AUSTIN, Texas (AP) 鈥� A lawyer who represented for nearly a decade over accusations of corruption and securities fraud is supporting 鈥� and not his former client 鈥� in one of the biggest U.S. Senate races.
Talarico on Monday drew attention to his campaign winning the endorsement of Houston attorney Dan Cogdell, who was part of Paxton’s defense team during the Republican’s historic impeachment trial in 2023 .
The that shadowed Paxton in public office in Texas are a central attack line of Talarico’s campaign, though in his endorsement, Cogdell didn鈥檛 cite concerns about his client’s past.
Cogdell said he didn鈥檛 dislike Paxton as a person and felt that Texas lawmakers were right to eventually acquit the attorney general. But as a politician, Cogdell said, Paxton is too focused on appeasing .
鈥淚 worked my ass off for the man for nine years,鈥� Cogdell said in an interview with The Associated Press. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 a different inquiry, my obligation to Ken ended at the courthouse steps and my obligation as a citizen is to do what I think is the right thing.鈥�
Cogdell said Texas needs a lot of work, pointing to education and health care, 鈥渁nd to simply bootlick or rubber stamp Trump, that鈥檚 not what we need in D.C. right now.鈥� He also recently spoke to Talarico at length on Cogdell’s podcast.
Asked for comment, an aide to Paxton鈥檚 campaign said Cogdell is a Democrat and called the endorsement unsurprising.
The lead defense attorney in Paxton’s impeachment trial, Tony Buzbee, reiterated that on X. Buzbee added that he was supporting Paxton in the race.
Cogdell said he’s a registered Democrat, but considers himself a moderate, and has voted and donated more to Republicans than Democrats.
Talarico has given Democrats hope of flipping the statewide seat in Texas blue as the party scrambles to retake control of the U.S. Senate in November.
Paxton鈥檚 insurgent campaign in the Republican Senate primary runoff last month, helped by a Trump endorsement in the final days of the race.
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