Cornyn, Paxton ready to go for the throat in 2nd act of brutal primary campaign
DALLAS — The race for the Republican Senate nomination in Texas is heading to a high-stakes runoff, with both sides digging in for a costly, drawn-out fight. Longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are set to continue their bitter duel after neither candidate cleared the 50% threshold in Tuesday’s primary election. That means the race, which has become one of the most expensive primary contests in history, will drag on until May 26. COMBUSTIBLE REPUBLICAN SENATE PRIMARY IN TEXAS HEADING INTO OVERTIME Cornyn argues he is the only candidate in the field who can win a general election in the Lone Star State — something he has done four times — especially against rising star state Rep. James Talarico, D-Texas, who toppled Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, early Wednesday morning. But for now, his focus is on Paxton. “Just like the primary, we have a plan to win the runoff, and we are in the process of executing it,” Cornyn said Tuesday night. “Judgment day is coming for Ken Paxton.” Paxton has styled himself as the true MAGA candidate in the race, saying he stood with President Donald Trump when others did not, particularly after the 2020 election. He told supporters in Dallas that he felt the same energy behind his campaign as when Trump announced his re-election bid for a second term. JASMINE CROCKETT SUGGESTS GOP RIGGED HER DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY ELECTION: ‘THIS IS WHAT REPUBLICANS LIKE TO DO’ “Right now, I feel that same momentum, the same sense that history is turning,” Paxton said. “Now let’s talk about what just happened. John Cornyn spent around $100 million trying to buy this seat. We’ve spent around $5 million.” “But we proved something they’ll never understand in Washington — Texas is not for sale,” he continued. Both sides are leaning into their narratives: Cornyn casting himself as a battle-tested incumbent built for a general election fight, while Paxton presents himself as a Trump-aligned conservative who could breathe fresh life into the seat. Cornyn has the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, and along with it, a massive war chest of campaign cash. NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez told Fox News Digital, “John Cornyn remains the only candidate who guarantees state Rep. Talarico never becomes a United States senator and ensures the fight for President Trump’s Senate majority is waged in true battleground states, not Texas.” The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), the top super PAC backing Senate Republicans, which spent millions on behalf of Cornyn in the primary campaign, made it clear in a statement early Wednesday that it will continue to support the senator in the runoff. RISING STAR TALARICO TOPPLES PROGRESSIVE FIREBRAND CROCKETT IN HIGH-STAKES TEXAS SENATE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY “SLF and its sister organizations were proud to support Senator Cornyn early, and we look forward to him securing the Republican nomination on May 26,” the group’s executive director, Alex Latcham, said in a statement. But on the Paxton side of the playing field, operatives and donors are confident they can unseat the senator. Dan Eberhart, an oil drilling chief executive officer and prominent Republican donor and bundler who supports Paxton, told Fox News Digital that “this was Cornyn’s shot to fend off his challenger by getting over 50%, and he couldn’t do it. The runoff voters will be even less friendly territory for Cornyn.” Pointing to former longtime Senate GOP leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has often acted as a Trump foil, Eberhart said, “This race is about MAGA vs. McConnell.” Meanwhile, Lone Star Liberty, a pro-Paxton super PAC, circulated a memo ahead of Tuesday’s election that shrugged off threats that Cornyn would succeed in the runoff by continuing to hammer the attorney general over his litany of scandals, arguing there was nothing new to offer. “Cornyn’s talk of ‘unleashing’ new attacks in the runoff is bluster,” the memo states. “The truth is that from day one, his forces fired every bullet they had. There are no new attacks left — only more of the same, at ever-greater cost and with ever-diminishing returns.” But the most consequential variable in the race may not be millions of dollars in advertising spending or stump speeches. It may be whoever Trump decides to endorse. So far, he has stayed out of the race. He signaled last month that he liked both Cornyn and Paxton, along with Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, who dropped out of the contest after trailing in third place. Senate Republican leadership continues to believe that a Trump endorsement of Cornyn would effectively put the race to bed and allow the party to focus on the broader Senate battleground map. That endorsement could prove even more important beyond the primary battle. A GOP political operative in Trump’s orbit told Fox News Digital that “Talarico being the nominee makes President Trump’s endorsement of Cornyn more important than ever.”
