Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico said Wednesday that his campaign had hauled in $27 million during the first quarter of 2026 as he seeks to flip the seat blue.
Talarico said the total marks a record for money raised by a Senate candidate in the first quarter of an election year. The leftist Democrat is set to face the winner of the GOP primary runoff between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
&#8220;Grassroots contributors from almost every county in Texas are sending Washington, D.C. a clear message: they&#8217;re tired of this broken, corrupt political system and they&#8217;re ready to take back Texas for working people,&#8221; Talarico said. &#8220;We&#8217;re bringing Democrats, Republicans, and Independents together to end billionaire control over our politics and bring down costs for families across our state.&#8221;
Talarico&#8217;s campaign said that 97% of contributions were $100 or less, adding that many of the donations came from teachers.
&#8220;Winning in Texas will require unprecedented resources. The grassroots fundraising haul puts our movement in a strong position to spread our message in some of the most expensive media markets in the country,&#8221; said Talarico campaign manager Seth Krasne.
Large fundraising totals have not always translated into victories for Democrats in high-profile Senate races.
In 2018, Beto O&#8217;Rourke raised $38 million during the third quarter of his challenge to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) but ultimately lost by about 2.6 percentage points.
In 2020, Democrat Jaime Harrison raised $57 million in the third quarter for his bid against Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the highest quarterly total in Senate history, but lost by more than 10 percentage points.
Talarico, a state representative, has a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-james-talarico-says-he-loves-trans-children-in-unearthed-clip">reputation</a> for backing leftist policies on several social issues. During his time in the legislature, he has <a href="https://journals.house.texas.gov/HJRNL/88R/PDF/88RDAY63FINAL.PDF">opposed</a> legislation that restricted transgender medical procedures for minors, including a 2023 law addressing surgeries and cross-sex hormone procedures.
In April 2019, he also spoke out against a bill that would expand the definition of child abuse to include parents who do not affirm their child&#8217;s so-called gender identity.

Texas Senate Candidate James Talarico Holds Campaign Rally In Houston On Eve Of Primary Election

Senate Candidate Reports Massive Fundraising Haul In Bid To Flip Seat Blue

2026 Midterms

John Cornyn

Ken Paxton

Senate

Texas

Supporters of Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-TX) were divided by the news of Attorney General Pam Bondi&#8217;s ouster over whether Paxton should be considered for the national job or should remain in the fight to replace John Cornyn.
Paxton is currently in a heated Republican runoff with incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, with President Donald Trump yet to issue an endorsement ahead of the May 26 contest. If Paxton were to be tapped for a national position and drop out of the race, it would effectively clear the field for Cornyn and set the general election matchup against Democrat James Talarico.
The Daily Wire could not confirm whether Paxton is actually being considered. Other names circulating in Republican circles include EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, DOJ Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, and Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO).
Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet also floated Paxton&#8217;s name, alongside others like Zeldin, Dhillon, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought.
Kolvet said the next individual has &#8220;to be ruthless and smart and impossible to distract or slow down.&#8221; The spokesman for the conservative group said that he&#8217;s been told that former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who was Trump&#8217;s withdrawn pick for the role last year, is not &#8220;pursuing&#8221; the job.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
With Bondi departing, I have a few people in mind to be the next AG, who&#8217;s your pick?
• Harmeet Dhillon 
• Lee Zeldin 
• Ken Paxton 
• Jeanine Pirro 
• Ron DeSantis 
• Russ Vought (but he&#8217;s great at OMB)
Has to be ruthless and smart and impossible to distract or slow down.…
— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewKolvet/status/2039774655524004294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
Online speculation intensified following posts from conservative commentators and political observers, many of whom <a href="https://x.com/RedEaglePatriot/status/2039776422366003312?s=20">argued</a> Paxton would have a greater impact as attorney general than as a U.S. senator.
“Bondi is OUT,” conservative influencer <a href="https://x.com/RedEaglePatriot/status/2039776422366003312?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Red Eagle Politics”</a> posted to X on Thursday. “Ken Paxton should be our next AG. He can make a massive impact in that role, whereas in the Senate he would just be one vote out of 100.&#8221;
The prediction market <a href="https://kalshi.com/markets/kxnextag/next-ag/kxnextag-29" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kalshi</a> gives Paxton roughly a 4% chance of becoming Trump’s nominee, compared to 57% for Zeldin and 31% for interim Attorney General Todd Blanche.
One X post from Daily Wire reporter Mary Margaret Olohan listed several names being discussed:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
People close to the White House are throwing around a lot of names for the next attorney general. Here’s a few of the names I’ve had mentioned to me today:
&#8211; Mike Lee 
&#8211; Harmeet Dhillon 
&#8211; Ashley Moody 
&#8211; Lee Zeldin 
&#8211; Eric Schmitt
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2039786402221584593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
Others pointed out that the brutal nature of the primary, which has highlighted Paxton&#8217;s past personal and professional controversies, could complicate the potential confirmation process.
“I think there’s a non-zero chance Trump tries to replace Pam Bondi with Texas’s Ken Paxton and rams the vote through an otherwise hesitant Senate by promising that since Cornyn would then become the TX Senate nominee, odds to keep the chamber go up,” Michigan State University policy professor <a href="https://x.com/joshcowenMI/status/2039780397727309982?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josh Cowen</a> wrote on X.
Some conservatives pushed back on the Paxton buzz, <a href="https://x.com/ImFiredUp2/status/2039799088888053842?s=20">saying</a> he should remain in the Senate race to challenge Cornyn.
“Watch for the horse trading to put Ken Paxton up for AG thus making Cornyn the senator from Texas again,” conservative commentator <a href="https://x.com/ImFiredUp2/status/2039799088888053842?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chad Caton</a> wrote. “THIS CANT HAPPEN. We must rid ourselves of the power and influence that John Cornyn wields. Ken Paxton must be the next Senator from Texas.”
Democrats also suggested that Paxton could be the pick to take on the top law enforcement role in the Trump administration.
“Depending on how low he wants to go, I figure he goes with Ken Paxton to replace Bondi. Who is scummier than him? Plus he clears the field in Texas for Cornyn,” Democratic activist <a href="https://x.com/PaulJacobsMedia/status/2039751328604262871?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paul Jacobs</a> posted to X.
“My prediction: with Pam Bondi out, Ken Paxton is next up. Yes, Texas’ scandal-ridden AG who’s currently tripping his way through a primary runoff against John Cornyn,” former liberal political strategist <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sheajordansmith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shea Jordan Smith</a> wrote on Facebook. “They’d much rather send Cornyn into a general election than take a chance on Paxton, who’s radioactive enough to turn a winnable race into a problem… especially with James Talarico on the other side.”
The Daily Wire reached out to the Paxton campaign for comment. The Cornyn campaign declined to comment.
When asked about Bondi&#8217;s status, the White House pointed to a Truth Social <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2039754354471686643?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> from Trump praising her for doing &#8220;a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in Crime across our country.&#8221;

