4 minPolitics
Neil Bush endorses Democrat James Talarico in Texas Senate race
Neil Bush, a member of the Bush political family, said he voted for Democrat James Talarico over Republican Ken Paxton, citing concerns about Paxton's record and criticism of Donald Trump's influence on the Republican Party.
Neil Bush, the son of former President George H.W. Bush and brother of former President George W. Bush, has publicly backed Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico in the Texas race, breaking with the family's long-standing Republican tradition. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Bush said he had voted early for Talarico and cited deep concern about the record of Republican nominee Ken Paxton.
Bush wrote that he had never posted a political message on Facebook, not wanting to offend friends whose views might differ from his own. He said he was making an exception because of his vote. "My vote was motivated by two things: deep concern about Ken Paxton's record and genuine admiration for the character and principles I see in James Talarico," he wrote. He also said he believed a political style had "damaged our country."
Bush went further in criticizing Trump and the Republicans who have supported him. "I believe Donald Trump and those who have enabled him have done enormous damage to the Republican Party," he wrote. He added that he worried about a political culture in which loyalty to an individual takes precedence over loyalty to principle, and in which those in power begin to believe they are no longer accountable. "But my vote today was about much more than opposition to Ken Paxton," he said.
Neil Bush's endorsement is the second recent sign of Bush family support for Talarico. Barbara Bush, daughter of George W. Bush, contributed $2,500 on Sept. 23 to Lone Star Rising PAC, a super PAC backing the Democrat, according to federal campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital. Lone Star Rising is one of the major outside groups spending to support Talarico and oppose Paxton in a closely contested race.
The family's split with the Republican mainstream has deep roots. George W. Bush's relationship with Trump has been strained since the 2016 Republican presidential primary, when Trump repeatedly attacked Jeb Bush and mocked their mother, former first lady Barbara Bush. In contrast, George W. Bush has maintained friendly relations with Democratic former presidents and has increasingly embraced bipartisan ties in his post-presidency. In June he attended the opening of former President Barack Obama's presidential center in Chicago, where he and Michelle Obama renewed a warm public friendship despite their political differences.
The Texas contest is also drawing heavy outside spending. Fox News Digital reported that the Trump-linked group MAGA Inc. had poured $10 million into Paxton's campaign against Talarico. Republican National Committee Chair officials have dismissed Talarico's hopes of attracting Republican crossover votes as a "pipe dream," saying that nobody is going to follow him. Neil Bush's endorsement now adds a high-profile family dimension to a race that Republicans had hoped to hold.
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House, representatives for Neil Bush and the Paxton campaign for comment.
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