A House Democratic candidate for a Congressional district that lies on the southern border once appeared on stage with a popular singer tagged as a &#8220;front&#8221; man for a cartel trafficker.
Bobby Pulido, a Latin Grammy winner, is running to unseat incumbent Republican Rep. Monica De La Cruz in Texas’ 15th Congressional District in November. The Tejano singer once performed on stage with a Mexican cartel operative.
He also <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BobbyPulidoOficial/videos/10154654143935828/?rdid=2J0puPakb1eJDzbJ#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> at his concerts on numerous <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DswT2i2kq/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">occasions</a> before the Mexican singer was formally sanctioned by the United States government.
The Department of the Treasury <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-release/sm0144" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sanctioned</a> Julión Álvarez in August 2017 for acting &#8220;as a front&#8221; person for a drug trafficker and his cartel, while holding &#8220;assets on their behalf.&#8221;
Pulido performed on stage with Álvarez in October 2018, sharing the video on his Facebook page, where he called the sanctioned singer &#8220;mi amigo.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FBobbyPulidoOficial%2Fvideos%2F335035310577208%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="429" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
The two were seen embracing, patting each other on the back, and shaking hands as they sang together before a cheering crowd.
Álvarez previously denied the cartel ties, claiming that the only connection was through a real estate purchase, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/24/americas/mexico-julion-alvarez-visa-revoked-intl-hnk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CNN.
The Biden administration removed Álvarez from the sanctions list in 2022, CNN reported. The Trump administration later revoked Álvarez&#8217;s visa to perform in the United States in 2025, the singer said.
In a statement, Pulido&#8217;s campaign manager Abel Prado claimed that “Álvarez was cleared,&#8221; adding that &#8220;Bobby and Álvarez are not friends, and this is just another case of Republicans not understanding our culture – &#8216;amigo&#8217; is a common expression.&#8221;
&#8220;Republicans think all these attacks on Bobby are going do something… but the fact of the matter is he is a beloved figure and they’re going to find that out in November when he flips this seat,&#8221; Prado said.
The latest revelation comes after the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/02/us-news/texas-dem-toured-for-years-with-bandmate-who-was-a-registered-sex-offender/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Pulido toured with a sex offender.
On more than a dozen occasions, Pulido performed with accordionist Frankie Caballero, who was sentenced to prison for indecent contact with an eight-year-old girl, according to the New York Post.
Pulido performed and recorded one of his hit songs with Caballero before his conviction, the outlet reported. He toured again with him decades later, after his four-year prison sentence.
“Bobby was never made aware of Caballero’s sex offender registration and would never knowingly associate with anyone with that kind of history. Bobby extends his deepest sympathies and support to all of the victims involved,” Pulido campaign manager Abel Prado told the New York Post.
Pulido himself also once played a pervert who masturbated in public and exposed himself to a woman in a 2010 music video for his song &#8220;Dias de Ayer,&#8221; according to the New York Post.
The Tejano singer played several characters in the video, including a gay admirer of the pervert. Pulido also has several previous posts on social media espousing homophobic views.
“Igualmente amigo, no homo,” he wrote in response to a fan in 2019.
“1. I don’t like those guys. 2. You can’t have children. 3. Stop being a jerk already,” Pulido said in response to a user&#8217;s post calling him a &#8220;hottie&#8221; in 2017.
&nbsp;
Editor&#8217;s Note: This piece has been updated to clarify the nature of the relationship between Álvarez and Pulido.

