In a striking political defection, Dan Cogdell—the Houston defense attorney who spearheaded Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s successful impeachment defense in 2023—has thrown his support behind state Representative James Talarico, a Democrat challenging Paxton in a high-stakes Senate race.
Cogdell, who also represented Paxton in his securities fraud case, stated bluntly that his former client’s loyalty now lies with former President Donald Trump rather than the people of Texas. “I defended Ken Paxton for years in the impeachment trial and in state criminal cases. But in my view, respectfully, I think Ken has lost sight of his core mission, which is to represent the people of Texas,” Cogdell said in a statement.
The endorsement, first reported by NOTUS, marks a dramatic break after nearly a decade of legal representation. Cogdell had raised substantial funds for Paxton and personally donated $6,500 to his campaign last year, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Now, he argues that Texas Republicans have squandered three decades of control. “Republicans have had control of Texas for 30 years. Enough is enough. We are last in the country in healthcare, bottom for education, 1st in school shootings, 1st in most uninsured,” he said.
Cogdell emphasized that his decision was not a betrayal but a conviction after meeting Talarico. “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 said.
Talarico welcomed the endorsement and sought to broaden his coalition. “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,” he said in a statement. “We are building a people-powered movement that welcomes Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike.”
Paxton, a staunch Trump ally, has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration. He recently called the creation of a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund for Justice Department targets “outrageous” and pointed to rising gas prices amid the Iran conflict. “We are in a war we shouldn’t be in. Gas is so expensive I literally can’t fill up my truck because most pumps shut off at $125.00 and at over $5.00 a gallon, that’s not even a full tank,” he said.
The Texas attorney general is also facing scrutiny over his office’s investigation into energy drinks following a teen’s death linked to caffeine, as reported by The World Signal. Meanwhile, the state is grappling with a resurgence of flesh-eating screwworm in cattle, prompting a quarantine, as covered by The World Signal.
The Hill has reached out to Paxton’s campaign for comment. The endorsement underscores growing fractures within Texas Republican ranks as the party faces a packed summer agenda, including debates over defense funding and the farm bill, as detailed by The World Signal.
