Dallas Cowboys legend Randy White has endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate and warned that Democrat James Talarico cannot be trusted to stick to principle.
Pro Football Hall of Famer and Super Bowl MVP Randy White is throwing his support behind Republican Ken Paxton in Texas’s U.S. Senate race, citing personal trust, shared work protecting kids, and a clear contrast with Democratic candidate James Talarico.
In an exclusive interview with OutKick, the longtime Cowboys defensive tackle said he knows Paxton will do what he says and stand firm, while Talarico’s record and comments leave him unconvinced.
OutKick reported that White’s endorsement grew from a personal relationship with the attorney general and joint efforts on children’s safety and the opioid crisis.
White described Paxton as someone who gets results without chasing popularity.
Randy White said:
"Ken Paxton will get in there and get things done. He’s not afraid,"
He added:
"That’s one thing I really like about Ken. He will get in there and say what needs to be said. He doesn’t hold back. He tells the truth. He’s not trying to win a popularity contest when he’s working. It’s what’s right for the people."
White said he came to know Paxton as a person and respects how he operates.
Randy White said:
"I got to know Ken as a person, and I think he is a super person,"
And:
"I like his attitude, the things that he does, the way he does them."
That trust rests on concrete shared priorities. White serves as a Hall of Fame ambassador for the National Child Identification Program, which gives parents kits to keep children’s fingerprints, DNA, and other identifying information at home. Paxton previously joined a coalition backing federal funding for the program.
White also pointed to Paxton’s work on opioids after a personal loss.
Randy White said:
"He is a big supporter of the Child ID program, which is something I’m a big supporter of, helping kids,"
He continued:
"This opioid stuff, I lost a son-in-law to opioids, accidental,"
And:
"He’s been right on top of that ever since that happened. Everything he does is kind of the way I think it should be done."
In 2024, the Texas attorney general’s office released a public service announcement featuring White, Paxton, and Texas parents who lost children to fentanyl-laced drugs.
White summed up his confidence this way:
"I know Ken Paxton,"
He said:
"I know he’s going to do what he says he’s going to do. I know he’s going to go to work every day, and he’s going to help the people of Texas. This other guy, I don’t know him. But I hear what he says, and it’s different from what I believe."
White drew a sharp line on Talarico. Asked whether he considered the Democrat “too woke,” White answered directly: “Yes.”
Randy White said:
"I don’t want to go into each specific thing, but, yeah, he’s different than what I think is right,"
He warned about the stakes for Texas:
"If this guy gets elected in Texas, I’m going to pull my hair out, and I don’t have many left. So, we’ve got to get out and vote so this doesn’t happen."
White zeroed in on trust after Talarico’s shifting comments on transgender athletes in girls’ sports. While serving in the Texas House, Talarico voted against Republican-backed restrictions on transgender athletes. In September he told Fox News he would “oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness.” He later said his position had not changed, arguing against a blanket statewide ban and favoring local education and sports officials deciding athlete-by-athlete and sport-by-sport.
White saw that approach as a red flag.
Randy White said:
"I think that’s a sign that we can’t trust him,"
He added:
"He’s going to go with the way the wind flows, whatever he feels like is the best thing for him and what his goals are. We don’t need somebody like that."
And:
"We need somebody like Ken Paxton who is going to stick to his guns, who is not afraid to stand up for what he believes is right."
Talarico’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Paxton locked down the Republican nomination in May by defeating longtime Sen. John Cornyn in a primary runoff. President Donald Trump endorsed Paxton shortly before that runoff.
White made his own view of Trump plain.
Randy White said:
"I love President Trump. I’m behind him 1,000%,"
He backed Trump’s broader approach even amid higher gas prices, saying the president is “saving the world” and will bring prices back down as part of restoring safety and order. White also supported Trump’s handling of the conflict with Iran, saying “We had to do it” and that adversaries “are never going to stop.”
The general election has turned more competitive than many expected. A Fox News Poll conducted Sept. 24-28 found Talarico leading Paxton 51%-49% among likely voters, inside the poll’s three-point margin of sampling error. Several other recent public polls have also shown Talarico narrowly ahead.
White’s message is straightforward: Texans need a senator who keeps his word and does not bend with political winds. Paxton, in his view, fits that bill. Talarico does not.
Voters who want clarity over convenience now have a Hall of Famer drawing the contrast in plain language, and reminding them that elections still decide who stands firm.
