Democrats see red meat in Paxton primary blowout

Link copied by Jared Gans - 05/27/26 6:57 AM ET Link copied NOW PLAYING In today s issue: Southern states redistricting tit-for-tat Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton may have trounced Sen. John Cornyn (R) for the GOP nomination for Senate, but Democrats are feeling like the big winner from Texas s primary results Tuesday night. The controversial Paxton s victory sets up the general election matchup Democrats believe gives them their best chance in decades of flipping the Lonestar State, rallying around Democratic nominee James Talarico, who quickly released his first video for the general election. If we the people can come together to defeat the most corrupt politician in America, we can defeat this entire corrupt system, Talarico said in the direct-to-camera spot. In one sign of Democrats boosted odds, the election handicapper Cook Political Report shifted its rating of the Texas Senate race from likely Republican to lean Republican following Paxton s primary win. Given the national environment, this is a race that certainly may have become competitive even if Cornyn had won, but Paxton s flaws warrant an immediate move to the Lean column, Cook Political Report Senate and governors editor Jessica Taylor wrote in her analysis explaining the move. As Taylor notes, Democrats were already eyeing Texas as a potential pickup opportunity. Their lead in the generic congressional ballot has been widening recently, currently standing at more than 7 points, according to Decision Desk HQ. But they have long viewed Paxton as their ideal opponent. He has been surrounded by controversy since soon after he first took office as state attorney general, indicted in 2015 on allegations that he defrauded investors in a tech start-up. Paxton maintained his innocence but ultimately agreed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution as part of a settlement to end the case in 2024. Paxton was impeached by the Texas state House the year before over allegations of misusing his office to benefit a friend and real estate developer who was a donor to his campaign. He was ultimately acquitted by the state Senate. He s also faced more personal controversy, as his wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce from him last year, accusing him of adultery in her filing. Cornyn spent tens of millions of dollars in the primary attacking Paxton over the controversies, and Democrats are picking up where he left off. To Senator Cornyn s supporters: you have a place in our campaign, Talarico said in a post on the social platform X. Cornyn, who previously wouldn t say whether he would support Paxton if he won the nomination, didn t mention his opponent in his concession speech Tuesday, but he said he would support the Republican ticket. But the GOP will have its work cut out for itself to unify the party, as the Senate Republicans campaign arm has spent months lambasting Paxton in an attempt to boost Cornyn. The GOP attacks on Talarico for being too liberal for Texas have already begun, with ads highlighting his past comments on culture wars issues like transgender rights and abortion. Paxton s win may also reverberate well beyond his fight with Talarico. Cornyn warned his opponent would set back Republicans down the ticket. And the GOP will need to spend big to help Paxton get across the finish line in November, funds that could be spent on other key Senate races. The Hill: Five takeaways from Texas s primary runoffs. NBC News: Cornyn undone after years as loyal party man. The Hill: Democrat accused of antisemitism defeated in House runoff President Donald Trump departs Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, May 26, 2026, in Bethesda, Md. (Alex Brandon, Associated Press) CHECK, CHECK, CHECK: President Trump s assertion that he received a clean bill of health from his physical on Tuesday is unlikely to quell speculation about his well-being. Just finished my 6 month physical at Walter Reed Military Medical Center. Everything checked out PERFECTLY. Thank you to the great Doctors and Staff! Trump said in a short post on Truth Social. The White House said Trump underwent a routine assessment as part of his regular preventative health care. But the fact that this was his third trip to Walter Reed in the past 13 months renewed discussions about the president s health as he is about to turn 80 years old next month. Trump first went to Walter Reed during his second term last April. He received an ultrasound of his veins and was eventually diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition in older people in which blood has more difficulty traveling up the body. He returned to the medical center in October for a secondary exam and stirred confusion after he told reporters he underwent a perfect M.R.I. scan, declining to say why doctors ordered it. He later said he misspoke and underwent a C.T. scan, which physician Sean Barbabella said was to definitely rule out any cardiovascular issues. Photos of bruises on T

Democrats see red meat in Paxton primary blowout

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Democrats see red meat in Paxton primary blowout

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