George W Bush’s younger brother breaks with Trump, snubs Ken Paxton in Texas Senate race
WASHINGTON, DC: Neil Bush, the younger brother of former President George W Bush and the fourth child of former President George HW Bush, didn’t hold back in criticizing President Donald Trump and his pick for the Texas Senate race.
Neil openly said Trump has hurt the Republican Party and highlighted that character and principles matter more than just sticking with your own team. Ahead of the November 3 midterms, he decided to vote early for Democrat James Talarico instead of Trump-backed Republican Ken Paxton.
The businessman shared all this in a Facebook post on Tuesday, October 20. He acknowledged that he had never posted a political message on the social media platform, but felt that this election was too important not to speak up.
Neil Bush criticizes Trump and explains vote for James Talarico
In the Facebook post, Neil said he remained committed to traditional Republican principles but had become concerned about the direction of the party under Trump.
The extraordinary intervention saw Neil condemn Trump's "enormous damage" to the GOP and accuse Paxton of attempting to help the president overturn the 2020 election.
"I have been a Republican for most of my life, and I still believe deeply in many traditional Republican principles," the 71-year-old wrote in his lengthy but measured Facebook post. "But character matters more than party affiliation."
“More broadly, I believe Donald Trump and those who have enabled him have done enormous damage to the Republican Party,” Neil noted. "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."
The businessman also pointed to Paxton’s impeachment in 2023 by the Texas House, which, notably, is Republican-controlled. The Texas Senate ended up acquitting Paxton.
Though Neil said he has never met Talarico, he had nothing but good things to say about him: "I have been enormously impressed by the way he approaches complicated and controversial issues. He speaks with respect, seeks common ground, and seems genuinely interested in bringing people together rather than driving them apart."
Neil's post stood out, considering how deep the Bush family’s roots run in Texas politics. Back in 2018, a news report mentioned that Neil actually lived just across the street from his parents in Houston’s wealthy Tanglewood neighborhood.
His father served as president from 1989 to 1993 and died in 2018. And, of course, his elder brother was in the White House from 2001 to 2009.
Texas Senate race puts Ken Paxton under pressure
Meanwhile, Paxton has also avoided debating Talarico despite his campaign previously indicating that the candidates would meet.
Talarico accepted multiple debate invitations, including a proposed Fox News encounter, while Paxton refuses to commit, citing a range of reasons. He also declined to join his opponent at a nationally televised CNN town hall last Wednesday.
The latest RealClearPolitics average puts Talarico ahead by 48.5% to 46.3%. A CBS News survey conducted October 8–16 gave the Democrat a narrow 51–49% advantage, within the margin of error.
Trump campaigned for Paxton at a rally in San Antonio on October 7, attacking Talarico as he sought to bolster the Republican's campaign.
