The Austin Democrat, who won his party’s nomination in March, led Cornyn and Paxton in two successive polls, though he did not crack 50%.
Gabby Birenbaum
Gabby Birenbaum is the Washington Correspondent for the Texas Tribune. She covers the Texas congressional delegation and the impact of federal policy on Texas. Gabby previously covered Washington for The Nevada Independent, where she wrote the weekly D.C. Download newsletter and covered the 2024 presidential election and competitive Senate race. Prior to The Nevada Independent, Gabby worked at The Washington Monthly and Vox. Gabby graduated from Northwestern University, where she studied journalism and political science. She is a native of Arlington, Virginia and is based in Washington, DC. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, watching movies and being a long-suffering fan of DC sports teams. Her work is supported by a partnership with Report for America.
Posted in
Congress
North Texas Rep. Pat Fallon running to lead GOP on influential House Oversight Committee
Separately, Amarillo Rep. Ronny Jackson is considering a bid for the top Republican spot on the House Armed Services Committee in the next Congress.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
After Virginia’s referendum, the Texas-ignited redistricting war is looking like a wash
Most Texas Republicans remained supportive of their state’s redraw even as their gains have been wiped out by California and Virginia.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Top Democratic PAC books $22 million in ads, Republican counterpart reserves $14 million for U.S. House seats in South Texas
House Majority PAC is targeting five majority-Hispanic seats, including the 23rd Congressional District, which was recently vacated by Republican Tony Gonzales. The top Republican group is spending $13.9 million on two seats.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
On the issues: A Q&A with Ken Paxton and John Cornyn
As Cornyn and Paxton head to the runoff, we updated our Q&A to reflect the two candidates. Both declined to participate, so we used their past statements and voting history to show where they stand on foreign policy, AI and other key issues.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
John Cornyn wallops Ken Paxton in first quarter fundraising for U.S. Senate seat
Both Republican candidates lagged far behind Democratic candidate James Talarico.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
James Talarico raises record-breaking $27 million in first quarter for Senate bid
The Austin Democrat’s haul is the largest-ever sum for a Senate candidate — in any state — in the first quarter of an election year.
Posted in
Congress
Rep. Tony Gonzales resigns from Congress amid backlash over sexual misconduct allegations
House members were set to vote this week on expelling both the San Antonio Republican and Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell. Gonzales’ announcement came shortly after Swalwell said he would step down.
Posted in
Congress
Rep. Tony Gonzales could face expulsion from Congress amid furor over sexual misconduct
U.S. House members say they will bring resolutions to the floor this week to expel the Republican Gonzales and Democrat Eric Swalwell. Each motion would require a two-thirds majority.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Five weeks after teasing endorsement, Trump remains on the sidelines of Cornyn-Paxton Senate runoff
The president could still weigh in over the next seven weeks. But his inaction before last month’s dropout deadline has only hardened the rivalry.