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Expedited Challenges Over Texas Abortion Ban

Paxton Supporters Push Trump To Make Him AG — Others Say No Way

Attorney General

Pam Bondi

The Texas Senate Republican primary runoff is pressing onward, as President Donald Trump has yet to make an endorsement between Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the May 26 runoff.
When neither Paxton nor Cornyn was able to deliver a decisive victory in the initial vote — triggering the coming runoff — Trump indicated that an endorsement of one candidate was imminent. He did not name the candidate at the time — and has not indicated since who he might endorse or when — but said that when he did deliver his endorsement, he planned to call on the other candidate to drop out of the race.
A GOP operative familiar with the Cornyn campaign said that the campaign has not heard anything regarding where the president stands on an endorsement.
“Senator Cornyn over-performed all expectations by winning the March 3 primary after Ken Paxton spent two weeks predicting he would win without a runoff,” Cornyn campaign senior advisor Matt Mackowiak said in a statement, adding that Cornyn has “voted with President Trump 99.3% of the time and is one of his most effective allies in the Senate.”
“Democrats nominated their strongest candidate for U.S. Senate. Texas Republicans must nominate John Cornyn who is our strongest nominee by far to gain five new Congressional seats and advance Trump’s legislative agenda in the final two years of his second term,” Mackowiak added.
The Daily Wire reached out to the Paxton campaign for comment. Paxton is backed by Turning Point Action, and Cornyn is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
“The runoff electorate is gonna naturally favor Paxton, because these are conservatives, these are people that are enthusiastic to turn out and support a strong attorney general and President Trump,” a Republican consultant told The Daily Wire on background in order to speak freely about the race.
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-cornyn-paxton-endorsement-texas-senate-race-rcna263483" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a> reported on March 14 that the president would make a decision “over the next week or so,” but no announcement had been made even after two weeks had passed.
“I like both candidates very much,” he told the outlet, stressing that “a lot has to do with the SAVE America Act.”
“A lot is going to determine — Republicans have to get that passed, because that will secure voting in this country,” he added.
Paxton made waves after posting to X on March 5 that he would consider dropping out of the competitive runoff election if the Senate was able to pass the SAVE America Act.
“I would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act,” <a href="https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2029607496395239546?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paxton</a> wrote.
The Republican later criticized Cornyn for his <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/opinion/sen-cornyn-why-the-save-act-matters-more-than-the-filibuster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a> op-ed, saying he would back potential changes to Senate rules in order to pass the voter identification legislation, calling it a “historic” pivot.
Cornyn wrote in the op-ed that he had previously backed the “60-vote threshold to protect the country,” but said that “when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt.”
Prior to the SAVE America Act push, Paxton had previously said he would remain in the race even if the president gave Cornyn his blessing.
“Well, that’s bad for him to say,” Trump told <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/05/trump-paxton-texas-senate-primary-00814209" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a> on March 5. “That is bad for him. So maybe, maybe that leads me to go the other direction.”
Whoever wins the May 26 runoff will face off against Democrat James Talarico, at whom who the president had taken direct aim despite not weighing in on the Republican race. In a March 22 <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116273343074887409" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Truth Social post</a>, the president called Talarico a “weak, ineffective guy.”
The president added that “this guy is worse” than his primary opponent, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX).
“It does not matter because they’re both solid candidates,” an individual familiar with Republicans thinking on the race said on background, saying that recent coverage of the Democrat has been hurting his campaign.
“At this point, it’s more likely that Talarico drags Dems down at the bottom of the ticket.”
The Daily Wire reached out to the Talarico campaign for comment.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Senator John Cornyn.

