Members of Bush dynasty support Talarico in US Senate race: 'Character matters more'

By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter Friday, October 23, 2026

Barbara Bush and Neil Bush, the daughter and brother of former President George W. Bush respectively, are supporting Democratic Texas state Rep. James Talarico in the U.S. Senate race, prompting criticism from some Republicans who suggested the Bush political dynasty has been a continual let-down.

Neil Bush, 71, publicly announced in an Oct. 20 Facebook post that he had voted early for Talarico, citing "deep concern about Ken Paxton's record and genuine admiration for the character and principles I see in James Talarico."

Bush said he has been "deeply troubled" by the conduct of Paxton, who defeated George P. Bush in the 2022 Texas Republican primary runoff election for state attorney general. He condemned Paxton for filing a major lawsuit in December 2020 that challenged the presidential election results that year in four battleground states, which Bush called "an affront to our democratic institutions and the peaceful transfer of power."

Bush also made note of Paxton's impeachment by the Texas House of Representatives in 2023 over allegations of corruption, bribery, abuse of office and obstruction of justice. He was subsequently acquitted by the Texas Senate.

Bush went on to blame President Donald Trump, who knocked Jeb Bush off as frontrunner in the 2016 GOP primary while frequently criticizing the Bush administration, for allegedly damaging the Republican Party by making personal loyalty to himself more important than "loyalty to principle."

Bush said he has been "enormously impressed" by Talarico, claiming the candidate "speaks with respect, seeks common ground, and seems genuinely interested in bringing people together rather than driving them apart."

"His faith appears to be a deeply rooted source of humility, compassion, and conviction rather than a political weapon. I see in him the qualities I admire most in public servants: integrity, civility, humility, and a willingness to listen to those with whom he disagrees," Bush wrote, going on to add that "character matters more than party affiliation."

Barbara Pierce Bush, the 44-year-old daughter of the former president, was found to have donated $2,500 on Sept. 23 to Lone Star Rising PAC, a super PAC supporting Talarico's campaign, according to FEC filings reported by The Texas Gazette.

Andrew Cates, a political attorney and campaign finance expert in Texas, suggested to the outlet that the relatively small donation from Barbara, who lives in New York City, appeared to be intentionally public and symbolic.

"I would imagine that somebody in such a prominent political family, if she wanted to ensure that her contribution was anonymous or not visible, that any number of lawyers that they probably have at their disposal could have told her how," Cates said. "She didn't give it to a [501] (c)(4), in which her contribution would have been completely anonymous. She gave it to a PAC that reports all the money in and out."

George W. Bush has generally refrained from wading into current political battles, though he appeared at a fundraiser for other Republican congressional candidates in battleground races last month. He has not publicly supported Paxton or commented on the Texas Senate race.

Support for Talarico from members of the Bush family prompted backlash from some Republicans.

"The Bush family is always a disappointment," Katie Miller, wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, said in an X post.

"Another Bush for Talarico," said Fox News host Laura Ingraham. "No one should be surprised."

In an apparent reference to Neil Bush's international consulting business, LehmanBush, Newsmax anchor Rob Schmitt criticized him personally, saying he "has spent his life using his last name to get rich selling our nation out to China" and that "nobody is surprised he would vote Talarico."

Cathie Adams of the conservative Eagle Forum called the Bush family's support for Talarico "sickening," describing him to American Family News as "the most radical leftist that's ever been on a ballot" in Texas. She added that the Bushes have not been heavily involved in Texas politics recently and doubted their actions would sway many other Republicans.

During a Wednesday episode of his "Clubland Q&A" podcast, Canadian-born conservative commentator Mark Steyn said he couldn't readily explain the apparent politics of the Bush family, but noted it shows "very few people are really conservative." He remembered several Republican figures he knew who "butched up" after 9/11, only to drift to the political left over the decades.

"The Republicans have fought an ineffectual campaign," Steyn said, dismissing Trump's moniker of "Talafreako" and suggesting the GOP is led by incompetent consultants who have lost sight of the domestic concerns that are most important to everyday Americans.

"They're talking about how [Talarico] believes God is nonbinary. Is God being nonbinary a reason to go to the polls and vote for a Republican? In whatever state it is where Abdul El-Sayed is running, they're demanding he disavow the Muslim Brotherhood," he said.

"Diesel is six-and-a-half bucks per gallon. No American cares about the Muslim Brotherhood," he continued, adding that concern over Islam and transgenderism is not sufficient to motivate the average voter amid the skyrocketing cost of living.