Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico is picking up support in an unusual place.
Talarico’s team announced Monday, June 8, that Dan Cogdell, the defense attorney who represented Attorney General Ken Paxton during his 2023 impeachment trial, was backing the Democratic candidate over Paxton in the November General Election.
“I defended Ken Paxton for years in the impeachment trial and in state criminal cases,” Cogdell said in a video shared by Talarico’s campaign. “But in my view, respectfully, I think Ken has lost sight of his core mission, which is to represent the people of Texas.”
“And unlike Ken, I believe to my core that James Talarico believes in unity over division and that he knows how to assemble not only Democrats, but Independents and Republicans, and we need that right now,” he added. “We need it more than in my lifetime, and I’m old as dirt — but we need unity. We don’t need any more division, and that’s why I’m supporting him.”
The endorsement is just the latest in a red-letter opening for Talarico’s general election campaign, which kicked off with a massive fundraising haul, a multi-city “People vs. Ken Paxton” tour and recent polling showing him in the lead.
“I am grateful for Mr. Cogdell’s support in this fight to take power back from self-serving politicians like Ken Paxton,” Talarico said in a news release. “If you voted for John Cornyn, you have a place in this campaign. If you’re a Republican tired of the corruption you’re seeing in government, you have a place in this campaign. Even if you’re Ken Paxton’s impeachment lawyer, you have a place in this campaign.”
“We are building a people-powered movement that welcomes Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike,” he continued. “We’re not running against any one politician or any one party — we’re running against this broken political system and the people who broke it.”
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Paxton’s impeachment lawyer endorses Talarico in Texas US Senate race
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Adam Powell, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
