Ken Paxton’s own defense attorney, Dan Cogdell, announced his endorsement of James Talarico for U.S. Senate. Mr. Cogdell helped lead Paxton’s impeachment defense, donated to Paxton as recently as 2025, and defended Ken Paxton for years.
The endorsement follows a recent wave of Texas Republicans and Independents coming together in support of Talarico’s campaign to fix this broken, corrupt political system.
Offering his full support for James Talarico’s candidacy, Cogdell issued the following statement:
“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. And 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. We need it more than in my lifetime, and I’m old as dirt — but we need unity. We don’t need any more division, and that’s why I’m supporting him.”
In response to Cogdell’s endorsement, James Talarico issued the following statement:
“I am grateful for Mr. Cogdell’s support in this fight to take power back from self-serving politicians like Ken Paxton. 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. We are building a people-powered movement that welcomes Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike. We’re not running against any one politician or any one party — we’re running against this broken political system and the people who broke it.”
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The New York Times: Ken Paxton’s Former Lawyer Endorses His Democratic Opponent
- “Mr. Cogdell argued that Mr. Talarico prioritized ‘unity over division’ and could bring together Democrats and some Republicans, and that ‘we need that right now.’”
- “The support from Mr. Cogdell helped bolster a message that Mr. Talarico has pushed since Mr. Paxton’s primary victory: that Republican voters who backed Mr. Cornyn would find ‘a place’ in the Democratic candidate’s campaign.”
- “Mr. Cogdell was part of Mr. Paxton’s defense team during the two-week impeachment trial in the Republican-led Texas Senate, in which Mr. Paxton was accused of corruption and abuse of office by Republicans in the Texas House.”
- “Mr. Cogdell made the maximum personal contribution allowed by law to Mr. Paxton’s Senate run last year, according to campaign finance records.”
Texas Tribune: Talarico lands endorsement from lawyer who defended Paxton in impeachment, securities fraud cases
- “Well-known in Texas courtrooms, Cogdell helped steer Paxton through legal battles for nearly a decade. The attorney general first hired him in 2015 after he was indicted for securities fraud, a case that went on until 2024, when prosecutors dropped the charges in exchange for Paxton taking legal ethics courses and paying six figures in restitution. And he served on Paxton’s defense team in his 2023 impeachment trial, which ended in an acquittal by the Republican-controlled Texas Senate.”
- “Talarico is hoping to be the first Democrat to win a statewide race in Texas in over 30 years — a difficult task that the party is nonetheless enthused about because they see Paxton, given his legal and ethical baggage, as a uniquely compromised candidate.”
- “Polling has indicated a close race between Paxton and Talarico, with a slew of statewide surveys showing the Democrat with a narrow lead — a rare sight.”
NOTUS: Ken Paxton’s Impeachment Defense Lawyer Endorses James Talarico
- “Cogdell has donated a total of $6,500 to Paxton’s campaign last year and then gave $1,000 to Talarico’s campaign in March, according to campaign finance reports. His endorsement of Talarico comes just after the third anniversary of Paxton’s impeachment by the Texas House of Representatives over allegations including bribery.”
- “During the GOP primary, Cornyn allies stressed that Paxton was probably a riskier candidate to run against the Democratic nominee in the general election, given his history of criminal charges and personal controversies. They argued that the party may have to spend over $100 million in Texas with Paxton as the candidate to prevent Democrats from flipping the seat.”
MSNOW: Ken Paxton’s former lawyer on why he’s voting for James Talarico
- “Cogdell told Cabrera that he came to support Talarico after learning about his campaign and priorities, saying, ‘I believe he’s focusing on the things that Texans are concerned about,’ like gun violence, education and healthcare.”
- Cogdell: “I haven’t seen Ken Paxton mention any of those things in his run-up in this election.”
The Hill: Paxton’s impeachment defense lawyer backs Talarico for Texas Senate
- “Now, however, Cogdell argues that Texas Republicans have failed to deliver results despite decades in power.”
- Cogdell: “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.”
- “Cogdell’s break from Paxton comes after nine years of defending the Texas attorney general in some of the most politically perilous moments in his career. He also raised a significant amount of money for Paxton, on top of donating $6,500 to his campaign last year, according to FEC filings.”
Houston Chronicle: Ken Paxton defense lawyer backs Democrat James Talarico for Senate
- “Dan Cogdell, a Houston attorney who was part of Paxton’s defense team during his indictment on security fraud charges and his 2023 impeachment by the state House, endorsed Talarico in a video posted online Monday.”
- “Cogdell, who appeared with Talarico in a video released by the Democrat’s campaign, played a visible role during Paxton’s impeachment trial in the Texas Senate, sitting at the defense table each day of the proceeding even when Paxton did not attend.”
Washington Examiner: Ken Paxton’s defense attorney endorses James Talarico in race for Texas Senate seat
- “Ken Paxton‘s former personal lawyer is bucking his high-profile client to endorse Democratic candidate James Talarico for Texas’s U.S. Senate seat.”
- “In a race where endorsements have been central, Houston defense attorney Dan Cogdell’s backing of Talarico, which was reported by NOTUS but confirmed to the Washington Examiner, comes as a bit of a surprise, as he defended Paxton in his 2023 impeachment trial and has donated to his campaign, according to Federal Election Commission data.”
