In an unexpected political twist, a Houston attorney who spent nearly a decade defending Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX) is now throwing his support behind Paxton's Democratic opponent in one of the country's most closely watched Senate races.
Dan Cogdell, who served on Paxton's legal team during the Republican's historic 2023 impeachment trial, which ended in acquittal, announced his endorsement of James Talarico (D-TX), citing concerns about Paxton's direction as a public official.
Cogdell was careful to separate his personal feelings from his political judgment, noting that he still respects Paxton as an individual and believed the Texas legislature was right to acquit him.
His issue, he explained, is with how Paxton has chosen to govern.
According to Cogdell, Paxton has drifted away from his core responsibility of representing Texans and has become too focused on appeasing President Donald Trump.
He described Talarico as someone capable of bringing together not just Democrats but also Independents and Republicans, a quality he argued the current political climate desperately needs.
Talaricos Response
Talarico wasted little time drawing attention to the endorsement, as evidence that his campaign is capable of building broad coalitions against what he called a corrupt political establishment.
In a post on X, he said the backing from Paxton's own former lawyer demonstrated the strength of his "big tent" approach to the race.
The endorsement adds a notable layer to what is already a high-stakes contest. Paxton entered the Senate race as an insurgent candidate, defeating longtime incumbent Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in the Republican primary runoff last month.
Paxton's years of legal troubles, including accusations of corruption and securities fraud, have been a central focus of Talarico's campaign strategy.
People are watching the Texas seat with growing optimism, viewing Talarico as a credible candidate in a state that has long been considered out of reach, as the party works to regain control of the U.S. Senate in November.