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EXCLUSIVE: Grammy-Winning Dem Candidate In Hot Seat For Sharing Spotlight With Cartel Operative

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Blue America is best for families. For years, America’s elites have insisted that <a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/32782">blue states</a> — with their higher incomes, better-<a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/32782">educated residents</a>, and expansive public services — are the best places to raise a family. Progressive policies such as paid family leave, childcare subsidies, and gender-neutral bathroom mandates, we were told, would draw parents in droves. Such policies prove “that one major party cares about children and families, and <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/07/30/jd-vance-childless-cat-ladies/?itid=lk_inline_manual_27">the other does not</a>,” according to <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/07/30/jd-vance-childless-cat-ladies/?itid=lk_inline_manual_27">liberal journalist</a> Catherine Rampell. 
But the data tell a different tale. Across the country, families are packing up and leaving blue states for red states. They are also more likely to have children in red states to begin with. 
The <a href="https://familystructureindex.org/">2026 Family Structure Index</a>, just released by the Center for Christian Virtue and the Institute for Family Studies, tracks family health across all 50 states. It focuses on three measures: marriage rates, fertility rates, and the share of children raised by married parents. These factors shape everything from child poverty to the health of the American Dream. 
What it reveals is a growing divide in where families are choosing to live — and where they are choosing to start a family.
Call it the Great American Family Sort.
Married couples with children are increasingly moving to red and purple states. From 2019 to 2024, 840,000 married families with children moved from blue states to red ones, while 470,000 moved in the opposite direction — a net gain of 370,000 such families for red states. 
Red states also enjoy higher fertility rates, all of which helps explain why red states have <a href="https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-lefts-family-problem-marriage-and-kids-cratering-among-liberal-young-adults">seen</a> a 7.3% increase in their child population since 2000, while blue states have seen a 7.1% decline. That shift is another indicator that Red America is proving more hospitable to family life.
In other words, <a href="https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-blue-state-family-exodus-families-are-migrating-to-red-and-purple-states">blue states</a> long seen as the best places to raise children by liberal elites — states like California, Massachusetts, and New York — are steadily losing them.
Why? Start with what families actually need: jobs, homes, and safe neighborhoods. On each of these fronts, many red states are delivering. Over the past decade, states like Texas, Florida, and South Carolina have seen strong job growth, especially in sectors that support middle-class life. When young adults can find steady, well-paying work, they are more likely to marry and start families.
Housing is just as critical. Affordable single-family homes provide the space and stability families <a href="https://ifstudies.org/report-brief/homes-for-young-families-a-pro-family-housing-agenda">want</a>. Yet in many blue states, especially on the coasts, restrictive zoning and high costs have pushed homeownership out of reach for young families. In much of red America, that dream remains attainable.
Taxes also shape family <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/americans-moving-to-states/">migration</a>. Lower tax burdens in many red states leave families with more room in their budgets, whether for childcare, a good private school, or saving for the future.
<div id="attachment_1073407" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1073407" class="size-large wp-image-1073407" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-1329602381-864x576.jpg" alt="San Francisco, CA, USA - August 17, 2020. Image of a moving truck parked in San Francisco's Nob Hill neighborhood." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-1329602381-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-1329602381-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-1329602381-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-1329602381-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-1329602381-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-1329602381-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-1329602381-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />James Rice. Getty Images.</div>
Safety matters as well. Parents want to raise children in communities where they feel <a href="https://ifstudies.org/report-brief/homes-for-young-families-a-pro-family-housing-agenda">secure</a>. States and cities that keep crime and public disorder low have a clear advantage in attracting and retaining families, even as many blue states are “plagued by homelessness, crime and dysfunction,” all of which are turnoffs to families, as even the liberal columnist Nick Kristof has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/15/opinion/progressives-california-portland.html">admitted</a>.
Still, economics alone does not explain what is happening. Family culture also matters. In many red states, there remains a stronger expectation around marriage and family formation, often stemming from deeply held religious beliefs. Social norms shaped by churches, civic life, and local leadership still influence how people live. Faith remains a powerful driver of American family life.
The <a href="https://familystructureindex.org/">Family Structure Index</a> underscores this point. Frequent religious attendance accounts for 57% of the variance in fertility rates across states. States with high religious attendance, such as Utah and Mississippi, have far higher birth rates than states like Vermont or Massachusetts, where churchgoing is rare.
None of this suggests that red states have solved every problem. Marriage and fertility are down nationwide, and no region is immune. But the trend is clear: families seem more likely to thrive in some states rather than others. That should tell policymakers something important. If states want to attract and keep families, the formula is straightforward: make housing attainable, foster job growth, keep communities safe, and support a culture that encourages marriage and child-rearing. 
The deeper lesson is harder to accept. For too long, liberal elites have assumed that higher incomes and more government spending automatically lead to better outcomes for families. The evidence suggests otherwise. Public safety, good jobs, affordable homes, and culture matter just as much, if not more.
The Great American Family Sort is more than a demographic shift. It is a signal. Families are making their priorities clear through where they choose to live and have children. The question is whether the rest of the country is paying attention.
* * *
Aaron Baer is president of the Center for Christian Virtue. 
Brad Wilcox is Distinguished University Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia and senior fellow at the Institute for Family Studies.

