George W. Bush's brother says he voted for Talarico in Senate race

Neil Bush, a son of former President George H. W. Bush, has said he cast his Texas Senate ballot for Democrat James Talarico rather than Republican Ken Paxton, according to CBS News and The Guardian. The announcement, made Tuesday on Facebook, stands out because the Bush family has mostly stayed quiet about the sitting president since George W. Bush left office in 2009. Early voting began Monday in a race CBS News rates a toss-up, according to CBS News · The Guardian.

Bush, who is 71 according to The Guardian, said he remains a Republican on many principles but believes character outweighs party. He objected to Paxton's attempt to contest the 2020 presidential election results in other states, which Bush said was meant to keep Donald Trump in power. Of Talarico, he said he had never met him but admired how he handles divisive topics. The Guardian adds that Bush described him as drawing on faith for humility rather than as a political weapon.

CBS News supplies the surrounding context: Paxton was indicted on securities fraud charges in 2015, settled through a diversion agreement, then was impeached in 2023 and acquitted. He beat Sen. John Cornyn in the primary with Trump's endorsement.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CBS News · The Guardian and The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at CBS News · The Guardian → Also at The Guardian →