A top donor has made a shocking revelation about who he supports in a crucial midterm election.
Photo illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty Images
A major donor to Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton admitted Thursday that he will support Democrat James Talarico in November.
Attorney Thomas Henry donated more than half a million dollars to help Paxton in the primary earlier this year against Sen. John Cornyn, but he released a video Thursday announcing his stunning turnaround in favor of Talarico.
“I am here to announce my support for James Talarico for U.S. senator from Texas,” Henry said in the more than a minute-long video posted on X.
“The reason I support James is because I had the opportunity to meet with him in person for quite an extended period of time and address the issues affecting Texas and our country.”
Henry, a prominent personal injury attorney in the state, said he found Talarico’s approach to resolving issues to be “balanced, direct and honest.”
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The endorsement turned heads because FEC records show Henry donated more than $646,000 in May to the Lone Star Liberty PAC, which supports Paxton, making him one of the Texas attorney general’s biggest donors in the race.
Henry acknowledged his support for Paxton during the primary against Cornyn in his video supporting Talarico.
A major donor who previously supported Ken Paxton, pictured, in the primary is now supporting his Democratic opponent.
“One of the reasons I did this was because Cornyn had been in power too long,” he said. “I think politicians should not serve endless terms in the U.S. Senate.”
He acknowledged that he knew the state attorney general wouldn’t debate the incumbent senator even though he supported him earlier this year, but he argued that after learning more about the “issues affecting Paxton,” it was important to meet with Talarico.
“This meeting was extremely valuable because it taught me the values of Talarico, the values of respect, fairness, safety, good economics for Texas and our country, and a balanced approach to all issues,” Henry said.
Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico gained support from a former Paxton donor after meeting with him.
Danielle Villasana/Getty Images
Although the mega-donor indicated his support for Talarico during the general election, it is unclear whether he donated to Talarico’s campaign.
The latest FEC filings do not yet reflect such donations. The Daily Beast has contacted Henry for further comment.
Talarico this week became the top fundraising candidate this cycle, according to tracking by the Open Secrets organization.
Paxton’s top donor announced his support for the Texas Democrat less than two weeks before the election, while several prominent Republicans also announced their support for the state representative in his quest to flip the seat from red to blue, including President George W. Bush’s brother Neil.
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