Trump Holds Cards In Texas Showdown As One Move Could Clear The Field

Congress

James Talarico

The effort to get the SAVE America Act to President Donald Trump’s desk intensified on Wednesday, when Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) released an op-ed highlighting that he would back “whatever changes to Senate rules” were deemed necessary in order to pass the bill.
Cornyn’s op-ed comes as he and Attorney General Ken Paxton are battling for Trump&#8217;s endorsement in the heated Texas Republican Senate primary that is already headed to a May 26 runoff election.
The president has said that the SAVE America Act is his top legislative priority, even vowing not to sign any other legislation until he sees it on his desk, and some Republicans have suggested using the “talking filibuster” — or ending the filibuster altogether — in order to get around Democratic obstruction. The measure would require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and voter ID at the ballot box.
“For many years, I believed that if the U.S. Senate scrapped the filibuster, Texas and our nation would stand to lose more than we would gain,” Cornyn wrote in his op-ed for the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/opinion/sen-cornyn-why-the-save-act-matters-more-than-the-filibuster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>.
“My fellow conservatives and I have proudly used the 60-vote threshold to protect the country from all sorts of bad ideas and dangerous policies,” he added, saying that “when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt.”
“Today, Democrats are weaponizing the Senate’s rules to block the SAVE America Act, defund the Department of Homeland Security and hurt the American people — all to spite President Donald Trump. But they say openly that if these same rules ever get in Democrats’ way, they won’t hesitate to rip them up,” he said, noting how many Democrats have sought to get rid of the filibuster in the past.
Critics of using a “talking filibuster” — or ending the practice altogether — have warned that it could open the floodgates to certain legislative proposals that the Democrats, and perhaps a small number of Republicans, could pass.
“A lot of that is, it&#8217;s in that kind of, you know, paid influencer ecosystem,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told <a href="https://x.com/brennanleach/status/2031083867503743376?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a> on Monday.
“What people don’t realize, I think, is that’s unlimited debate but it’s also unlimited amendments,” Thune has previously warned, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5777802-talking-filibuster-gop-debate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a>.
Attorney General Ken Paxton used Cornyn&#8217;s op-ed as an opportunity to attack the incumbent senator, reminding everyone that he had posted on X one week prior that he “would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act.”
“John Cornyn did exactly what I predicted. In one week, I&#8217;ve made him more conservative than in the past 24 years,” Paxton posted Wednesday. “The historic flip-flop&#8217;s great and all, but why aren&#8217;t you calling out your buddies like McConnell opposing the bill? Tell the American people who&#8217;s opposing this.&#8221;
The Republican primary has taken a strikingly personal tone as the runoff approaches, with the Cornyn campaign releasing a commercial on Friday regarding Paxton’s personal scandals and accusing the sitting attorney general of breaking several of the Ten Commandments.
Democrats have begun coalescing around state Sen. James Talarico, who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the primary last week — but according to the Cook Political Report, the general election race still skews “Likely Republican.”

