Neil Bush Endorses Democratic Senate Candidate James Talarico in Texas

According to Al Jazeera, Neil Bush, brother of former President George W. Bush, said he voted for Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race. Bush posted the statement on social media on Tuesday, citing concerns about Republican candidate Ken Paxton. He said Paxton had been impeached by the Texas House and later acquitted by the Texas Senate. Bush added that Paxton had challenged 2020 election results in other states, which he described as an affront to democratic institutions.

The New York Times reported that Bush expressed deep concern over Paxton’s record and stated he voted for Talarico. Bush said he had been a lifelong Republican but believed character matters more than party affiliation. According to Der Spiegel, Bush added that he was still a believer in many Republican principles, but that character counts more than party loyalty.

Al Jazeera noted that Talarico and Paxton are in a tight race for Texas’s open Senate seat, with Democrats hoping to gain control of the 100-member Senate. Paxton won the Republican primary runoff against incumbent Senator John Cornyn on May 26 and received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump on May 19. A Marist poll released on October 14 found Talarico leading with 47 percent of the vote compared to 45 percent for Paxton.

Texas has long been considered a Republican stronghold, and Democrats have not won a Senate race in the state since 1988. The open seat is one of 35 Senate seats up for election in the November 3 midterm elections. The endorsement is described as a sign of division among Texas Republicans.

The article also notes that Barbara Bush, daughter of former President George W. Bush, donated to a political action committee supporting Talarico. Bush’s endorsement is the latest sign of division among Texas Republicans.