Texas border district Dem Cuellar beats back primary challengers
Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, easily defeated a primary challenger Tuesday in Texas’ 28th Congressional District, securing his party’s renomination in the southern border seat he has long represented. The win sets up a November matchup with President Donald Trump-endorsed South Texas Judge Tano Tijerina. Cuellar, one of the last remaining “blue dog” conservative Democrats in the House, beat challenger Ricardo Villarreal with 58.1% of the vote to 36.9% — a margin of more than 21 percentage points with 97% of ballots counted, according to The Associated Press. Andrew Vantine was in third place with 5%. TRUMP’S PARDON OF HOUSE DEM CUELLAR BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS HIS BROTHER FACES INDICTMENT Cuellar’s primary challenge came amid renewed scrutiny over his federal indictment last year and continued tensions within his party over border policy, though he ultimately secured renomination by a comfortable margin. He had been highly critical of the Biden administration’s handling of immigration and border security. He was later indicted by the Justice Department on federal bribery charges, which he denied. Cuellar and his allies have characterized the case as politically motivated. He later received an unconditional pardon from Trump, who also said the charges were politically driven. Speculation swirled that Cuellar might switch parties after the pardon, but he dismissed those rumors and said he would remain a Democrat. Cuellar served in the Texas House from 1987 to 2001 and briefly as Texas secretary of state in 2001, making him the most recent Democrat to hold statewide office in Texas. He was first elected to Congress in 2004 after defeating incumbent Ciro Rodriguez in a primary and is known as one of the House’s more conservative Democrats. He has since won re-election comfortably, though he has faced competitive primaries in recent cycles. Trump, meanwhile, endorsed Tijerina in the GOP race and criticized Cuellar ahead of the primary for running. Tijerina went on to win the Republican nomination, setting up a November matchup to represent a district that stretches from San Antonio to the Rio Grande Valley. The judge, who switched to the Republican Party in December 2024, saying the Democratic Party no longer aligned with his values, won the GOP primary with 74.3% of the vote to Eileen Day’s 25.7%, according to the AP. Tijerina’s win was decisive, with a margin of nearly 49 percentage points after 91% of ballots were counted. He responded to the outpouring of congratulations on social media shortly after the race was called. “Amen! Let’s work,” he wrote in response to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. In a separate post responding to Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters — who had congratulated him and shared a message from House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. — Tijerina wrote: “It’s our win!” Tijerina has promised to buck Democrats and embrace what he calls a “new generation” of political leadership in South Texas. He told Fox News Digital on the campaign trail that, despite the district long being considered a Democratic stronghold, the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border and focus on diversity initiatives shifted voters’ views. HOUSE CANDIDATE PREDICTS HISTORIC RISE OF ‘NEW GENERATION’ IN CONGRESS AS PARTIES TARGET KEY DEMOGRAPHIC “Being a Democrat after so many years, I’m just sick and tired of seeing all the social issues that the Democrats are [promoting]. And I’m not the only one,” Tijerina said. “That’s why Webb County, that’s why South Texas, voted for Trump plus 10 numbers.” “We have always been conservative, everybody knows it,” he continued. “Down here in South Texas, the only thing that we care about is good-paying jobs [and] making sure that we’re getting protected.” Republicans currently hold a razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives and the race is expected to be closely watched. Fox News’ Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
Pentagon honors American troops killed in Operation Epic Fury: ‘Never be forgotten’
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine shared the names of four of the six fallen U.S. service members killed in Kuwait while supporting Operation Epic Fury. “It is with profound sadness and gratitude that I share the names of four of the six fallen heroes, all from the 103rd Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Reserves, out of Des Moines, Iowa,” Caine said during a press conference Wednesday morning from the Pentagon, alongside Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Caine named several of the fallen American heroes. PENTAGON IDENTIFIES FOUR SOLDIERS KILLED IN MARCH 1 DRONE STRIKE DURING KUWAIT MILITARY OPERATION “Capt. Cody Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor and Sgt. Declan Coady,” Caine said. Khork, 35, was from Lakeland, Florida; Amor, 39, was from White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Tietjens, 42, was from Bellevue, Nebraska; and Coady, 20, was from Des Moines. “To the families of our fallen, we grieve with you today and we look forward to welcoming your family members home at Dover in the coming days,” he continued. Two additional soldiers killed in the attack have not yet been publicly identified. “Out of respect for the other families, we will withhold the release of their names until next of kin notification is complete, and either myself or Adm. Cooper