Sen. John Cornyn

The Fight Over Proof Of Citizenship To Vote Reaches Boiling Point

2026 midterm

election integrity

President Donald Trump signaled this week that he will soon issue an endorsement in the high-stakes Texas Republican Senate primary runoff, a move that could dramatically reshape the race between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he plans to announce his endorsement soon and urged the candidate who does not receive it to step aside to unify the party ahead of the general election. 
“I will be making my Endorsement soon,” Trump wrote. He added that the candidate he does not back should “DROP OUT OF THE RACE” so Republicans can “TOTALLY FOCUS” on defeating the Democratic nominee.
<iframe class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116172264831357045/embed" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://truthsocial.com/embed.js" async="async"></script>
The statement comes as the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/texas-senate-results">Texas primary</a> heads toward what is expected to be a bruising runoff. Cornyn finished the initial round of voting ahead of Paxton, leading by roughly 25,000 votes with more than 95 percent of ballots counted. However, neither candidate secured the majority required to avoid a second round, setting up a competitive 12-week showdown.
Behind the scenes, several Senate Republicans and major donors are urging Trump to move quickly, and many are lobbying for Cornyn.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/03/05/congress/gop-trump-texas-endorsement-cornyn-paxton-00813727">told</a> reporters he hopes the endorsement comes soon, saying he personally made the case to the president. Other Republicans have echoed that message, warning that a drawn-out primary battle could weaken the eventual nominee and provide Democrats with an opening in November.
Some party operatives fear the fight could burn through more than $100 million in Republican donor money. Democrats have already consolidated behind their nominee, state Rep. James Talarico, who secured his party&#8217;s nomination outright.  
Several GOP senators have argued that Cornyn would be the stronger general election candidate.
Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) told POLITICO that Cornyn is “without a doubt the candidate to win in November,” while also acknowledging the political weight of a Trump endorsement in Republican primaries.
Similarly, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) argued the party should rally behind Cornyn to protect the seat. “We need to hold that seat which means we need to nominate someone who is going to win in November,” Barrasso said.
Despite the mounting pressure, Paxton has signaled he has no intention of leaving the race regardless of Trump&#8217;s decision.
In an <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RealAmericasVoice/videos/paxton-im-staying-in-this-raceno-im-staying-in-this-race-i-owe-it-to-the-people-/913491044731688/">interview</a> on Wednesday, Paxton argued that Cornyn has failed to represent the state’s conservative base. “I owe it to the people of Texas,” Paxton said. “I’ve spent a year campaigning against John Cornyn because John has not represented the people of Texas well.”
Paxton doubled down on that stance in a post on <a href="https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2029607496395239546?s=20">X</a> Thursday, tying his candidacy to Trump’s legislative agenda and the proposed SAVE America Act. He said he would consider stepping aside only if Senate leadership agreed to eliminate the filibuster and pass the legislation, while accusing Cornyn of refusing to support abolishing the filibuster to advance it. 
Paxton further defended his loyalty to the president, citing his support for Trump’s efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 United States presidential election and his presence at Mar-a-Lago during Trump’s 2024 campaign launch.
While Trump has not yet publicly revealed whom he will support, many Republicans in Washington believe momentum is shifting toward Cornyn following his stronger-than-expected showing in the first round of voting.
Still, the final decision could determine whether the Texas GOP faces a prolonged and expensive intra-party battle or quickly coalesces around a nominee ahead of the general election.

Untitled design (13)

Trump Signals Imminent Endorsement In Texas GOP Senate Runoff

Donald Trump

Elections

Politics

U.S. Senate

The national narrative about the result of last night&#8217;s Texas Senate Democratic primary is that the party dodged a bullet. Picking Austin state representative James Talarico over Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett was the savvy move, ensuring a competitive statewide race that will, at worst, be a drag on Republican dollars in the upcoming midterms, and at best could finally fulfill leftist dreams of turning the state blue.
It&#8217;s possible this national narrative is right, and Talarico will make it a race against embattled incumbent Senator John Cornyn or, Democrats hope, controversial Attorney General Ken Paxton. There&#8217;s plenty of investment by the donor class and the party establishment in this effort. The dutiful legacy media complex, from Stephen Colbert to <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/03/02/james-talarico-profile" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New Yorker</a>, is already building up Talarico as that rare thing, a Christian of the Left who can win over centrist voters. They are already giving him the serious &#8220;young man looking into the middle distance thinking about noble stuff&#8221; profile already done to death for fellow Ivy League grads Beto O&#8217;Rourke and Pete Buttigieg (to no avail). Expect more of the same in the months ahead.
Despite Kamala Harris&#8217;s endorsement, Crockett faced a deluge of Democratic donor opposition for her Senate effort, as billionaire lefties went all out for Talarico — and paid for all the dirty political attacks he claims to demur from. As the Washington Free Beacon <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/mess-in-texas-billionaire-backed-talarico-shrugs-off-racism-scandal-to-steal-senate-nod-from-jasmine-crockett/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>:
<blockquote>Meanwhile, a billionaire-funded super PAC linked to Talarico—who repeatedly assailed the influence of billionaire-funded super PACs—relentlessly attacked Crockett on the airwaves. The Lone Star Rising PAC, started by a longtime friend of Talarico just days before the candidate launched his Senate campaign, spent millions on negative ads against Crockett over the past few weeks. LinkedIn founder and Jeffrey Epstein pal Reid Hoffman was among the billionaires who bankrolled the super PAC, along with hedge fund titans Stephen Mandel and Mark Heising. The group also received millions via the same &#8220;dark money&#8221; networks Talarico had promised to ban via ‘anti-corruption’ legislation.</blockquote>
The irony here is that while Democrats might have wanted Talarico because he could make Texas competitive, they ended up picking a guy who — for all his invocations of Scripture — is actually further left than Crockett. Her record isn&#8217;t moderate, but it&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/upshot/crockett-talarico-texas-senate-election.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more moderate</a> than you&#8217;d think given her fiery social media persona. And her appeal was to a broad ethnically diverse camp that tends to grade as more moderate, while Talarico actually performed best in multiple polls with liberals. There&#8217;s a reason that white voters in Austin were his greatest center of support, and it&#8217;s not because he name-checks the Magnificat while making the case for abortion.
Texas Democrats may ultimately regret this decision. Crockett would&#8217;ve had a tougher path to victory, but she could&#8217;ve made inroads into the communities that Democrats need to peel back from Donald Trump&#8217;s coalition. With Talarico, it looks like Beto all over again — a guy who&#8217;s further left than the media will ever acknowledge trying to fake out moderate voters just until Election Day. In case you missed it, this was their favored approach just last year to win statewide in Virginia and New Jersey with two new governors who even got described as moderates by the Wall Street Journal, and instantly revealed they were nothing of the kind.
So watch out, Texas. You&#8217;re about to get the nice young man junior Bible camp version of Abigail Spanberger. Don&#8217;t fall for it.

