Ken Paxton’s impeachment defense attorney endorses James Talarico for Senate
An attorney who represented Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton during his 2023 Senate impeachment trial is endorsing Paxton’s November opponent, Democrat James Talarico, for U.S. Senate.
The Talarico campaign announced on Monday that Houston attorney Dan Cogdell is supporting the Austin area state representative over Paxton, a Republican who clinched the party’s nomination in a May 26 runoff against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.
“I defended Ken Paxton for years in the impeachment trial and in state criminal cases,” Cogdell said in statement. “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.”
Paxton’s campaign did not immediately return a request for comment.
Paxton was impeached in 2023 for allegations related to corruption and abuse of office. He was acquitted in a Senate trail.
At the time, Cogdell told reporters: “It was a joke for us to have to go through this, that is Ken Paxton, his family, as well as the senators and everyone else.”
Cogdell also represented Paxton in his state securities fraud case. Those charges were dismissed in 2025 after Paxton completed pre-trial diversion.
FEC records show that Cogdell has donated to both Paxton’s and Talarcio’s campaigns.
“If you voted for John Cornyn, you have a place in this campaign,” Talarico said in a statement. “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.”
Another one Paxton’s impeachment attorneys, Mitch Little, a Republican who now represents the Lewisville area in the Texas House, is supporting the attorney general for U.S. Senate.
“This impeachment defense lawyer is 100% behind Ken Paxton,” Little said in a Monday post on X. “ I’ve personally served alongside Representative Talarico, and—when he’s working—he’s doing really radical, leftist things.”
