Dan Cogdell, a prominent Houston attorney, has announced his endorsement of James Talarico, the Democratic challenger in the U.S. Senate race against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Cogdell, who previously defended Paxton against criminal charges and represented him during his 2023 impeachment trial, now criticizes Paxton for losing perspective on his role as a representative of Texas.
Cogdell expressed his support for Talarico during a podcast interview recorded shortly after Paxton secured a victory in the Republican primary over Senator John Cornyn. He emphasized that Talarico promotes unity, which he believes is essential in the current political climate. “We need that right now,” Cogdell remarked, highlighting Talarico’s ability to connect with both Democrats and some Republicans.
This endorsement signals a shift as Cogdell had previously contributed the maximum legal amount to Paxton’s Senate campaign. However, Cogdell now believes Paxton is too closely aligned with former President Trump, leading to his decision to support Talarico instead.
Talarico echoed the sentiment of inclusion, stating in the podcast, “I’m not interested in pitting people against each other,” and inviting Republican voters who supported Cornyn to join his campaign.
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