Houston defense attorney Dan Cogdell, who helped Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton evade criminal charges and survive a 2023 impeachment, announced an endorsement of Paxton’s Democratic Senate challenger, James Talarico. Cogdell made the endorsement on a podcast recorded after Paxton won the Republican primary over Sen. John Cornyn, arguing the incumbent has abandoned his core mission to serve Texans in a tightly contested race.

Cogdell, a self‑described moderate, contributed the maximum personal donation to Paxton’s 2025 campaign but now says the AG has become a “rubber stamp” for former President Trump. He praised Talarico’s pledge to prioritize “unity over division,” claiming the Democrat can attract disaffected Republicans who backed Cornyn. The endorsement follows a $300,000 restitution deal Cogdell secured for Paxton in a 2024 securities‑fraud case.

The split has ignited a public feud among Paxton’s former legal team. State Rep. Mitch Little, who served on the impeachment defense, defended Paxton and dismissed Cogdell as a Democrat‑leaning lawyer. Paxton’s spokesperson declined comment, pointing to other attorneys’ support. The rivalry underscores the growing political fissures within Texas’s GOP establishment as the Senate race sharpens.