James Talarico Adds Unexpected Ally to Senate Bid With Endorsement From Ken Paxton's Impeachment Lawyer

James Talarico's Senate bid in Texas continues to gain momentum, this time with support from an unexpected ally.

Dan Cogdell, a Houston attorney who represented Attorney General Ken Paxton during some of his various legal battles, endorsed Talarico this week, arguing that the Republican candidate "has lost sight" of his mission.

"I defended Ken Paxton for years in the impeachment trial and in state criminal cases," Cogdell said. "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, James, that you believe in unity over division and that you know how to assemble not only Democrats, but independents and Republicans, and we need that right now."

Cogdell announced his endorsement on his podcast, breaking with Paxton after representing him in several legal battles over nearly a decade. Cogdell was first hired by Paxton in 2015 after the attorney general was indicted on securities fraud charges stemming from allegations that he misled investors in a technology company.

Paxton denied wrongdoing and, nine years later, reached an agreement with prosecutors requiring him to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution and complete 100 hours of community service in exchange for the charges being dismissed.

Cogdell also represented Paxton during his 2023 impeachment trial after eight senior aides accused him of bribery and abuse of office, allegations that prompted an FBI investigation. After learning of the whistleblower complaints, Paxton fired four of the aides, leading to additional retaliation lawsuits.

The allegations prompted the Texas House to impeach Paxton in 2023 on 20 articles. The Texas Senate later acquitted him on 16 counts and dismissed the remaining four, according to The Texas Tribune.

Cogdell said on his podcast that political unity is needed now more than at any point in his lifetime and that he believes Talarico can help achieve it. Talarico welcomed the endorsement, pointing to it as further evidence of the bipartisan coalition he hopes to build if elected to the Senate.

"If you voted for John Cornyn, you have a place in this campaign," Talarico said. "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."

The Paxton camp did not take the news well. As reported by the Texas Tribune, the Paxton campaign dismissed Cogdell's comments as predicable and called him a Democrat.

"Dan is a Democrat and voted in the Democratic primary in 2024," an aide close to Paxton told the Tribune. "Why is anyone shocked?"

As the November election draws closer, Paxton and Talarico remain locked in a tight race for the Senate seat. According to a May poll conducted by the Texas Public Opinion Research, Talarico holds a narrow lead over Paxton, 47% to 44%, in a hypothetical U.S. Senate general election matchup, driven by strong support among moderates and independents.

TPOR noted that more than half of GOP runoff voters who now plan to support Talarico cited Paxton's complicated criminal history as the primary reason for switching their support.