Former GOP Leaders Back Talarico as Midterm Races Tighten
Over two dozen former Republican officials support the Texas Senate Democrat, though experts question if crossover voting will shift the final results.
By Yara Nasser ·
More than two dozen former Republican officials have endorsed James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas. The campaign announced this tally as the election approaches next month. The group includes former state leaders who have publicly switched their support from the Republican ticket to the Democratic one.
This week, Kel Seliger, a former GOP state senator, added his name to the list. Seliger chose to back Talarico rather than incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton. He cited his personal experience working with both men during his time in the state legislature.
Seliger explained his decision by noting that Talarico is not a radical ideologue. He acknowledged that Talarico holds many views that Seliger does not share, but he trusts the candidate to be honest and direct. Seliger argued that Talarico will prioritize the best interests of Texas over the preferences of Elon Musk.
Talarico is not the only Democrat attracting Republican support this cycle. In Alaska, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins on Tuesday. In Kansas, former governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden announced their backing for Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton in September and October, respectively.
Republican Party officials say they expect similar crossover voting to help their candidates. Natalie Baldassarre, the national press secretary for the RNC, pointed to the race in Michigan, where Mike Rogers competes against Abdul El-Sayed. She also cited the existence of a coalition called Democrats for Mike Rogers.
Joshua Blank, the research director for the Texas Politics Project, offered a more cautious view. He stated that cross-party voting usually involves a small share of the electorate. He described these voters as having idiosyncratic behaviors rather than representing a large bloc of switchers. Blank noted that this support could matter if the races remain statistically tied.
Recent polling indicates that several midterm contests have narrowed in the final weeks. While candidates on both sides promote bipartisan endorsements, the actual impact on the vote count remains a point of debate among political analysts.