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Tax an individual enough and they will vote with their feet, warned JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon in his annual shareholder letter on Monday. 
Dimon’s already making the move for JPMorgan Chase by employing more people in his Dallas office than in the company’s New York City headquarters. The banker added that the trend will only continue. Over the past decade, JPMorgan has reduced its New York City headcount from 30,000 to 24,000, while expanding its Texas ranks from 26,000 to 32,000. Dimon acknowledged that New York remains a strong hub for financial talent, but said high costs are one of the firm’s biggest challenges.
“No city or company or country has a divine right to success,” wrote the CEO in his annual shareholder letter. “People like to make this a moral or loyalty issue, but it is not.”
Dimon framed the issue not as politics, but as basic economics. “Companies need to remain competitive in this very competitive, fast-moving world. Higher taxes mean lower returns on capital and less competitiveness by their nature.”
He also drew a comparison to New York in the 1970s, when “nearly half of the 125 Fortune 500 companies based in New York City left.” While mergers played a role during that era’s surge in dealmaking, Dimon argued that “the price of doing business in New York City accounted for most” of the departures. The exodus of major employers contributed to the city’s fiscal crisis and near-bankruptcy in 1975, eroding its tax base.
The 2026 exodus isn’t limited to JPMorgan. Wells Fargo <a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-county/wells-fargo-massive-irving-campus-texas-banking-boom-accelerates/287-7febeb0c-d4ec-45e4-903f-f93e38e32e3e">opened</a> a new 850,000 square-foot campus in 2025 in Texas and Goldman Sachs is <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/pressroom/press-releases/2025/gs-unveils-fresh-look-inside-northend-campus">developing</a> a $500 million dollar campus in Dallas’ Victory Park. The influx of financial firms has earned the city the nickname “Y’all Street.”
Dimon warned that the trend is likely to accelerate, potentially worsening an already fragile moment for New York City. While he did not mention him by name, his comments come as newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani advocates for higher taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations. Less than a month into office, Mamdani floated raising property taxes to address what he described as a multibillion-dollar budget gap comparable to the Great Recession. He has also pushed Governor Kathy Hochul to raise the corporate tax rate from 7.25% to 11.5% and add a 2% tax on incomes above $1 million.
When Mamdani won his election, Dimon opened the communication lines by calling the newly elected mayor. Previously, Dimon <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/business/mamdani-nyc-business-leaders.html">called</a> Mamdani’s free buses and rent freezes “the same ideological mush that means nothing in the real world.”
Mamdani has previously told reporters that when he goes into meetings with business leaders, he keeps an open mind. “I go into each of these meetings knowing what I know, knowing what I believe, and interested in what I can also learn from each and every one of the people who have made the city what it is.”
So far, however, there is little indication that the business community’s concerns about higher taxes have swayed him.