Texas State Representative Talarico Campaigns Ahead Of Primary Election

Will James Talarico Flip Texas Blue? Don’t Be So Sure.

Jasmine Crockett

President Donald Trump says he will make an endorsement in the Texas Senate Republican primary soon, and when he does so, he wants the other candidate to drop out so that Republicans in the Lone Star State can focus on gearing up for a potentially expensive and closely watched general election fight with Democratic nominee James Talarico.
The president explained his strategy after Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton both advanced to a runoff election on Tuesday night after an already brutal primary race. Trump had initially opted not to endorse any specific candidate in the three-way race that also included Rep. Wesley Hunt, who failed to earn enough votes to move forward.
“The Republican Primary Race for the United States Senate in the Great State of Texas, a State I LOVE and won 3 times in Record Numbers (the HIGHEST vote ever recorded, by far!!!), cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer. IT MUST STOP NOW!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday afternoon, saying that the party needs to “TOTALLY FOCUS” on beating Talarico, who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX).
“Both John and Ken ran great races, but not good enough. Now, this one, must be PERFECT! My Endorsements within the Republican Party have been virtually insurmountable!” he said.
“It is such an honor to realize and say that almost everyone I Endorse WINS, and wins by a lot, especially in Texas! I will be making my Endorsement soon, and will be asking the candidate that I don&#8217;t Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE! Is that fair?” the president added, stressing that Republicans “must win” the midterms. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but that margin could shift in either direction, thanks to several competitive races on the table in November.
The attacks between Cornyn and Paxton, which colored much of the primary race, showed no signs of stopping as of Tuesday night.
“I refuse to allow a flawed, self-centered and shameless candidate like Ken Paxton risk everything we&#8217;ve worked so hard to build over these many years,” Cornyn said, according to CSPAN.
Meanwhile, Paxton posted to X on Wednesday morning that he wants to “fire John Cornyn once and for all.”
“Last night, in a historic failure for John Cornyn, he failed to get nearly 60% of the GOP vote after spending $100 million,” he wrote. “It&#8217;s time to finish the job in the runoff.”
The Cook Political Report currently ranks the race as “Likely Republican,” but there has been some concern among Republicans that a lengthy, messy primary — especially one that drags even further through a contentious runoff — could continue to drain resources and boost the Democrat in the general election. Trump won the state of Texas with over 56% of the vote in 2024.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump

