Andrew Schneider | Houston Public Media

Cornyn is seeking Texas Republicans’ nomination for a fifth term, in a contest that has seen bitter and expensive attacks on all sides. A new poll shows Paxton pulling away from Cornyn, but with no candidate leading by enough to avoid a runoff.

The Houston-centered congressional seat has been vacant for the past 332 days, since the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner.

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and Austin state Rep. James Talarico are the two leading candidates in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat held by Republican incumbent John Cornyn.

An approaching primary election was a factor in Thursday’s Supreme Court decision to set aside a lower court’s ruling that had blocked the Republican-backed map from taking effect. A key question moving forward is whether the lines were redrawn based on race or partisan politics.

Abbott declared the Council on American-Islamic Relations a foreign terrorist organization and a transnational criminal organization, invoking a 2023 Texas statute. CAIR is suing the governor, alleging violations of due process and freedom of speech.

Virts withdrew from his longshot bid for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican John Cornyn. Instead, he’s running for Texas’ 9th Congressional District.

Tax reform, along with bail practices, dementia research and the state's water supply, are on a ballot that includes 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution. Early voting starts Monday. Election Day is Nov. 4.

Most U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees are considered essential government employees and will remain on the job, despite the federal government shutdown that began at midnight Eastern Time. But that could change if the shutdown lasts more than a few weeks, and customs inspectors start calling in “sick.”

Civil rights groups argue that the state’s mid-decade congressional redistricting plan amounts to racial gerrymandering, making it unconstitutional. They’re seeking an injunction to block it from taking effect before congressional candidates have to register for the 2026 midterm elections.

The party’s executive committee approved a strategic effort that involves shifting its headquarters to Dallas, while maintaining an office in Austin, opening new offices in Houston, Amarillo, Eagle Pass, and potentially the Rio Grande Valley. Analysts say it will take years for the plan to pay dividends.