By
/ CBS News
Neil Bush, the brother of former President George W. Bush and son of former President George H.W. Bush, said Tuesday that he voted for Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race while criticizing President Trump and "those who have enabled him" for causing "enormous damage to the Republican Party."
"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," Bush wrote in a Facebook post.
Talarico is currently facing Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in one of the country's most closely contested Senate races. Early voting started Monday.
The Bush name is nearly synonymous with the rise of the Republican Party in Texas. Democrats dominated Texas politics for much of the 20th century, and George W. Bush's defeat of Democratic Gov. Ann Richards in 1994 helped cement the GOP's takeover. Within a decade, Republicans swept every statewide office, redrew the U.S. House map to enhance their advantage and took the majority in both houses of the state Legislature.
George P. Bush, the son of Jeb Bush and nephew of Neil and George W. Bush, unsuccessfully challenged Paxton in a primary for attorney general in 2022.
In his post, Neil Bush wrote that he is "deeply troubled by Paxton's conduct as Texas Attorney General, particularly his decision to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election in other states in an effort to help Donald Trump remain in power."
Most members of the Bush family have generally avoided criticizing the sitting president since George W. Bush left office in 2009.
Neil Bush noted that he has been a "Republican for most of my life, and I still believe deeply in many traditional Republican principles."
"But character matters more than party affiliation," he wrote. "Our democracy depends on leaders who respect our institutions, tell the truth, accept accountability, and seek to unite rather than divide."
One of the more controversial candidates on the ballot this cycle, Paxton was indicted on securities fraud charges in 2015, which were later settled as part of a diversion agreement. He was impeached in 2023 by the GOP-controlled Texas House on separate accusations of bribery and abuse of office. He was acquitted in the state Senate trial.
Paxton toppled incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in a bitter GOP primary earlier this year after receiving Mr. Trump's endorsement. The president has continued to vigorously back Paxton throughout the general election, making several trips to Texas to campaign for him.
Although Texas hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988, Democrats are hopeful their fortunes will change this year. Talarico has had a narrow lead in most polls, including a recent CBS News poll. CBS News' Battleground Tracker rates the race as a toss-up.
Neil Bush said in his post that his "vote today was about much more than opposition to Ken Paxton."
"I've never met James Talarico, but I have been enormously impressed by the way he approaches complicated and controversial issues," Bush wrote. "He speaks with respect, seeks common ground, and seems genuinely interested in bringing people together rather than driving them apart."
Bush praised Talarico, who is a seminarian, for his faith, and added that he sees "in him the qualities I admire most in public servants: integrity, civility, humility, and a willingness to listen to those with whom he disagrees."