Ken Paxton’s Former Defense Attorney Endorses Democrat James Talarico

Cogdell announced his support on his own podcast, where he hosted the 37-year-old state representative. The lawyer argued that Paxton has abandoned the core mission of serving Texans in favor of rigid loyalty to Donald Trump. Having previously donated $6,500 to Paxton’s campaign, Cogdell shifted his financial support to Talarico this March with a $1,000 contribution. He described the candidate as a figure capable of bridging the divide between Democrats, Independents, and disillusioned Republicans.

For his part, Talarico is leveraging the endorsement to court voters left behind by the bitter Republican primary, which saw Paxton defeat John Cornyn with the former president's intervention. Talarico criticized the state's current trajectory, citing poor rankings in healthcare and education, and welcomed those tired of government corruption into his coalition. Cogdell’s public break with his former client marks a notable shift, given the attorney previously labeled Trump the greatest threat to American democracy.