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The city of Houston&#8217;s official X account deleted a post referring to Good Friday as a “spring holiday” after backlash from government officials and others on the platform.
“Due to the Spring holiday weekend, City of Houston offices will be closed on Friday, April 3,” the now-deleted post said.
“Today is Good Friday. Sunday is Easter. It isn’t a ‘Spring holiday weekend,’” Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) wrote in response. “It’s a time when Christians across the nation reflect on the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The City of Houston should be ashamed.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today is Good Friday. Sunday is Easter.
It isn’t a “Spring holiday weekend.”
It’s a time when Christians across the nation reflect on the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The City of Houston should be ashamed. <a href="https://t.co/Q6fUVtMQwu">pic.twitter.com/Q6fUVtMQwu</a>
— Congressman Troy E. Nehls (@RepTroyNehls) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTroyNehls/status/2040089269457367289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“It’s okay to acknowledge Christian holidays,” Libby Emmons, editor in chief of The Post Millennial, <a href="https://x.com/libbyemmons/status/2040053457181196669">wrote</a>.
Newsmax host Todd Starnes posted a side-by-side comparison of the city’s Good Friday post and Mayor John Whitmire’s post celebrating the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr — and noted the clear difference in tone.
“Notice the difference in how Houston City Hall celebrates a Christian holiday compared to a Muslim holiday,” Starnes wrote on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Notice the difference in how Houston City Hall celebrates a Christian holiday compared to a Muslim holiday. <a href="https://t.co/CHKbrOf2TK">pic.twitter.com/CHKbrOf2TK</a>
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) <a href="https://twitter.com/toddstarnes/status/2039853132713214062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“Wishing those who celebrate, a joyful and blessed Eid al-Fitr,” the Houston Mayor’s Office account posted in acknowledgment of the Muslim holiday. “May this occasion bring peace, prosperity, and renewed gratitude.”
At the time of publication, the city had not yet posted anything recognizing Easter other than a <a href="https://x.com/HoustonHealth/status/2040125982430880089">repost</a> from the city&#8217;s health department warning about the risks of contracting bird flu while handling eggs. The account has recognized Easter in previous years. The city has also posted about the Muslim holiday Ramadan.
Republican state Rep. Tom Oliverson called the difference in the city’s posts “embarrassing.”
“Be better,” Oliverson <a href="https://x.com/TomOliverson/status/2040067814342406459">wrote</a> on X. “Today is Good Friday, not Spring Holiday.”
The city&#8217;s post is still up on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWocJjeid5G/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D">Instagram</a>, with the vast majority of comments on that platform also criticizing the city’s wording.
“Spring Holiday” is listed as an official city holiday on Houston’s <a href="https://www.houstontx.gov/events/cityholidays.html">calendar</a> that falls on Good Friday. In 2027, “Spring Holiday” — and Good Friday — will fall on March 26.

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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;

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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

James Talarico

A high school teacher in Texas was shot by a student on Monday, and the 15-year-old boy fatally shot himself, according to authorities.
The shooting occurred at Hill Country College Preparatory High School in Comal County, which sits just north of San Antonio. The school was placed on lockdown after the male student shot a female teacher, the Comal County Sheriff&#8217;s Office said.
The teacher was transported to a hospital, but her condition has not been disclosed as of early Monday afternoon. Authorities said the student died at the scene.
&#8220;We know this is incredibly difficult to hear. What we can tell you is this situation is contained, and there is no ongoing threat to students,&#8221; the sheriff&#8217;s office said.
Students were transported to Bulverde Middle School, which is just over three miles south of the high school where the shooting occurred. The students were reunited with their parents. Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds later on Monday that the shooter&#8217;s parents discovered that their son was the shooter at the reunification site.
&#8220;Law enforcement remains on campus as the investigation continues, which is why the school will stay on lockdown for now,&#8221; the sheriff&#8217;s office said in an update at 11:40 a.m. CT. &#8220;We understand how scary this has been for families and our entire community. Thank you for your patience, and for helping us share accurate information. We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more.&#8221;
The Comal County sheriff <a href="https://www.facebook.com/COMALCOUNTYSO">said</a> at a press conference Monday afternoon that &#8220;this situation was contained very, very quickly,&#8221; and multiple different law enforcement agencies responded to the shooting.
Hill Country is a prestigious high school that has top ratings in its math, science, and language arts studies, according to its <a href="https://hccphs.comalisd.org/apps/spotlightmessages/10817">website</a>. Students at Hill Country have the opportunity to receive their high school diplomas, along with an Associate of Science degree with an Industry Based Certification. Sheriff Reynolds said there were around 250 students at Hill Country on Monday who were safely transported to the reunification site.
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information comes out.

