Politics - CBSNews.com
Middleton wins Texas GOP attorney general runoff over Rep. Roy
Middleton, currently a State Senator, emerged victorious after a contentious fight.
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The Federalist
Ken Paxton Unseats John Cornyn In Latest Blowout Defeat For Establishment GOP
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The race was largely viewed as a referendum on establishment Republicans' reluctance to deliver wins like the Save America Act.
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Raw Story
Ken Paxton roundly mocked by observers after victory speech: 'He has no juice!'
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was roundly mocked on Tuesday night after he gave his victory speech for defeating incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in the state's runoff election. Paxton was declared the winner just after polls closed at 9 p.m. ET. He will move on to face Democratic Texas state lawmaker James Talarico in November, a race that some GOP pundits have suggested will be expensive because Paxton is not known for his fundraising skills. During his speech, Paxton took a shot at Talarico by calling him a "vegan" and a "threat to our way of life." "He's a threat to our very way of life and our values," Paxton said dryly. "I mean, he's a vegan who thinks God in nonbinary, and he thinks there are six biological genders." Political analysts and observers roundly mocked Paxton online. "Paxton is favored just because of the state's partisan lean, but it is wild to me that this guy has made it this far in state politics. He has no juice! none! zilch!" Jamelle Bouie, a columnist at The New York Times, posted on Bluesky. "Incredible that they've taken Talarico saying his order at a particular taco place was a potato, egg, and cheese breakfast taco and turned that into 'he's a vegan,'" immigration attorney Aaron Reichlin-Melnick posted on Bluesky. "Just straight-up old-school flim-flam.""These people are too online, I don’t think the average person even knows what it means to say God is nonbinary or importantly cares when gas is $4 a gallon," Zaid Jilani, a writer, posted on X. "I hope the Texans who voted for him can stuff red meat in their gas tanks, which — on account of having a hole — must be female, while they are praying to be able to afford their groceries," Branislav Slantchev, a political science professor at UCSD, posted on X.
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Raw Story
GOP scheme to boost extremist candidate in primary race backfires spectacularly
Republican efforts to interfere in a Democratic congressional primary in Texas ended in failure on Tuesday night.According to Decision Desk HQ and the Associated Press, Bexar County Sheriff's Deputy Johnny Garcia has defeated sex therapist Maureen Galindo in a closely-watched contest for the Democratic nomination for Texas's 35th Congressional District.Galindo attracted national attention for a number of extreme and antisemitic statements, including the vow to convert Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities into prisons for "American Zionists" and claims that her opponent was involved in human trafficking.The situation was further amplified by reporting that Lead Left PAC, a shadowy progressive-sounding political group that was in fact controlled by Republican operatives, was pumping money into the race on Galindo's behalf — an evident attempt to boost the candidate whom Republicans saw as weaker.The final few weeks of the campaign saw a huge spectrum of national and local Democratic leaders endorsing Garcia, from Blue Dogs to progressives, as well as an aggressive ad campaign warning voters that Galindo had an extremist record and was being supported by Republican dark money.The 35th District is one of many that were redrawn to be more GOP-leaning in the Trump-backed congressional gerrymander. Democrats remain hopeful that in a heavily anti-Trump environment, they can still win the seat.
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Washington Examiner
Paxton beats Cornyn in high-profile Texas Senate GOP runoff
Four-term Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) lost renomination to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday in a GOP primary that became a referendum on loyalty to President Donald Trump. The Trump-backed Paxton received 62.5% of the votes compared to Cornyn’s 37.5% when the Associated Press called the race. The three-term attorney general will face off […]
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NBC News Politics
Cornyn concedes after projected loss in Texas Senate primary
Sen. John Cornyn spoke to supporters saying “we’ve come up short” after his projected defeat by Trump-backed candidate Ken Paxton in the Republican Senate primary in Texas.
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NYT > U.S. > Politics
Cornyn Crushed: 7 Takeaways From Tuesday’s Runoffs in Texas
President Trump’s record of ousting those he sees as disloyal continued apace with Senator John Cornyn’s defeat. Whether his relationship with Senate Republicans can be repaired is another question.
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NBC News Politics
Ken Paxton defeats GOP Sen. John Cornyn in Texas primary runoff
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has defeated Sen.
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Politics
Rep. Christian Menefee defeats fellow Rep. Al Green in Texas House runoff
The 38-year-old Democrat’s victory in the newly drawn Houston-based district is the party’s latest sign of generational change.
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