will release those names as soon as we can ensure that all of those families have been properly notified,” he said. “To our Gold Star families, to our wounded warriors and their loved ones — we will never forget your sacrifice,” Caine continued. “Our nation stands with you and we are eternally grateful for your courage, your resiliency, your devotion to this mission and to our nation.” The Department of War on Monday identified four of the six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in a March 1 drone attack in Kuwait while supporting Operation Epic Fury, and officials said the incident remains under investigation. US STRIKES MORE THAN 1,700 TARGETS IN IRAN DURING FIRST 72 HOURS OF OPERATION EPIC FURY The soldiers were killed at the Port of Shuaiba during what officials described as an unmanned aircraft system attack. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa, which provides logistical and operational support to U.S. forces overseas. Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief of Army Reserve and commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, said the loss is deeply felt across the force. “We honor our fallen heroes who served fearlessly and selflessly in defense of our nation,” Harter said. “Their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their families, will never be forgotten.” Officials said the soldiers were supporting operations in the region when the drone strike occurred. Khork enlisted in the National Guard in 2009 as a multiple launch rocket system/fire direction specialist before commissioning as a military police officer in the Army Reserve in 2014. He went on to deploy to Saudi Arabia, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and Poland. Amor joined the National Guard in 2005 as an automated logistics specialist. She transferred to the Army Reserve the following year, and went on to deploy to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019. She earned multiple commendations, including the Army Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device. Tietjens entered the Army Reserve in 2006 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic and completed two deployments to Kuwait since 2009 and 2019. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star across his career. The youngest of the four identified soldiers, Coady enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 as an Army information technology specialist. He was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant and awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
Whatley links Cooper to transit killing, accuses Dem of freeing ‘rapists and murderers’
North Carolina Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley took aim at his top Democratic opponent ahead of Tuesday’s primary election, tying former Gov. Roy Cooper to the conditions he says led to the stabbing death of Ukrainian immigrant Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s transit system last year. On Aug. 22, 2025, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., 34, is accused of stabbing Zarutska to death near the East West Boulevard light rail station in Mecklenburg County as she rode the train. Critics say Cooper’s 2021 settlement with civil rights groups over COVID-19 prison conditions is connected to Brown being released from custody. However, claims about Brown being released because of this settlement have been fact-checked multiple times as false, according to reports including WRAL — which reported Brown was “allowed to be included on a list of prisoners released early even though the settlement had no bearing on his case.” In a message to the media ahead of Tuesday’s election, Whatley’s campaign titled its victory party press invitation “Deets on where DeCarlos Brown will not be on primary night.” CHARLOTTE MAYOR WINS LANDSLIDE REELECTION DESPITE CONTROVERSY OVER IRYNA ZARUTSKA’S SLAYING “Hint: Not at Michael Whatley’s primary night victory party at Noble Smoke in Charlotte,” the release read. At the bottom, the Whatley campaign launched another broadside, writing that “no, we don’t know for sure if all the child molesters, rapists, and murderers released by Roy Cooper will be at the Cooper party, but we bet those same child molesters, rapists, and murderers are in the Cooper camp.” PAM BONDI TORCHES DEMOCRATS FOR REFUSING TO STAND FOR GRIEVING MOTHER OF MURDERED REFUGEE AT SOTU A Cooper campaign spokesperson fired back at Whatley in comments to Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “These Republican attacks are false — Roy Cooper is the only candidate who spent his career prosecuting violent criminals and keeping thousands of them behind bars as attorney general and signing tough-on-crime laws and a stricter pretrial release bail policy as governor,” the spokesperson said. “DC insider lobbyist Michael Whatley is desperate to distract from his support for cuts to law enforcement that make North Carolinians less safe,” they added. Whatley and Cooper won their respective primaries on Tuesday and will face off to succeed retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. Earlier Tuesday, Tillis launched his own broadside against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, criticizing her handling of FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which devastated western North Carolina. In the Zarutska case, FTA Administrator Marc Molinaro blamed “systemic failures” within the transit system of the state’s largest city, citing reports showing crime onboard is higher than the national average.