Trump Wants To Play Kingmaker In Heated Texas Senate Race

2026 election

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett took the stage at her “TEXAS TOUGH Election Night Watch Party&#8221; in a downtown Dallas nightclub around 9:00 p.m. last night with some less-than-inspiring words for her followers.
“I can tell you now that people have been disenfranchised,” she said, implying that Republicans had deliberately suppressed votes in her home district. &#8220;And I think you know why.”
“I won’t be back tonight, because I have no idea when we’re going to have results.&#8221; Everyone should have a good time in her absence, she added.
But like it was always going to, the dream died in the middle of the night. Before 2:00 a.m. local time, the AP called the race. Crockett, the most entertaining Senate candidate Texas has seen in a generation, lost her Democratic primary to James Talarico, whose supporters in his home area of Austin — where he won something like 800% of the vote — were waving signs reading “Love Thy Neighbor” as he called his victory a “people-powered movement to take on this broken, corrupt political system.”
A liberal Christian vibe, led by a sort of lay preacher, won the day. But those of us who follow politics for a living, as a hobby, or both, want to thank Congresswoman Crockett for her service.
Crockett’s candidacy smothered the headlines like a noontime eclipse, blotting out the sun, even though she entered the race very late, not filing until near the December deadline. After Colin Allred, the blandest former football player on Earth, left the primary, she moved into the opening. Immediately upon her announcement, a poll saw her leading Talarico by eight points. As she said at a Houston nightclub soon after her announcement, &#8220;I&#8217;m Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. Right now, I&#8217;m ready to kick some ass and become your next U.S. Senator.&#8221;
Even though you could barely parse the policy differences between Crockett and Talarico with a micrometer, she played the race card like no one has played it before. She said that Hispanic voters who supported the Trump administration’s immigration policies had a “slave mentality.” Rumors floated around that the GOP wanted her to run because they thought she’d be easier to beat than Talarico, even though Kamala Harris, of whose presidential campaign Crockett was a national co-chair, endorsed her candidacy. After a pro-Talarico group called Lone Star Rising released an ad that mentioned the apparent Republican preference for Crockett, Crockett accused them of darkening her skin in the ad and called the line of attack &#8220;straight-up racist.&#8221;
What dirt did she have on Talarico? Not much. With his over-earnest, Obama-like mannerisms and Richie Cunningham haircut, Talarico is the embodiment of the good-government liberal progressive, the kind of guy the old Daley Machine in Chicago used to call “goo-goos.&#8221; So instead, we got the “mediocre black man” controversy after Talarico, on a podcast, correctly called Allred’s dead Senate campaign “mediocre.” Crockett made good hay out of that one.
When Matt Rogers, co-host of the endlessly annoying “Las Culturistas” podcast with Bowen Yang, said, &#8220;Don&#8217;t waste your money sending to Jasmine Crockett,&#8221; the congresswoman unleashed a massive backlash online, forcing Rogers to apologize. And yet when CBS and the FCC “censored” but didn’t actually censor a Talarico interview with Stephen Colbert, garnering Talarico a massive national surge of publicity, Crockett’s response was muted, even soft. She knew the bird was cooked. But despite a massive fundraising disadvantage, a massive publicity disadvantage, and the fact that everyone, everywhere mocked everything about her, she actually did pretty well for a while. Not well enough, but almost.
So, what do we now face in Texas? Corruption-plagued Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, despite having more baggage than a family traveling back to India to visit relatives for six weeks, looked destined to upend the career of geriatric four-term Senator John Cornyn. But though Paxton and Cornyn are heading for a runoff in the Republican primary, Cornyn appears to have the edge, as he slightly overperformed polls on Tuesday, while Paxton and third-party candidate Wesley Hunt underperformed. It’s close, but Cornyn’s coalition of golf-shirt-wearing steakhouse people appears likely to triumph over whatever MAGA-style rebellion Paxton thinks he’s leading.
So here’s the most likely scenario: Talarico takes in countless millions of dollars from out-of-state Democrats, who once again believe they’re going to “turn Texas blue.” He’ll hold huge rallies full of enthusiastic, mostly white people who’ll cry while chanting his name. There will be a Willie Nelson concert and at least one appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. And then, on Election Day, he’ll lose by a respectable four to six points, once again bursting the bubble illusion that goo-goos can win in Texas, which hasn’t elected a Democratic Senator since Lloyd Bentsen.
Though the primary runoff between Cornyn and Paxton will be spicy, it’s going to be an earnestly dull general campaign. It didn’t have to be this way. Texas Democrats could have voted for Jasmine Crockett. As Whitney Houston once sang, didn’t we almost have it all?
***
Neal Pollack is the author of 12 semi-bestselling books of fiction and nonfiction and is a three-time Jeopardy! champion.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Congresswoman Crockett Holds Primary Election Night Event

