Neil Bush, brother of George W. Bush, says he voted for Talarico

Former President George W. Bush’s brother announced Tuesday that he voted for Democrat James Talarico in the high-stakes Texas Senate race.

In a post on Facebook , Neil Bush wrote that while he normally stays out of politics, he had serious concerns about Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee in the race.

“I have been deeply troubled by Paxton’s conduct as Texas Attorney General, particularly his decision to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election,” Bush wrote. “My concerns about his judgment and conduct are hardly mine alone. He was impeached by the Republican-controlled Texas House, although subsequently acquitted by the Texas Senate.”

A spokesperson for the Paxton campaign did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment.

Bush said his vote was not only to oppose Paxton. The former president’s brother praised Talarico’s character, saying he sees qualities in the Texas state representative that he admires in public servants.

“He speaks with respect, seeks common ground, and seems genuinely interested in bringing people together rather than driving them apart,” Bush wrote. “His faith appears to be a deeply rooted source of humility, compassion, and conviction rather than a political weapon.”

A Presbyterian seminarian, Talarico talks openly about his Christian faith on the campaign trail.

President Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party has put the GOP at odds with the Bush family.

The former president did not endorse Trump in 2024, and his daughter, Barbara Bush, endorsed and campaigned for former Vice President Kamala Harris. Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served with Bush, endorsed Harris , along with his daughter , former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.).

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), whom Paxton defeated in this year’s primary, held a fundraiser with the former president to support a handful of GOP Senate nominees in competitive races, but not Paxton.

And in 2022, former Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, the former president’s nephew, launched a primary challenge against Paxton for attorney general but lost in the runoff by a 36-point margin.

In Tuesday’s Facebook post, Neil Bush wrote that he still believes in Republican principles but believes Trump has done “enormous damage to the Republican party.”

“I have been a Republican for most of my life, and I still believe deeply in many traditional Republican principles,” Bush wrote. “But character matters more than party affiliation.”