Multiple outlets report that Dan Cogdell, a former defense lawyer for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, endorses Democrat James Talarico in the Texas U.S. Senate race. Cogdell, who represented Paxton during the attorney general’s criminal and impeachment proceedings—including an impeachment trial in 2023 that ended in acquittal—now argues that Paxton has strayed from his responsibilities. According to reports from Newsweek, PBS NewsHour, and The New York Times, Cogdell says Paxton “lost sight” of his mission and criticizes how Paxton prioritizes loyalty to former President Donald Trump over what Cogdell describes as the needs of Texas families. MSNBC similarly quotes Cogdell explaining that the Constitution does not require him to vote for or endorse Paxton. The Guardian adds that Cogdell’s endorsement is part of an effort to support Talarico as a rival to Paxton in one of the state’s major races. All accounts identify Cogdell’s endorsement as a significant political development given his prior role defending Paxton.