Hill Country College Preparatory High School

Student Dead After Shooting Teacher At Texas Prep School

High School

Shooting

A North Austin church attended by Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D-TX) is drawing increased attention amid his U.S. Senate campaign, with church leadership citing both heightened visibility and security concerns.
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, where Talarico has been a member since childhood, has recently hosted and is continuing to promote a series of events that include political organizing and activist training sessions. Pastor Jim Rigby told congregants in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StAndrewsAustin/posts/dear-friend-member-or-potential-visitoras-you-probably-know-james-talaricos-camp/1372459444919630/">Facebook post</a> that the attention surrounding Talarico’s campaign has led to an increase in both positive engagement and “hostile press” and negative communications.
“Because we have also received some hostile press and an influx of negative communication, we have temporarily hired plain clothes security as a safety precaution,” Rigby wrote, adding that the church is considering longer-term safety measures. Among the events promoted by the church was a gathering tied to the “No Kings” protest movement, which took place Sunday, June 22, following the church’s morning service.
“Join us this Sunday following the 11:00 service in the sanctuary as we prepare together for the upcoming No Kings protest,” the church said in an event listing. “We’ll review key materials and relevant training, set up shared communication channels … and close with a digital safety training.”
The session included guidance on “personal privacy, protest device recommendations, and best practices for keeping yourself safe,” according to the church’s website. <a href="https://www.nokings.org/">A third wave</a> of “No Kings” protests is scheduled to take place nationwide on March 28, including an event in Austin planned from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CDT.
The church has also advertised a self-defense seminar, coached by a man described as “a martial artist trained in boxing, MMA, and traditional disciplines.” The event, open to the public, notes that instruction will incorporate “gender-neutral and body-affirming language.”
Rigby has not replied to The Daily Wire’s request for comment on the training at the time of publishing.
Talarico, an Austin Democrat, is running in a high-profile Senate race that will pit him against either Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton or Sen. John Cornyn, depending on the outcome of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-gop-battle-between-cornyn-and-paxton-will-head-to-runoff">Republican primary runoff</a>.
Conservatives have highlighted Talarico’s public statements about Christianity, such as <a href="https://x.com/realDailyWire/status/2029235718824857949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">abortion being a biblical teaching</a> and that <a href="https://x.com/realBrandonGill/status/2029031304126255588">God is nonbinary</a>, arguing that his views are out of step with many Texas voters. Talarico, who began pursuing a master of divinity degree at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2022, has defended his positions as grounded in his faith.
He has also criticized Republican-backed policies, including a Texas law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools, describing such measures as inconsistent with Christian teaching.
Talarico has said he aims to &#8220;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-james-talarico.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">reclaim Christianity for the Left</a>,&#8221; framing his political positions as rooted in biblical principles and social justice concerns. His approach reflects a broader trend within mainline Protestant denominations that have aligned with progressive political priorities. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the denomination to which St. Andrew’s belongs, has experienced <a href="https://pres-outlook.org/2025/09/the-future-of-the-presbyterian-church-u-s-a-decline-renewal-and-shifting-trends/">decades of membership decline</a>, falling significantly from its peak in the mid-20th century, even as more theologically conservative Presbyterian groups have reported growth in recent years.
As Talarico’s Senate campaign gains national attention, his home congregation will likely continue to be viewed not just as a place of worship, but as a venue where faith and contemporary political activism intersect in highly visible ways.