Hegseth says the leader behind effort to assassinate Trump has been ‘hunted down and killed’ in Iran
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that an Iranian leader behind a unit that attempted to assassinate President Trump has been killed in Iran amid Operation Epic Fury. “The leader of the unit that attempted to assassinate Trump has been hunted down and killed,” Hegseth said during a press conference Wednesday morning. “Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh,” Hegseth continued. “Now, this is not a ‘mission accomplished’ situation. This is simply a reality check.” FROM HOSTAGE CRISIS TO ASSASSINATION PLOTS: IRAN’S NEAR HALF-CENTURY WAR ON AMERICANS In 2024, Iran-linked actors attempted to arrange an assassination plot to take out the president. Iran has previously threatened to assassinate Trump following the 2020 killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. In 2022, an Iranian video depicted an assassination attempt on Trump while he played golf. U.S. officials confirmed earlier this week that strikes on Iran, which began Saturday, killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump reflected on Khamenei’s death in a call to ABC News’ Jonathan Karl earlier this week, saying: “I got him before he got me.” “They tried twice,” Trump continued, referring to Iran’s previous attempts on his life. “Well, I got him first.” TRUMP SAYS US SANK 10 SHIPS IN IRAN STRIKE, ‘LAST, BEST CHANCE’ TO ACT Meanwhile, Hegseth, on Wednesday said the combination of U.S. and Israeli intelligence and combat power “will control Iran and will control it soon.” “America is winning decisively, devastatingly and without mercy,” Hegseth said.
Fallen US soldiers in Operation Epic Fury remembered as patriotic, dedicated
The four identified U.S. soldiers killed in a March 1 drone attack in Kuwait while supporting Operation Epic Fury were described as a martial arts instructor father who was a proven leader, a “spitfire” mother of two, a patriotic history buff who followed his calling in life, and a 20-year-old whose dedication foretold a bright future. The fallen service members were identified as Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Lakeland, Florida; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa. Two additional soldiers killed in the attack have not yet been publicly identified. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa, which provides logistical and operational support to U.S. forces overseas. The soldiers were killed at the Port of Shuaiba during what officials described as an unmanned aircraft system attack. Officials said the incident remains under investigation. TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ Tietjens entered the Army Reserve in 2006 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic and completed two deployments to Kuwait in 2009 and 2019. Tietjens’ twin brother, Nicholas, told The New York Times that his brother was a “great leader” who was three months away from finishing his deployment and returning home. Tietjens had taken up martial arts with his wife Shelly and a teenage son, Dylan, according to the newspaper. Tietjens became an instructor, dreaming of opening his own studio. Julius Melegrito, the owner of Martial Arts International, told The Times that Tietjens possessed the qualities of a great teacher: calm, confidence and a soft-spoken demeanor. Melegrito’s wife, Faith, remembered Tietjens having a “commanding presence and friendly aura,” telling the paper she would “always feel more calm when he’s around, because I knew he would look at what’s needed and he would take care of it.” His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal and the Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star. Amor joined the National Guard in 2005 as an automated logistics specialist and transferred to the Army Reserve the following year. She deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019. Amor’s brother, Derek Hoff, told The Times that after 20 years of service, his sister was finally thinking about retirement to spend more time with her kids, an 18-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter. US CASUALTIES RISE TO 6 FOLLOWING IRANIAN RETALIATION FOR MASSIVE STRIKES “She just missed them,” Hoff said. “It was a yearning for her kids.” He described his sister as “a spitfire” who “knew what she signed up for, and she did it because she had a job and a duty.” Amor earned multiple commendations throughout her service, including the Army Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device. But her biggest accomplishments, according to Hoff, were becoming a mother and later a surrogate. Khork enlisted in the National Guard in 2009 as a multiple launch rocket system/fire direction specialist before commissioning as a military police officer in the Army Reserve in 2014. He deployed to Saudi Arabia in 2018; Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, in 2021; and Poland in 2024. TRUMP PLEDGES TO ‘AVENGE’ FALLEN US SERVICE MEMBERS AS TENSIONS WITH IRAN INTENSIFY His family said in a statement on Tuesday that he had always “felt a calling to serve his country,” living a