision to openly incorporate Christianity into his political campaign.

The comments come as Talarico campaigns for the U.S. Senate in Texas. He won the Democratic nomination in 2026 and has made his Christian faith a central part of his public identity and campaign messaging.

The Presbyterian Outlook reported that Talarico has frequently discussed how his faith influences his political positions.

Talarico's religious views have attracted substantial attention during the Senate campaign.

The Texas Tribune previously reported that he has described politics and religion as closely connected throughout his upbringing at St. Andrew’s and that his political outlook was shaped in part by the church's progressive approach.

The latest controversy, however, centers on Miller's statement rather than a statement from Talarico himself.

There is no evidence in the available reporting that Talarico personally expressed support for the 2024 assassination attempt or that he was one of the church members Miller described.

The video has nonetheless renewed attention on the Austin congregation because of Talarico's unusually close and longstanding relationship with the church and its leadership.

Townhall reported that additional video involving Miller and other members of the congregation may emerge, although those materials were not included in the initial report.

The 2024 Butler attack remains a major event in recent American political history. Trump survived the assassination attempt and continued his presidential campaign before winning the 2024 election.

Miller's comments now place renewed scrutiny on the political and religious environment surrounding one of the Democratic Party's most prominent Senate candidates in Texas.

For now, however, the available evidence supports attributing the remarks specifically to Miller and the unnamed church members she referenced, rather than to Talarico himself.

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