Texas Democratic state Sen. James Talarico has added a former staffer for Republican Sen. John Cornyn to his campaign team as he prepares to face Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the upcoming midterm elections.
Talarico’s campaign confirmed Monday that Jacob Smith, who previously served as deputy legislative director for Cornyn, has joined the Democratic Senate campaign as its deputy policy director.
Smith said that despite spending his career working for Republicans, he is throwing his support behind Talarico in the closely watched Texas Senate contest.
“I’ve worked for Republicans like Senator Cornyn my entire career, but this year I’m proud to be joining James Talarico’s campaign,” Smith said in a statement provided to The Hill.
Smith praised Talarico’s approach to voters while criticizing partisan politics.
“Instead of playing partisan politics, Talarico speaks to the needs of everyday people who day in and day out work too hard for too little,” Smith said.
The former Cornyn staffer also directly targeted Paxton, urging other Republicans who oppose the Texas attorney general to support Talarico at the ballot box.
“I’m encouraging all my fellow Republicans who know Ken Paxton is unfit to serve in the Senate to finally hold him accountable at the ballot box,” Smith said.
Paxton is running against Talarico for the Senate seat currently held by Cornyn.
The Texas attorney general secured the Republican nomination after defeating Cornyn in the primary election. President Donald Trump had declined to back the sitting senator and instead endorsed Paxton in the GOP contest.
Smith’s move puts a former member of Cornyn’s staff inside the campaign operation of the Democrat now seeking to defeat the Republican who knocked Cornyn out of the race.
Talarico and Paxton are now headed toward a competitive general election battle, according to recent polling cited by The Hill.
Some surveys have shown Talarico holding a lead over Paxton, while other polls have found the two candidates running neck and neck.
The hiring comes months before voters head to the polls in the midterm elections and gives Talarico’s campaign a Republican veteran who previously worked directly for the senator whose seat is now up for grabs.
Smith made clear that his decision to join the Democratic campaign was not simply about his opposition to Paxton. He also praised Talarico’s message and argued that the Democrat is focused on the concerns of ordinary Texans.
For Talarico, the addition of Smith provides his campaign with a former Republican Senate staffer as he attempts to win over voters in the Lone Star State.
For Paxton, it means a former senior legislative staffer for the Republican senator he defeated in the primary is now working to help elect his Democratic opponent.
With polling showing either a Talarico advantage or a tight contest, the two candidates are set to battle for Cornyn’s Senate seat in the midterm election.
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