life “defined by devotion, character, and service.” “He was deeply patriotic and took great pride in serving something greater than himself,” the family said. “He lived with purpose, loved deeply, and served honorably,” they continued. “His legacy will endure in the lives he touched, the example he set, and the love of country and family that defined him.” Khork had a passion for history, earning a degree in political science and becoming a leader in the ROTC program at Florida Southern College, according to his family. His awards include the meritorious service medal, Army Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 10 Year Device and “M” Device. The youngest of the four identified soldiers, Coady enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 as an Army information technology specialist and was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant. Coady was a sophomore at Drake University in Des Moines. The school said he was studying information systems, cybersecurity and computer science. The university released a statement describing Coady as “a well-loved and highly dedicated” student who “had an incredibly bright future ahead of him.” His awards include the National Defense Service Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon. Following the loss of the six soldiers, Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief of Army Reserve and commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, said each “served fearlessly and selflessly in defense of our nation.” “Their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their families, will never be forgotten,” Harter said. Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
US whiskey exports to Canada collapse nearly 70% after Trump tariff fight
EXCLUSIVE: LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A year after Canadian provinces yanked American whiskey from store shelves in a trade clash triggered by President Donald Trump’s tariffs, U.S. spirits exports have collapsed by nearly 70%, gutting what had been one of the industry’s most important overseas markets. In 2025, Canada slid from the second-largest destination for American spirits to sixth, as exports declined two-thirds to $89 million, according to data compiled by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). Before the dispute, the market had generated roughly $250 million annually for American distillers. The drop was immediate and relentless. From March through December, exports fell from $203 million in 2024 to just $60 million in 2025 — a roughly $143 million wipeout. FROM BOURBON TO BORDEAUX: TRUMP’S TARIFFS SPILL INTO GLOBAL BOOZE MARKETS Despite the lifting of some tariffs, most Canadian provinces continue to shut American alcohol out of retail stores. “Our industry thrives in a zero-for-zero tariff environment,” Chris Swonger, DISCUS president and CEO, told Fox News Digital. The export downturn comes as Trump continues to use tariffs as economic leverage — a strategy his administration argues is designed to strengthen U.S. manufacturing and reduce trade imbalances. While Swonger said the industry recognizes the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce trade imbalances, he noted that the loss of Canadian shelf space has had a significant impact on exports. “Since Liberation Day, it’s unfortunate to report that our industry has lost over 70% of our exports to Canada because many provinces have decided not to carry American spirits,” Swonger said. ‘WE WERE RIGHT’: HE TOOK TRUMP’S TARIFFS TO THE SUPREME COURT AND WON Nowhere is the fallout felt more acutely than in Kentucky, the epicenter of America’s bourbon business. The Bluegrass State is bourbon’s beating heart, producing 95% of the world’s supply, employing more than 23,000 workers and generating a cool $9 billion annually, according to figures provided by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. RAND PAUL: BOURBON INDUSTRY ‘HATES’ BEING A TARGET IN US TRADE FIGHTS For distillers on the ground, the trade dispute doesn’t end at the border. Owen Martin, master distiller at Angel’s Envy, said the consequences reach into the bourbon-making process itself. “There are the tariffs on finished goods and on us shipping abroad, but I’m even thinking a step below that,” Martin said. KENTUCKY LEADERS TOAST TO RECORD-BREAKING GROWTH IN THE BOURBON INDUSTRY He pointed to barrels as one example. By law, bourbon must be aged in new American oak barrels, which can only be used once for bourbon production. But port casks — used to finish Angel’s Envy bourbon — can be reused multiple times. “Those are the sorts of things, as a maker, that I have to be aware of in any given year,” Martin said. “You have different opportunities and different challenges.” Beyond supply chain pressures, the export downturn is largely tied to provincial retail bans in Canada. The majority of provinces have yet to restore American alcohol to government-run retail stores. Swonger said the dispute has produced a striking irony between two whiskey-loving nations. “American consumers love Canadian whisky, and Canadians love Kentucky bourbon,” he said. “We’re hoping this gets resolved.”
