HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) \u2014 An attorney who defended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against a slew of high-profile charges is endorsing the Republican\u2019s U.S. Senate opponent.<\/p>\n
Dan Cogdell, a lawyer in Paxton\u2019s impeachment and securities fraud cases, announced his support for state Representative James Talarico in a Monday podcast episode with the Democratic lawmaker. Cogdell named Talarico\u2019s message of \u201cunity\u201d as the main reason for his endorsement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need unity. We don\u2019t need any more division. And that\u2019s why I\u2019m supporting you,\u201d the lawyer said.<\/p>\n
Talarico, who campaigned with a positive tone before Paxton\u2019s May primary win, has since spoken more combatively to match his opponent\u2019s style. The attorney general depicts Talarico as a threat and frequently flings insults.<\/p>\n
\u201cKen Paxton has a criminal record. I have a legislative record,\u201d Talarico told Cogdell. \u201cI\u2019ve served for four terms in the Texas House of Representatives, where I\u2019ve brought Democrats and Republicans together to solve problems. I mean, that\u2019s the only reason why I ran for office, was to solve problems.\u201d<\/p>\n
The National News Desk requested comment from Paxton but hasn\u2019t received a response.<\/p>\n
He has claimed for years that his criminal cases were politically motivated, speaking in a manner similar to his most powerful ally, President Donald Trump. Paxton received the GOP\u2019s greatest blessing last month, when Trump announced his support for the attorney general in a consequential Truth Social post<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWE HAVE ALREADY MADE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, BUT NOW, WE WANT TO MAKE OUR NATION BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE,\u201d the president wrote. <\/p>\n \u201cTherefore, Ken Paxton has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next United States Senator from the Great State of Texas \u2013 KEN PAXTON WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!\u201d<\/p>\n Paxton defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn in a landslide <\/a>primary win, but Trump\u2019s faith in his ally may be short-lived. The attorney general has worse odds of beating Talarico than Cornyn would have had, and national headwinds favoring Democratic candidates will further hamper Paxton\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n Cook Politico Report, the analytical firm, shifted its projection of the election a notch toward Talarico immediately after Paxton\u2019s primary victory.<\/p>\n \u201cNational Republicans now have a candidate they\u2019ve long assailed as the weaker general election nominee compared to incumbent Sen. John Cornyn,\u201d Jessica Taylor, a Senate analyst for the firm, wrote <\/a>last month. \u201cWe agree with that assessment, and now that Republicans are saddled with a controversial candidate who\u2019s been a weak fundraiser, we are shifting our rating from Likely to Lean Republican.\u201d<\/p>\n Cornyn has appeared bitter <\/a>since his defeat. He shared an article with a pointed headline in a Sunday X post <\/a>questioning the president\u2019s motives: \u201cDoes Trump really not care about the midterms?\u201d<\/p>\n