Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico announced on Thursday that he has received endorsements from 21 Republican officials, including former members of Congress and state lawmakers. The move is a strategic effort to broaden his appeal ahead of the November election against incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton.

According to the campaign, these Republican figures are backing Talarico specifically due to their concerns regarding Ken Paxton. The endorsements represent a cross-party coalition, which Talarico’s campaign is highlighting to suggest that dissatisfaction with Paxton extends beyond the Democratic base. While the campaign has publicized these names, the specific list of officials and their individual reasons for breaking with their party have not been fully detailed in initial reports.

This development marks a notable shift in the campaign narrative, as Talarico attempts to position himself as a candidate capable of drawing support from across the political spectrum. The campaign is leveraging these endorsements to frame the upcoming election as a referendum on Paxton’s tenure rather than a strictly partisan contest. As of now, the Paxton campaign has not issued a formal response to these specific endorsements, and the impact of these Republican defections on the broader electorate remains to be seen.