Combustible Republican Senate primary in Texas heading into overtime
AUSTIN, TEXAS – The expensive and contentious battle for the Republican Senate nomination in Texas is headed to a May runoff, after none of the three major candidates in the crowded field of contenders topped 50% of the vote in Tuesday’s primary election. Longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn will face off with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton after they finished in the top two in the primary, with Rep. Wesley Hunt in third place, the Associated Press reports. The winner will face off with either rising star state Rep. James Talarcio or progressive firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a vocal critic and foil of President Donald Trump, who were vying for the Democratic Senate nomination. Both are trying to become the first Democrat in nearly four decades to win a Senate election in right-leaning Texas. This year’s Senate showdown in Texas is one of a handful across the country that could determine if Republicans hold their majority in the chamber in the midterm elections. The GOP currently controls the chamber 53-47. IT’S SHOWDOWN DAY IN TEXAS AS COMBUSTIBLE BATTLES FOR THE DEMOCRATIC AND GOP SENATE NOMINATIONS COME TO A HEAD The Cornyn campaign and aligned super PACs spent nearly $100 million to run ads attacking Paxton and Hunt, with the senator charging in the closing weeks of the primary campaign that Democrats will flip the seat in the general election if Paxton’s the GOP’s nominee. Cornyn, his allies, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the campaign arm of the Senate GOP, repeatedly pointed to the slew of scandals and legal problems that have battered Paxton over the past decade, as well as his ongoing messy divorce. TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKE ROCKS SENATE PRIMARIES IN TEXAS “If I’m the nominee, I’ll help President Trump by making sure that we carry the five new congressional seats as well as maintain this Senate seat and will help him continue his agenda through the last two years of his term of office,” Cornyn touted in a Fox News Digital interview on Sunday. And, he argued, “If the Democrats win, because we nominate a flawed candidate with incredible baggage like the attorney general, then that last two years of [Trump’s] agenda is jeopardized, as well as everybody down ballot that we need to continue to elect as Republicans.” Speaking to reporters on primary night, Cornyn emphasized, “Over the next 12 weeks, Texas Republican primary voters will hear more about my record of delivering conservative victories in the United States Senate, and learn more about Ken’s indefensible personal behavior and failures in office.” “Just like the primary, we have a plan to win the runoff, and we are in the process of executing it. Judgment day is coming for Ken Paxton,” Cornyn vowed. PAXTON DEMANDS STRICTER VETTING AFTER DEADLY TEXAS RAMPAGE Paxton, a MAGA firebrand who grabbed significant national attention by filing lawsuits against the Obama and Biden administrations, pushed back, telling Fox News Digital on the eve of the primary that “I’m 3-0. I’ve won three statewide races.” Pointing to public opinion polls suggesting he has the edge over Cornyn, Paxton argued, “it’s really easy for him to say that when he’s losing a primary, because he’s not delivered for the people of Texas, and he’s going to find out tomorrow what that means. He’s going to end up losing.” “This idea that I can’t win a race is not true… there’s no evidence of what he’s saying is being true. As a matter of fact, the evidence is just the opposite,” Paxton added. On primary night, as he looked ahead to the runoff election, Paxton told supporters, “As we head into this runoff, we’re going to make the choice even clearer. While John Cornyn was cutting deals on gun control and amnesty, I was suing corrupt Joe Biden over 107 times.” Paxton was boosted a few weeks ago by an endorsement from the political wing of Turning Point USA, the powerful grassroots conservative organization that was long steered by the late Charlie Kirk. The GOP nomination battle was a two-person race until Hunt, a West Point graduate and military veteran who flew helicopters during his service and who represents a solidly red district in suburban Houston, announced his candidacy last autumn. “I think there’s going to be a runoff, no matter what happens,” Cornyn predicted on Sunday. Paxton, speaking to supporters on primary eve, touted that “if we go to a runoff, the odds get better for me,” as he pointed to what will likely be a smaller electorate for the May 26 runoff. Hunt, in a Fox News Digital interview on the eve of the primary, argued that he’s “the best candidate to win the primary and win the general.” TRUMP’S IRAN STRIKE ROCKS TEXAS SENATE RACE AS DEMS DEMAND ‘WAR POWERS,’ GOP APPLAUDS PRESIDENT And pointing to the negative ads from Cornyn and his allies that have targeted him the past couple of weeks, Hunt said, “They have spent tens of millions of dollars against me in the state of Texas, which means that I must be doing the right thing, and I must be a threat. DC will not decide who will be the next senator from Texas. Texans will and that’s why I got in this race.” Hunt fell far short of his goal. But in his concession speech, Hunt teased, “This will not be the last time you see my name on a ballot. I can assure you. We’ve learned some valuable lessons, have some valuable knowledge.” Trump, whose clout over the GOP remains immense, stayed neutral in the Republican primary race. All three candidates, who sought the president’s endorsement, were in attendance Friday as Trump held an event in Corpus Christi, Texas. “They’re in a little race together,” Trump said of Cornyn and Paxton. “You know that, right? A little bit of a race. It’s going to be an interesting one, right? They’re both great people, too.” Trump also complimented Hunt, and said that all three contenders were engaged