Victory For The Goo-Goos? Inside Texas’s Wild Primary Night.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn will advance to the May 26 runoff election in the Texas Senate Republican primary, results indicated as of Tuesday night.
DecisionDesk projected the runoff at around 10:25 p.m. ET, with Cornyn at about 43.2% to Paxton&#8217;s 40.3%.
Rep. Wesley Hunt, who was also campaigning for the seat, was in a distant third place as of Tuesday night. In the Lone Star State, a candidate needs to crack 50% of the vote in order to avoid a runoff election.
None of the candidates was able to snag an endorsement from President Donald Trump that was unique to them, but the president did note that he backed “all three.”
“I just haven’t made a decision on that race yet. It’s got a ways to go, and I haven’t. [Cornyn’s] a good man. John is a good — I like all three of them, actually,” the president said in mid-February. “They’ve all supported me. They’re all good and you’re supposed to pick one. So, we’ll see what happens. But I support all three.”
It’s unclear if the president will endorse a candidate for the runoff election.
All three candidates were in attendance at an energy-focused event led by the president in Corpus Christi, Texas, last Friday. However, the election was overshadowed this weekend by a shooting at an Austin bar where two people were killed and over a dozen were injured – as the alleged shooter wore a &#8220;Property of Allah&#8221; hoodie and apparel with the Iranian flag on it.
The candidates engaged in a brutal and, at many times, personal fight for the nomination. Accusations flew about Cornyn’s political record, Paxton’s personal history, and Hunt’s attendance in Congress – all while trying to make the case that they would be the best individuals to carry out Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his second term.
Whoever advances to the general election will face off against either Rep. Jasmine Crockett or state Sen. James Talarico in November, depending on the final outcome of the Democratic primary.
Sen. Ted Cruz has remained neutral in the primary race, but his own electoral history could provide a window in the 2026 contest. Cruz defeated former Rep. Colin Allred in 2024 with 53% of the vote, and the Republican also beat former Rep. Beto O’Rourke in 2018.
The Cook Political Report ranks the general election race as “Likely Republican” as of Tuesday night, as the Kalshi prediction market has the odds of Republicans winning the general election at 60%.

Texas GOP Battle Between Cornyn And Paxton Will Head To Runoff

Wesley Hunt

Texas&#8217;s long-awaited Senate primary is Tuesday, and election watchers aren&#8217;t the only ones eagerly awaiting the results.
Kalshi users have wagered over $10 million on tonight&#8217;s primary as of this writing, the latest sign of the prediction market&#8217;s growing place in politics. Republicans have a 64% chance of winning the general election, while Democrats have just 36%, the current odds show.
As for the primaries, Attorney General Ken Paxton has an 83% chance to win the Republican nomination, with incumbent Sen. John Cornyn at 17% and Rep. Wesley Hunt at 1%. If none of the three candidates gets over 50% of the vote on Tuesday night, then the top two candidates will head to a runoff on May 26. President Donald Trump previously said he backs all three of the candidates, and did not make a specific endorsement ahead of the initial Tuesday primary.
For the Democrats, Kalshi has state Senator James Talarico’s odds at 85% for winning the nomination compared with 15% for firebrand Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.
“Texas remains a critical part of President Trump’s Senate Majority,” National Republican Senatorial Committee Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez said in a statement on Tuesday morning. The NRSC is backing Cornyn. “It doesn&#8217;t matter which radical Democrat makes it out of their messy primary tonight: James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett are both too radical for Texas and must be defeated in November,” she added.
There’s a 74% chance that Talarico and Paxton face off in the general election, but just a 13% chance the ultimate matchup is Talarico vs. Cornyn. The odds of a Crockett-Paxton matchup sit at just 12%, with other possibilities being even lower.
The Associated Press is providing election results data to Kalshi for Tuesday&#8217;s primary, a collaboration that &#8220;will further Kalshi’s goal of being the premier destination to experience elections,&#8221; Jaron Zhou, Kalshi’s Head of Politics, said in a statement on Monday.
“Kalshi’s election forecasts help campaigns and everyday citizens track market expectations for election outcomes, and integrating AP’s live vote count data enhances Kalshi’s election night experience by bringing together real-time vote tallies and market activity,” Zhou added.
Polls close at 8:00 p.m. ET in the Lone Star State. On the campaign trail, the candidates are making their final pitch to voters, including Crockett, who’s visiting multiple polling places throughout the day.
“If you haven’t voted yet, today is the day for you! I’m at the top of your ballot and asking for your support to continue our fight for affordability and accountability!” Crockett posted to X on Tuesday morning. “I’m on the move all day because this fight is bigger than one stop, one speech, or one person. I’d love to see you pull up and meet me and my friends at the polls!”
Trump won Texas handily in 2024, but the midterms are a critical tipping point for the president, as Republicans seek to maintain or grow the 53-seat majority in the Senate and the 218-seat majority in the House.

