James Talaricois highlighting a growing list of Republican leaders who have crossed party lines to back his U.S. Senate campaign.
Talarico, who is facing Attorney General Ken Paxton in the November general election, described the endorsements as a “first wave” in a Sept. 10 news release. The group, dubbed “Republicans for Talarico,” includes former mayors and state representatives.
"I’m proud to welcome Republicans into this campaign to take power back for working people — because the real fight in this country is not left versus right; it’s top versus bottom,” Talarico said. “My message to Texans across the political spectrum is clear: you have a place in this movement.”
The endorsements come as N+ Univision, the news division of TelevisaUnivision,
released its Sept. 9 poll that showed Democrat state Rep. James Talarico with a narrow edge over Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, 48% to 43%, with 7% undecided in the Texas Senate race.
Here's the list of Republicans backing Talarico, according to the news release.
- James Edge - Bryan City Councilman and Current Mayor Pro Tem, former Texas GOP Convention Delegate
- Jimmie Don Aycock - Former Texas State Representative (HD 54), former GOP Convention Delegate
- Steve Bartlett - Former Mayor of Dallas, former Congressman (TX-3)
- Dorothy Burton - Former Mayor Pro Tem of Duncanville, former Duncanville City Councilwoman
- Ryan Davenport - Former GOP Convention Delegate
- Donna Halstead - Former Dallas City Councilwoman
- Deborah Hankinson - Retired Texas Supreme Court Justice, formerly a Judge on the Fifth District Court of Appeals
- Kimberly Priest Johnson - Retired U.S. Magistrate Judge in the Eastern District of Texas, former Special Assistant to the U.S. Attorney
- Susan Lewis King - Former Texas State Representative (HD 71)
- Adam Kinzinger - Former Congressman (IL-16), Current Texan
- Shane Phelps - Deputy Attorney General under Attorney General John Cornyn, former Brazos County First Assistant District Attorney
- Tom Phillips - Retired Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice, former Harris County District Court Judge (District 280)
- David Maxwell - Texas Ranger, former Director of the Law Enforcement Division to Attorney General Ken Paxton
- Bennett Ratliff - Former Texas State Representative (HD 115)
- Jim Richards - Former Dallas City Councilman
- Dale Ross - Former Mayor of Georgetown, former Georgetown City Councilman
- Andrew Sansom - Former Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, former Special Assistant to U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Founder of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University, former GOP Convention Delegate
- Todd Smith - Former Texas State Representative (HD 92)
- Lionel Sosa - Founder of Sosa & Associates, campaign advisor to Senator John Tower, President Ronald Reagan, President George H.W. Bush, and President George W. Bush
- Alan Steelman - Former Congressman (TX-5), former Republican nominee for US Senate, Special Assistant to President Nixon
- Glen Whitley - Former Tarrant County Judge, former County Commissioner
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Republicans for Talarico' launches as Texas Senate race tightens
