Overview
- On Monday, former Paxton defense lawyer Dan Cogdell publicly endorsed Democrat James Talarico after hosting the candidate on his podcast and appearing in campaign videos.
- Cogdell, who defended Paxton in the 2023 impeachment trial and a long securities fraud matter, said Paxton “has lost sight of his core mission” and praised Talarico’s promise of unity, and FEC records show Cogdell gave $6,500 to Paxton last year and $1,000 to Talarico in March.
- Paxton’s campaign and some members of his defense team downplayed the endorsement by noting Cogdell is a registered Democrat and saying the move was not surprising.
- The endorsement arrives weeks after Paxton won the GOP runoff over Sen. John Cornyn with President Trump’s backing and as early polls and fundraising show the November matchup is closely contested.
- Talarico’s campaign is using Cogdell’s support to appeal to disaffected Republicans and independents, a tactic that could reshape national spending and messaging in the race if it persuades crossover voters.