texas_senate_montage

Here’s How People Are Betting On Tonight’s Heated Texas Senate Primaries

Tragic new details emerge about Monday’s deadly shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink, the United States and Iran report progress in their nuclear talks in Geneva, and a critical Republican Senate primary in Texas gains nationwide attention.
It’s Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trans Hockey Shooting</h2>
Tragic new details have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transgender-identifying-man-opens-fire-at-rhode-island-hockey-game-killing-two">emerged</a> following Monday’s deadly shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink. 
Friends and family had gathered for a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Shortly after the game started, a lone gunman who identified as transgender descended from the back row of the bleachers and opened fire, killing his ex-wife and his son, and injuring at least three others, including his father and mother-in-law — all three victims are in critical condition. A livestream from the game captured the shooting and showed the players drop their sticks as they realized what was unfolding, as panicked spectators also attempted to flee. Rather than running for safety, one heroic bystander instead rushed the shooter. The video shows him jumping on top of the gunman and bringing an end to the carnage. Police later praised that man, saying his actions “led to a swift end to this tragic event.” During the ensuing scuffle, the gunman ultimately took his own life. 
Hours later, one of the gunman’s daughters spoke briefly with reporters and <a href="https://x.com/WCVB/status/2023544634216005773?s=20">said</a> her father had “mental health issues.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Iran Talks</h2>
The United States and Iran held nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday, and both sides are reporting progress. 
Behnam Ben Taleblu, the senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joined Morning Wire to analyze the discussions. The American side has been “tight-lipped,” but Tehran has not hesitated to talk to the media after every round of negotiations. According to Taleblu, the Iranians have two main goals with their strategy: dilute Trump’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-military-preparing-for-potentially-weeks-long-iran-operations">resolve</a> to strike Iran, and dilute the protesters&#8217; resolve to continue to resist the regime internally. 
Meanwhile, the regime continues to crack down on internal dissent.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump’s Nonendorsement-Endorsement In Texas</h2>
The 2026 midterms are starting to heat up, with a critical Republican Senate primary in Texas getting nationwide attention. 
President Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-backs-all-three-republicans-in-texas-senate-primary-as-early-voting-begins">said</a> he backs all three of the Republican candidates in the heated race as early voting kicked off on Tuesday. On Air Force One on Monday night, the president <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t1QLBb9FKo">declined</a> to support any one above the others. 
Attorney General Ken Paxton is backed by Turning Point Action, while incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The race also includes Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX).

Dennis M. Lynch Arena

Morning Brief: Trans Gunman Kills Family, Iran Stalls For Time, & Trump Stays Neutral In Texas

Iran

Morning Wire

Rhode Island

United States

As early voting begins Tuesday in Texas&#8217;s heated Republican Senate primary, President Donald Trump said he supports all three GOP candidates in the race, declining to pick a favorite.
On Air Force One on Monday night, Trump was asked whether he would back Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the three-way race that also includes Rep. Wesley Hunt.
“I just haven&#8217;t made a decision on that race yet. It’s got a ways to go, and I haven&#8217;t. [Cornyn’s] a good man. John is a good — I like all three of them, actually,” he said. “They&#8217;ve all supported me. They&#8217;re all good and you&#8217;re supposed to pick one. So, we&#8217;ll see what happens. But I support all three.&#8221;
The Republican nominee, to be decided in the March 3 primary, will face either Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) or state Sen. James Talarico in the general election. If no candidate tops 50% of the vote, the race heads to a May 26 runoff between the top two finishers.
All three campaigns welcomed Trump&#8217;s remarks.
Cornyn&#8217;s campaign touted his loyalty to Trump, noting he has voted with the president &#8220;99.3% of the time while in office&#8221; and arguing that he would keep Texas safely in Republican hands. Senior adviser Matt Mackowiak told The Daily Wire that nominating Paxton would require massive spending and hurt Republicans down-ballot.
A Paxton spokesperson did not respond in time for publication, though the attorney general has frequently emphasized his support for Trump. He was recently endorsed by Turning Point Action, while Cornyn is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. On Tuesday, Paxton urged voters to &#8220;fire John Cornyn&#8221; as early voting began.
Hunt, meanwhile, said Trump&#8217;s endorsement &#8220;isn&#8217;t given, it&#8217;s earned,&#8221; arguing his campaign &#8220;has the momentum&#8221; and is &#8220;surging in the polls&#8221; ahead of March 3.
This is not the first time Trump has endorsed multiple candidates in a primary. Last April, he backed both Karrin Taylor Robson and Rep. Andy Biggs in Arizona&#8217;s gubernatorial primary, though Robson later dropped out. In 2022, he simply endorsed “ERIC” in Missouri&#8217;s Senate primary between Eric Schmitt and Eric Greitens, with Schmitt ultimately winning the seat.
The Cook Political Report ranks the Texas race as “Likely Republican.” Republicans are in a tight battle to maintain a 53-47 Senate majority, with four races listed as “toss-ups.”
Trump has also weighed in on other key GOP primaries, recently backing Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) in her bid to unseat incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), as well as backing former Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) over former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown in a competitive New Hampshire contest.

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