Texas State Representative Talarico Campaigns Ahead Of Primary Election

It Turns Out James Talarico’s Church Is As Weird As He Is

Religion

James Talarico, the Democratic Senate nominee in Texas, claimed Thursday that the &#8220;undocumented students&#8221; he previously taught were the &#8220;most patriotic.&#8221;
Talarico, who previously taught sixth-grade language arts at Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio, made the remarks during a live taping of The Bulwark podcast in Dallas with host Tim Miller, where he also criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a &#8220;secret police&#8221; force.
&#8220;I taught a lot of undocumented students, and those students tended to be my most patriotic students,&#8221; Talarico said.
&#8220;They understood something about this country that a lot of us who are native born forget. That this is supposed to be the land of opportunity, that this is supposed to be the place where dreams come true, and they believed that in their bones. And they believed in this country even when this country didn&#8217;t believe in them,&#8221; he added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
James Talarico claims his illegal immigrant students were more patriotic than American-born ones:
“I taught a lot of undocumented students. Those students tended to be my most patriotic students.”
This is apparently the message he’s going with to Texas parents. <a href="https://t.co/jBWwv7P5F1">pic.twitter.com/jBWwv7P5F1</a>
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) <a href="https://twitter.com/WesternLensman/status/2034802607726727377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Talarico has made similar comments glorifying illegal immigration in the past. In a resurfaced clip from a January Democratic primary debate, he said the U.S. southern border should function like a &#8220;front porch.&#8221;
“Our southern border should be like our front porch; there should be a giant welcome mat out front and a lock on the door,” Talarico said.
Talarico&#8217;s campaign website also states: “Most of us agree on what should happen. Our border should be like a front porch — it should have a welcome mat out front and a lock on the door.”
It adds: “We can both welcome the stranger — refugees, asylum seekers, and folks who want to contribute to our economy and pursue the American dream — and we can keep people out who mean to do us harm.”
In another past clip, Talarico said individuals who commit violent crimes &#8220;should be deported immediately,&#8221; while arguing that law enforcement resources should not be focused on &#8220;hard-working members of our community.”

Raging Moderates Live with James Talarico

Talarico Says Illegal Immigrant Students Are The ‘Most Patriotic’

