James Talarico, a Democratic Senate candidate from Texas, gained an unexpected supporter from the political opposition. Barbara Bush, daughter of former President George W. Bush, recently made a donation to the main PAC backing Talarico’s campaign.
The relationship between George W. Bush and Donald Trump has been uneasy since the latter mocked Bush’s family members during the 2016 campaign. Nonetheless, the donation from Bush’s daughter comes at a crucial time for Republican hopes of retaining control of the U.S. Senate.
Federal Election Commission (FEC) records confirm Barbara Bush contributed $2,500 to the Lone Star Rising PAC this past quarter. This PAC is instrumental for Talarico, with nearly all external support for him funneling through it, as reported by Houston Public Media.
The divide is ‘top vs. bottom,’Talarico previously stated, yet he pursued support from affluent donors.
While smaller than the contributions from others like musician Don Henley, who gave $150,000 to the PAC, Bush’s contribution is significant for its transparency. As Texas campaign finance expert Andrew Cates noted, Bush did not obscure her identity by donating anonymously through other channels.
Barbara Bush, now 44, serves as vice president of social impact and inclusion at the NBA. Her efforts focus on humanitarian causes using basketball’s influence to address issues like social justice and health equity. She co-founded the Global Health Corps and has co-authored books with her sister, Jenna Bush Hager.
Talarico has been vocal about opposing significant financial influence in politics, criticizing Sen. John Cornyn and Ken Paxton for allowing corporations and wealthy individuals to dominate elections. Despite this stance, Talarico acknowledged the necessity of engaging in similar strategies, pointing to Republican PAC spending as a reason, according to the Texas Tribune.
Attempts to obtain comments from former President Bush, Barbara Bush, and Talarico’s campaign regarding the donation were made by Fox News Digital.
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