Texas Opie Says Trump’s Darned Tariffs Jonesin’ Him Outta His Fair Food

Holy CRAP

This video from Texas Opie, the TX state representative running for U.S. senator, was so heartwrenchingly effective, I almost went out in the neighborhood with a slotted milk carton to collect fried Oreo funds for him, like the UNICEF Halloweens of my childhood.

Then I remembered that I had never actually been allowed to take those cool orange and black cartons trick-or-treating. My parents said the United Nations was a scam (!), and they weren’t going to give those thieves in Turtle Bay any money, not theirs or anyone else’s.

And they threw the cartons away.

A money laundering scam.

HEY – WAIT A MINUTE

Texas Opie wouldn’t be playing on my heartstrings, would he?

Gimme a minute – I have to check how many Oreos and turkey legs we import…well, frick.

He almost had me.

Tariffs are ruining everything — including the Texas State Fair.

$14 for fried oreos.
$15 for a funnel cake chicken sandwich.
$25 for a turkey leg.

DC politicians are pricing Texans out of our own state fair. pic.twitter.com/gecyITNql8

— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) October 20, 2025

You remember Texas Opie – he’s one of the state representatives who went walkabout when it was time for the legislature to vote on redistricting. He’s also a preacher (kind of funny with the lies about the tariffs, but a Democrat), and made it all the way to the South Side of Chicago during their illegal scamper to preach a sermon.

Hello “Pastor” Talarico,

You’ve certainly made a name for yourself; the same Pastor James Talarico who told Texans there are “at least six sexes,” who frequently invokes Jesus as a political prop (once suggesting voting for Trump meant we had “forgotten Jesus”), and who is… pic.twitter.com/tvnaYNLgn7

— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) August 8, 2025

…and who is allegedly a rising star in the Democratic Party.

You also have deep ties to Powered By People, the group under investigation for aiding Democrats in fleeing Texas. They have been one of your top donors historically, plus your current Chief of Staff was one of their directors.

So forgive me if I see your “Come and take it” as pure grandstanding. Your claim that “the seat doesn’t belong to … me” may be truer than you realize, because there’s a real chance it won’t belong to you much longer. Because if @KenPaxtonTX’s investigations bear fruit, the only seat you may hold could be behind bars.

Upstanding fellow, James Talarico.

But with the fair food, no lie, that’s a lot of money and obviously not Trump tariffs, no matter how the lad wants to blame the president for the prices.

How much more are they than 2024’s fair, during the last year of Biden’s autopen reign?

There is a thread on Reddit where folks go every year to take pictures, report on prices, and critique the new treats.

Last year’s prices seem to be in the ballpark. Here’s a sampling of some of the comments

1. Hot chicken pancake poppers $15 (surprisingly short lines at their one stand on the midway.)

…Smokey John’s Turkey Leg was $22. I got one because I’d never had one, and I’ll be honest, I don’t get it. I don’t eat that much turkey in a week of Thanksgiving, lol.

…Fried Burnt End Bombs – 22 tickets / $22 Holly Cheeseus Slice – 9 tickets / $9 Candied Pork Belly Bacon Bites – 20 tickets / $20 It’s Bananas – 16 tickets / $16 dollars Hot Chicken Pancake Poppers – 15 tickets / $15 dollars Dumplin Express – 18 tickets / $18 dollars Fernis Fruit Quenchers – 7 tickets / $7 dollars Milton’s Giant Amish Doughnut – 8 tickets / $8 Island Rumble – 24 tickets / $24 dollars Strawberry Pop-Tarts Beignettfle – 12 tickets / $12

Somewhere in one of them, I saw a margarita that was going for $17, and I about croaked. 

But it’s fair food, which is always insane no matter what fair you’re at (ballpark food a close second), and those vendors haven’t paid all that money for their spot to pretend they’re Cracker Barrel or Golden Corral. They can’t afford to.

Correct. It’s not tariffs. It’s greed. From what I have heard from vendors the cost to have a stall sell goods etc this year are extortionate. I think it was $5000 up front plus a percentage of each vendors profits. THAT is why prices are so high.

— James Hayes (@hayes_jame86610) October 21, 2025

This one fellow sent up a Xweet about how lucky he felt he’d missed the deadline to be a fair vendor after he heard the contract terms.

I think we just figured out a big part of why everything is so expensive at our State Fairs in America

This man was going to apply to be a vendor at the Texas State Fair

“They wanted $5,000 up front and 50% of everything that you make”

“You are going to lose money by being a… pic.twitter.com/wZu9q5Hmgs

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) October 7, 2025

…So I am so glad to see them get exactly what they deserve.” 
“When you do wrong by your vendors and by your customers, wrong will come back. Back to you, and the Texas State Fair is getting exactly what they deserve”

This had nothing to do with imported Oreos and funnel cakes being victimized by Trump’s aversion to foreign bakeries.

It has everything to do with a non-profit moneymaking operation… 

As a constant celebration of all things Texas, the State Fair of Texas works to support its local and statewide community year-round. Through our annual 24-day exposition – our largest fundraiser of the year – as well as ongoing initiatives and programs like the Fair’s scholarship program and Big Tex Urban Farms, we are able to continue serving Texans while building on our mission of promoting agriculture, education, and community involvement.

…that seems to have gotten out over its skis, and the general public isn’t playing anymore. They can’t afford to.

The State Fair of Texas has come and gone for another year. This time, it saw hundreds of thousands fewer visitors compared to 2024, according to data released Monday by fair officials.

More: https://t.co/P1K942O6ae pic.twitter.com/nWkgVVcvHB

— CBS News Texas (@CBSNewsTexas) October 20, 2025

I don’t know what the answer is, but the blame sure isn’t Trump’s tariffs on imported poultry or snack cookies.

Everyone’s having fun with him.

Does James think we are importing turkey, chicken, and Oreos? https://t.co/jBXSbtqBkR

— Justin Maloney (@JMaloneyLiberty) October 20, 2025

Even if they couldn’t afford to go to the fair.

Democrats are gonna be in the wilderness for so long if they keep these pathetic stunts up… 

This should stop the sombrero memes now. Good work, Hakeem.

They just can’t ignore things that mean nothing. It’s impossible for them. Hilarious. https://t.co/VHbwOhwXKF

— Deebs (@DeebsFLA) October 21, 2025

…even Texas Opie will have grown a beard on that hairless chinny chin chin by the time they wander back.

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