David Maxwell, Ken Paxton’s former top law enforcement official, endorsed James Talarico in the Texas Senate race. Maxwell said a two-hour meeting convinced him Talarico was sincere, direct, and motivated by public service. He concluded that Talarico should go to Washington while Paxton “needs to go home.”
In the video, Maxwell described questioning Talarico for two hours before reaching that conclusion. “I saw no deception,” he said. He credited Talarico with answering “all my difficult questions” without dodging them.
The former law enforcement official also praised how Talarico handled difficult questions. He said Talarico did not give him the “Texas two-step” or avoid answering directly. Instead, Talarico “hit it head on.”
Maxwell then pointed to Talarico’s teaching background and described his campaign as rooted in “a sense of service.” He also noted that his mother and granddaughters were teachers.
Drawing on his own political experience, Maxwell said he had served five governors and met four presidents. He called Talarico “so different than other people I have encountered in politics.”
The endorsement ended with Maxwell making a direct choice between Talarico and his former boss. “I think he’s the man who needs to go to Washington, D.C.,” he said. “Ken Paxton needs to go home.”
David Maxwell’s James Talarico Endorsement Draws Pushback in Texas
Maxwell’s endorsement quickly shifted attention toward his history with Paxton, his credibility and the motives behind his support for Talarico.
“He’s already been discredited and was fired by Paxton for insubordination. He’s your typical disgruntled former employee with an ax to grind,” one user wrote. Another questioned Maxwell’s credibility more directly: “Pretty surprised Talarico would use Ranger Maxwell in a political ad.” The response added, “Maxwell was thoroughly discredited and made to look like a damn fool in front of millions of viewers.”
Maxwell was fired from the attorney general’s office in 2020 after he and other senior officials reported Paxton to authorities over alleged abuse of office. Maxwell later joined a whistleblower lawsuit alleging retaliation, and a judge ultimately ordered Texas to pay the whistleblowers $6.6 million. Paxton has not admitted wrongdoing, and investigations related to the allegations were ultimately closed without action.
A separate response challenged Maxwell’s assessment of Talarico. “No wonder he is a FORMER top cop. Clearly doesn’t have basic fact-finding skills,” the user wrote. Another questioned his motive bluntly: “How much did he get paid?”
Others viewed the endorsement differently. “When people are willing to cross political lines, it is worth paying attention,” one response stated. Another called it a “Powerful endorsement of a good man with honor and a heart of public service.”
Maxwell remains publicly aligned with Talarico against his former boss. His history with Paxton remains part of the dispute surrounding that endorsement.
