Ken Paxton’s former ‘top cop’ endorses James Talarico in Texas Senate race

Published September 8, 2026 6:43pm ET | Updated September 8, 2026 6:43pm ET



A former top law enforcement official under Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was later fired after reporting the GOP Senate nominee to the FBI, is backing Democrat James Talarico in the closely watched Senate race.

David Maxwell, who served as Paxton’s director of law enforcement for nearly a decade, endorsed Talarico on Tuesday and appeared in a new campaign advertisement attacking his former boss.

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