illegal immigrants

When I was in college, I passed the César Chávez statue every day on my walk to class at the University of Texas. Now, César Chávez is the name of the road I take to work. 
For years, Chávez was presented as the figurehead for Mexican Americans, a symbol we were expected to revere. But he represented a collectivist ideology that perpetuated ethnic tribalism. After the New York Times broke the story of his sexual abuse of young girls, this false idol is finally toppling. My only hope is that he is not replaced by another.
Chávez has long been celebrated as a symbol of the Civil Rights era and as a champion of labor unions in America. He co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) union to fight for better conditions for migrant laborers. But in truth, he exploited the very people he claimed to protect, while tying Mexican Americans to socialist ideology. He carefully crafted a public image as a family man devoted to Catholic social teaching, but the reality was much darker.
Chávez’s philosophy echoes Marxist rhetoric about the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. At a UFW convention in 1981, Chávez <a href="https://reason.com/2013/07/30/harvest-of-power/#:~:text=Some%20of%20these%20features%20include:%20*%20the,under%20the%20ALRA%20subject%20to%20ALRB%20regulations.">proclaimed:</a> 
<blockquote>I would not take one cup of coffee from a grower [farmer]… There&#8217;s not a good one. I hate them. A few presents, a little talk, then the noose. That’s how capitalism works.</blockquote>
It isn’t just his rhetoric that sounds alarm bells. Early in his career, he worked with Saul Alinsky (the community organizer who defined the modern leftist playbook in “Rules for Radicals”). Chávez and the UFW later implemented Alinsky’s tactics, fostering confrontational, divisive organizing.
Then, there is the recent revelation of his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/left-wing-icon-accused-of-serially-sexually-abusing-young-girls?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=15&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Left-Wing+Icon+Accused+Of+Serially+Sexually+Abusing+Young+Girls">extensive sexual abuse</a> of minors. The behavior is not distinct from other far-Left figures. From Josef Stalin to Mao to Kim Jong-il, communist and socialist leaders often share a troubling connection to sexual predation. We should not be surprised that evil ideology attracts evil people.
If the warning signs around Chávez have existed for decades, why did he become the face of an entire ethnicity in America? Partly, because he was effective at mobilizing Mexican Americans in California, using rhetoric that created a lasting “us vs. them” mentality. But how did that ideology extend to Texas?
Chávez never belonged in Tejano heritage the same way he does in Chicano culture. The Chicano culture and movement are a direct outgrowth of the California Hispanic labor movement in the ‘60s and ‘70s. On the other hand, the Tejano culture traces back to the Mexican settlers of Texas prior to Texas Independence and is a component of what created the Texas identity. 
That history is also tied to farming and a cowboy ethos that is incompatible with Chávez’s ideology. Texas agriculture thrived because of ranchers like my ancestors, who embraced a free-market approach, not because of unions or collectivist movements.
Before the New York Times exposé, one could argue that Chávez fought for Mexican Americans and deserved gratitude. Yet his legacy has encouraged a troubling mindset: To be loyal to one’s Hispanic heritage, one must embrace left-wing ideology. On campus, I was often labeled a “race traitor” at conservative events, accused of “wanting white approval,” or dismissed as “too white-passing” to comment on border and immigration issues.
The type of tribalism promoted by Chávez is just like any other kind of identity politics, limiting and stereotyping the people it is intended to empower. In a political climate in which Texas Hispanics are considering Republicans on the ballot, it is clear why the Left is feeling threatened.
So why is a street in Austin named after César Chávez? Why did his statue watch me as I walked to class? The answer is clear: ethnic tokenism. It was fitting for Bill Clinton to award him a Presidential Medal of Freedom and for Joe Biden to display his bust in the Oval Office. Chávez represents the Hispanic worker the political Left wishes we all were: obedient to a union boss and beholden to collectivist ideology.
The UFW announced it will not be celebrating César Chávez Day this year amid the allegations. The idol all Hispanics were once expected to adore is finally falling from his pedestal. My hope is that we do not replace him with another.
* * *
Ariana Guajardo is the Video Production Manager at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. She is the creator and host of &#8220;The Sweet Tea Series&#8221; and co-host of &#8220;The Hard Country,&#8221; where she and Joshua Treviño examine the history and modern tensions shaping U.S.–Mexico relations.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

United Farmer Workers Union Distances Itself From Founder Cesar Chavez After “Troubling Allegations”

