Dan Cogdell, a Houston-based lawyer who previously defended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has announced his support for Mr. Paxton’s Democratic opponent in the U.S. Senate race, James Talarico. Mr. Cogdell played a critical role in saving Mr. Paxton from criminal charges and during his 2023 impeachment trial.

Mr. Cogdell expressed his dissatisfaction, stating that Mr. Paxton has “lost sight of his core mission,” which is to serve the people of Texas. In contrast, he believes Mr. Talarico focuses on “unity over division,” uniting both Democrats and some Republicans.

The endorsement was revealed during a podcast interview with Mr. Talarico, recorded after Mr. Paxton’s primary victory over Senator John Cornyn. Mr. Cogdell’s support reinforces Mr. Talarico’s appeal to Republican voters who backed Mr. Cornyn, offering them a “place” in his campaign.

Mr. Talarico emphasized in the podcast, “I’m not interested in pitting people against each other.”

Previously, Mr. Cogdell contributed the maximum personal amount allowed by law to Mr. Paxton’s campaign. However, he now finds the Republican candidate too aligned with President Trump, as he discussed in an interview with The New York Times.