George W. Bush's GOP Brother Crosses Party Lines to Vote for James Talarico Over Ken Paxton: 'Character Matters More Than Party'
Neil Bush voted for Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico.
Oct. 22 2026, Published 2:08 p.m. ET
George W. Bush’s brother Neil has crossed party lines to support Democrat James Talarico in the Texas U.S. Senate race, citing concerns about Republican candidate Ken Paxton’s record, RadarOnline can report.
The longtime Republican said he chose character over party affiliation in a rare public political statement.
Facebook Confession
Neil, brother of George W. Bush and son of George H.W. Bush Bush, explained his vote.
On Tuesday, October 20, Neil announced on Facebook that he had voted early for Talarico.
“I have never posted a political message on Facebook not wanting to offend friends whose views may be very different than mine,” Neil wrote. “I’m breaking that tradition because I voted early today, and I voted for James Talarico for the United States Senate.”
Neil Bush's Jab at Trump
Neil took aim at President Donald Trump in his social media update.
Neil’s praise for the Democratic candidate’s character stood in contrast to his critical remarks about President Donald Trump.
"I believe Donald Trump and those who have enabled him have done enormous damage to the Republican Party," he said. "I worry about a political culture in which loyalty to an individual takes precedence over loyalty to principle, and where those who hold power begin to believe they are no longer accountable."
Neil also said he admired Talarico’s “integrity, civility, humility, and a willingness to listen to those with whom he disagrees.”
“My impression is that he is a principled, pragmatic leader who understands that public office is a responsibility to serve, not an entitlement to power,” Neil added.
Paxton’s Race and GOP Divisions
Paxton and Talarico are in a tight race in Texas.
As Radar previously reported, Paxton is trailing Talarico in several recent polls, raising concerns among Republicans about holding the Texas Senate seat.
Trump endorsed Paxton over four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican runoff, which Paxton won by a wide margin.
The contentious primary has left lasting divisions within the party. Republican operatives have warned of an internal blame game if Paxton loses to Talarico in November.
One veteran Texas GOP operative told POLITICO Playbook that the finger-pointing would be “biblical,” predicting that Paxton would blame Cornyn, Trump would blame Paxton, and that Trump should ultimately blame himself.
Bush Family History in Politics
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George W. Bush was POTUS from 2001 to 2009.
The Bush family has long been associated with the GOP establishment, with George H.W. Bush and his son George W. Bush both serving as POTUS at one point in their lives.
Jeb Bush, a former Florida governor, entered the 2016 Republican primary seeking to follow his father and brother to the White House, but his campaign struggled amid voter frustration with the party establishment and Trump’s rise as a political outsider.