New York AG orders Manhattan hospital to resume gender-transition treatment for transgender youth
New York Attorney General Letitia James is instructing a Manhattan hospital to resume offering gender-transition treatment to transgender youth after it ended such treatments last month over funding threats from the Trump administration. NYU Langone’s decision to close its Transgender Youth Health Program violated the state’s anti-discrimination laws by “jeopardizing access to medically necessary healthcare for some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers,” James wrote in a Feb. 25 letter first made public this week. James’ office threatened “further action” if the hospital does not immediately resume offering hormone therapies, puberty blockers and other treatment to transgender youth. TOP NEW YORK HOSPITAL TO END TRANSGENDER PROGRAM FOR MINORS NYU Langone, one of the city’s largest hospital systems, said last month it would stop providing certain gender-transition treatments for patients under the age of 19. “Given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program,” NYU Langone spokesman Steve Ritea said in a statement at the time. “We are committed to helping patients in our care manage this change. This does not impact our pediatric mental health care programs, which will continue.” The hospital ceased admitting new patients into its transgender youth program last year after President Donald Trump signed an executive order entitled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” which aims to restrict gender-transition treatment for people under 19. Referencing Trump’s order, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services later announced a proposal to cut federal Medicaid and Medicare funding to hospitals that provide these treatments to transgender youth. But the Feb. 25 letter signed by the attorney general’s health care bureau chief, Darsana Srinivasan, said the proposal did not officially change federal law and did not affect a “medical institution’s existing duties and obligations under New York law.” “The sudden discontinuation of medically necessary transgender healthcare can have severe, negative health outcomes,” Srinivasan wrote. “Accordingly, the Attorney General is extremely concerned by your institution’s decision to cease the provision of care to this vulnerable, minority population.” LETITIA JAMES SUES HHS OVER TYING FEDERAL FUNDS TO TRANSGENDER POLICY The letter gives the hospital until March 11 to show its compliance, although it is unclear what steps would be taken if it fails to resume the treatments. Several other hospitals across the country have also halted transgender youth treatments following Trump’s executive order and funding threats. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Suspect arrested outside Paxton HQ with ammo in car following disturbance
Ahead of the polls closing in Texas Tuesday, on the first major primary night of the 2026 midterms, a suspect in possession of ammo was arrested outside GOP candidate Ken Paxton’s Dallas headquarters around 5:15 p.m., later found to be making a delivery to an employee. The incident follows what officials are investigating as a terror-related mass shooting outside an Austin bar, by a man who was in possession of an Iranian flag and who was wearing a shirt that read “Property of Allah.” Video of the Tuesday early-evening incident shows ammo being placed on the hood of a car as they searched the vehicle in question. The suspect handcuffed can also be seen. Following an interview with the suspect, investigators determined the individual was at the location to make a delivery to an employee. He was transported to the Dallas County Jail without incident. AUSTIN BAR SHOOTING VICTIMS NAMED AS FBI INVESTIGATES POTENTIAL TERRORISM NEXUS The arrest came after Dallas police officers were called to the 3000 block of Fairmount Street due to reports of a “suspicious individual,” according to authorities. The suspect reportedly entered a vehicle that did not have license plates properly displayed and proceeded to leave the area. Officers then conducted a traffic stop and the driver was subsequently arrested for traffic violations. After police searched the suspect’s vehicle, they found ammunition inside the car. Tuesday marked the first major primary night of the 2026 midterms, which will culminate with a slew of general elections in November. TEXAS DA SAYS NO CHARGES FOR POLICE IN TERROR ATTACK RESPONSE AMID CRITICISM OF MANDATORY GRAND JURY REVIEW Texas is facing some contentious primaries Tuesday, including Paxton’s U.S. Senate race and a slew of important House races. After calls from Democrats to extend voting hours Tuesday, a judge decided to keep them open an extra two hours until 9:00 p.m. The extension followed chaos because local Republican parties refused to hold joint primaries with Democrats, creating changes in typical ballot casting structures, according to the Associated Press. Paxton is facing up against longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who has held the seat since 2002. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, is also in the race and will likely force a runoff race, experts have indicated. Due to the likelihood of a runoff, the results probably will take several weeks for the Texas GOP Senate primary.