Neil Bush, a son of one U.S. president and brother to another, on Tuesday broke ranks with his political party and revealed that he voted for Democratic candidate James Talarico for Senate in Texas.
“I have been a Republican for most of my life, and I still believe deeply in many traditional Republican principles,” he wrote on Facebook. “But character matters more than party affiliation.”
Bush, who is the son of former President George H.W. Bush and brother of former President George W. Bush, said he is “deeply troubled” by Ken Paxton, who is President Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate for Senate.
Paxton, as Texas attorney general, joined Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election, which Bush called “an affront to our democratic institutions and the peaceful transfer of power.”
Paxton has also been plagued by years of scandals and was at one point impeached by the Republican-led state House of Representatives, although ultimately acquitted in the Senate.
“More broadly, I believe Donald Trump and those who have enabled him have done enormous damage to the Republican Party. 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.”
Bush said his vote was about more than just opposition to Paxton, writing that he was “enormously impressed” by Talarico.
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“He speaks with respect, seeks common ground, and seems genuinely interested in bringing people together rather than driving them apart,” he wrote. “His faith appears to be a deeply rooted source of humility, compassion, and conviction rather than a political weapon.”
Bush also praised Talarico for “integrity, civility, humility, and a willingness to listen to those with whom he disagrees.”
There isn’t much love lost between the Bush family and Trump.
When Trump entered politics in 2016, many assumed the Republican nomination would go to Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and brother to both Neil and George W. However, Trump bullied the “low energy” Jeb out of the race early in the primary season and frequently attacked George W. over the war in Iraq.
Most of the family has said little publicly about Trump, although George W. Bush ― who has taken up art in retirement ― reportedly has painted “a really ugly picture” of Trump.