Don Henley Is Spending Big to Help Democrats Win in Texas

Don Henley has decided that if Texas is going to turn blue, he’s willing to help foot the bill. The Eagles co-founder has emerged as a major Democratic donor in his home state, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into statewide races while also giving substantial money to support James Talarico’s bid for US Senate.

According to an analysis by the Houston Chronicle, Henley contributed roughly $300,000 to Texas campaigns during the first half of 2026 alone. That included six-figure support for Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Vikki Goodwin, $50,000 for agriculture commissioner candidate Clayton Tucker, and $25,000 for Jon Rosenthal, who is running for the Texas Railroad Commission. Updated campaign-finance records now put Henley’s contributions to Goodwin at $165,500, making him her largest individual donor.

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Rosenthal, for his part, seems pretty thrilled to have the guy who wrote “Dirty Laundry” in his corner. “Imagine how excited I was to get a contribution from a literal rock ‘n’ roll legend like Don Henley,” he told the Chronicle. “This election cycle presents a unique and historic opportunity to work for positive change, and I hope Mr. Henley agrees.”

Henley has gone even bigger at the federal level, contributing nearly $2 million to Democratic campaigns and political groups around the country. Among those donations is $250,000 to Lone Star Rising, the super PAC supporting Talarico against Republican Ken Paxton in what has become an enormously expensive Texas Senate race. The group has spent millions boosting Talarico, while Paxton and his allies have dramatically outspent the Democrat and his supporters on advertising.

The Texas-born artist has generally kept his electoral politics out of interviews, though he previously backed Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. Political spending also fits into a much longer history of activism for the musician, particularly around environmental conservation. He founded the Walden Woods Project and co-founded the Caddo Lake Institute, which works to protect the East Texas lake that later lent its name to his 2015 solo album, Cass County.

Henley, meanwhile, remains active with the Eagles, who have continued returning to Sphere in Las Vegas for their “The Long Goodbye” residency that now spans 72 shows through January 23rd, 2027. Look for deals and sold-out tickets to the Eagles in Las Vegas via Vivid Seats, where fans can save $20 off their first order of $200 or more by using promo code COS20 at checkout.