The Left Hid César Chávez’s Rapes And Turned Him Into A Saint

The Left Hid César Chávez's Rapes And Turned Him Into A Saint

California

Civil Rights

Farming

Hispanics

Labor Unions

Mexico

Rape

I was playing poker on a Tuesday morning at the Texas Card House Social, the other big poker house in the Austin area, when the word came down: the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission had raided The Lodge. Rumors flew around as to why this might have been. People floated underage drinking, illegal private games, maybe a pedophile lurking in the player pool, but that all seemed pretty unlikely. The Lodge is a big business that recently hosted a major World Poker Tour tournament series. It’s not Goodwill Industries, but there’s hardly some sort of secret agenda lurking.
About an hour later, displaced Lodge players started to trickle into Texas Card House. The TABC had frozen all assets and confiscated all tournament chips. One guy, who’d been at The Lodge to play “The Daily Kickoff,” a $50 entry tournament representing the absolute lowest stakes possible in live poker, said TABC had made players put their hands on the table and then checked all their IDs before confiscating their tournament chips. No one knew exactly what was going on, save one basic fact: Texas poker was in trouble.
Well, now we know what was going on. Poker News has obtained the search and seizure affidavit that TABC served against The Lodge. In 2024, an agent named Douglas Bell received a &#8220;confidential report of some questionable financial activity&#8221; at The Lodge and began staking it out, even though the club occupies a huge storefront, as big as a Circuit City, that’s clearly visible from I-35 in Round Rock. TABC requested Lodge bank records, and then began sending agents in to play cards. They also inquired about hosting a private poker game at the club, a service that The Lodge does provide.
Poker News columnist <a href="https://x.com/ChadAHolloway">Chad Holloway</a> tweeted out the following: 
<blockquote>Additionally, a public complaint (#3824166) was filed with TABC on 04/03/2024 which referenced a 2005 opinion written by then Attorney General Greg Abbott that stated a business that holds an On-Premise alcoholic beverage permit could not hold poker tournaments where real money was at risk by participants.</blockquote>
Breaking news: some people, though usually not the successful ones, have a drink while playing poker. 
What does it all add up to? As we say in the Texas poker world: This is some bullsh*t.
Technically, gambling is illegal in Texas, unless it’s the state lottery. But for the better part of a decade, the poker industry has skirted the rules through a loophole that says private clubs can offer poker games if they don’t charge rake, a percentage of winnings taken out of each pot. Instead, they charge daily, yearly, or monthly membership fees, an hourly “seat fee” for cash games, or a percentage of the buy-in for tournaments.
Some risk-takers opened the first club in Texas, the Texas Card House, in a trailer in South Austin in 2014. That room which, as of this writing, still operates as a club called Bullets, moved its operations into a room next to a tire store in North Austin a few years later, and gradually turned into a palatial chain that operates several houses, large and small, throughout the state. In 2024, it expanded in 2024 into a huge room down the street from the tire store next to a locally-owned aquarium that’s far more seedy than most poker rooms. TCH Social is scheduled to host a World Series of Poker Circuit series in Austin later this spring.
The Lodge opened in a small storefront next to a Mexican restaurant in 2018, but by 2021 had moved into a much larger room next door. It brought in celebrity investors like poker vloggers Doug Polk, Brad Owen, and Andrew Neeme. Mostly through Polk’s incessant promotional efforts, it became one of the most desirable poker rooms in the world, hosting big-money tournaments, high-stakes YouTube cash games, and players from all over the world who came to Texas to see about the fuss. Maybe, given the legal Twilight Zone in which The Lodge and clubs like it were operating, the fuss was a little excessive.
The complaint against The Lodge lists five allegations. Three of them: &#8220;Promotion of gambling,&#8221; &#8220;keeping a gambling place,&#8221; and &#8220;possession of gambling devices, equipment, and paraphernalia,&#8221; are indisputable. Poker isn’t slots or roulette. There’s a major skill component. But let’s not fool ourselves.
The other two, more serious, allegations, &#8220;money laundering&#8221; and “engaging in organized criminal activity” are absolute nonsense. The Lodge is a nice place, with nice, hardworking employees, and (mostly) nice players. Unfortunately, because gambling is illegal in Texas, it might be in trouble anyway. One agent says that The Lodge never &#8220;asked about providing proof of, or the need to purchase a membership while inside the club.” Given that the club will not let me, or anyone, play in a tournament, not even The Daily Kickoff, without an active membership, that seems highly unlikely. But it’s also the least of The Lodge’s problems. The law has set its sights on the biggest card room in the country. Hundreds of people are out of a job. And poker players with tens of thousands of dollars, or more, in chips stored in private lock boxes stand to lose a life’s fortune, or, at the very least, several years of hard-earned profit.
I’ve logged thousands of hours at The Lodge, all day and night. On one memorable (at least to me) Sunday night four years ago, it hosted my biggest poker score ever, by far, when I took home $60,000 for finishing second in an obscure tournament which had cost $600 to enter. I paid substantial taxes out of that money, but I also paid for a couple of vacations and bought a used car that I drive around in to this day. Also, even though there have been plenty of wins (and losses) since then, I’m still playing poker with that money. So The Lodge is important to me, as it is to anyone who plays poker in Texas, and beyond.  But that’s of no concern to the state government.
It’s been a wild decade in the Texas poker boom. Great fortunes have been won and lost, and a lot of people have had a lot of fun. Now, it appears to be in serious danger.
* * *
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.

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