U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt are competing to be the Republican nominee come November, with stakes that will be felt across Texas and in Washington.
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
2026 Texas Elections
Can Jasmine Crockett’s East Texas past give her an electoral boost in rural Texas?
Before she was a firebrand congresswoman, Jasmine Crockett was a public defender — and local Democratic party chair — in Texarkana.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Jasmine Crockett leads James Talarico by double digits in Senate Democratic primary, poll finds
On the Republican side, Ken Paxton and John Cornyn were neck-and-neck and in position for a runoff, according to the poll from the University of Texas’ Texas Politics Project.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales says he won’t resign despite explicit texts with staffer
A growing number of House Republicans have called for Gonzales’ ouster — though he has yet to explicitly lose the support of any members who endorsed him.
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2026 Texas Elections
Rep. Tony Gonzales attacks primary opponent amid reporting of his affair with aide who died by suicide
The San Antonio Express-News reported on a text message from a staffer admitting to having an affair with Gonzales. The staffer died last year after setting herself on fire in Uvalde.
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2026 Texas Elections
Dan Crenshaw vs. Steve Toth primary is a fight over who’s the real RINO
Crenshaw, fighting to remain in his Houston-area congressional seat, has drawn criticism from right-wing media and a challenge from Toth, among the most conservative members of the Texas House.
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2026 Texas Elections
Trump lawyer sends cease-and-desist letter to Brandon Herrera over use of president’s image in campaign ad
The letter says Herrera’s mailer depicting him next to the president “is inconsistent with President Trump’s unequivocal endorsement” of Rep. Tony Gonzales in the GOP primary for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.
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2026 Texas Elections
Rep. James Talarico raises $7.4 million in first six weeks of 2026 in bid for U.S. Senate
Talarico’s haul, announced days before early voting, already outpaces what he raised over the last three months of last year.
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Transportation
El Paso airspace reopened after FAA quickly rescinds 10-day flight restrictions
A source told the Tribune that Defense Department drones spurred the announced closure, but the White House said unmanned craft were flown by Mexican cartels.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
GOP Senate candidates pitch themselves as best to boost down-ballot Republicans
Both John Cornyn and Ken Paxton argue they’re best equipped to carry the torch for Republicans and fight off Democratic headwinds in local races.
