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Cornyn’s election night party quiet as senator addresses crowd from Austin<\/p>\n
Sen. John Cornyn’s<\/a> runoff election night watch party at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin remains quiet as results pour in from polls across the state.<\/p>\n A staff member for Cornyn announced the senator will appear to address those present at 8:15 p.m. Central Time.<\/p>\n There are no monitors or updates streaming into the room, which is set up with just just a simple podium and backdrop with a U.S. and Texas state flag. The room is primarily filled with members of the media busily clicking away at their computers. With very few supporters present, one could be heard saying she was going to watch the remainder of the race at the hotel bar.<\/p>\n Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.<\/p>\n 18 mins agoCruz backs Paxton after decisive Texas Senate runoff victory<\/p>\n Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced his support for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Tuesday night following his decisive victory<\/a> in the Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff<\/p>\n \u201cCongratulations to Attorney General Ken Paxton on tonight\u2019s victory,\u201d Cruz said in a statement. \u201cHe has my full support and endorsement as the Republican nominee.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cKen is a fearless conservative who spent years taking on Texas\u2019s toughest battles as attorney general and has proven that he will always fight for and defend the Lone Star State,\u201d Cruz continued. \u201cHe will continue that fight in the U.S. Senate, and I look forward to fighting alongside him.\u201d<\/p>\n Cruz also addressed longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn, whom Paxton defeated in the runoff.<\/p>\n \u201cI also want to congratulate and thank my friend Senator John Cornyn for his many years of dedicated service to Texas and our country,\u201d Cruz\u00a0said. \u201cIt has been an honor to serve alongside him for over a decade. He spent decades fighting for the Lone Star State, and his service in the Senate has left a significant mark on Texas and the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n Cruz then turned his attention to the general election, saying Republicans must unite to defeat Paxton\u2019s November opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, a rising figure in the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, it\u2019s time to unite to make sure that Texas stays Texas,\u201d Cruz said. \u201cJames Talarico is radical, dangerous, and does not represent the values, ideas, or principles of the Lone Star State. Defeating him is critical.”<\/p>\n Posted by Michael Sinkewicz<\/p>\n 38 mins agoBarrasso backs Paxton after Texas GOP Senate runoff victory<\/p>\n Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., expressed support for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Tuesday night following his victory<\/a> in the Lone Star State\u2019s Republican Senate primary runoff.<\/p>\n \u201cA vote for @KenPaxtonTX in November is a vote for a safer, stronger, and more prosperous America,\u201d Barrasso wrote on X. \u201cHe has my endorsement and support.\u201d<\/p>\n Paxton defeated Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in Tuesday\u2019s runoff election for the Republican nomination.<\/p>\n Barrasso also took aim at Paxton\u2019s expected general election opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, who is viewed as a rising figure in the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n \u201cJames Talarico is a far-left extremist,\u201d Barrasso said. \u201cHe is a rubber stamp for open borders, illegal immigrant criminals, and men playing in women\u2019s sports.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTalarico is too radical for Texas,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Posted by Michael Sinkewicz<\/p>\n 49 mins agoPaxton supporters appreciate Trump\u2019s endorsement but say it was late<\/p>\n Some supporters at Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton\u2019s election night watch party in Plano said their backing of the Republican incumbent long predated President Donald Trump\u2019s endorsement in the race. <\/p>\n As attendees gathered around television screens Tuesday night awaiting results, several supporters described Paxton as a longtime favorite among Texas conservatives, arguing that Trump\u2019s endorsement reinforced \u2014 rather than created \u2014 enthusiasm for his campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were with Ken before Trump got involved,\u201d one supporter said while standing near the ballroom stage as country and classic rock music played overhead. \u201cThe endorsement helped, but it came kinda late.\u201d<\/p>\n Lisa Full of McKinney, Texas, echoed that sentiment in an interview with Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n \u201cI was at the rally when Trump endorsed Paxton, and honestly, I felt like he already had the votes,\u201d Full said. <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think the endorsement changed much for most people because we were already behind Paxton. It may have helped with some voters, but the majority of people I talked to were already supporting him.\u201d<\/p>\n Christie Grubbs, a school teacher attending the event, told Fox News Digital she supported Paxton because of his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas, saying his response during that period helped earn her vote.<\/p>\n 1 hour agoPhotos show contrast between Paxton, Cornyn election night watch parties<\/p>\n Sen. John Cornyn’s runoff election night watch party at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin remained quiet as results poured in from polls across the state. Cornyn addressed those present around 8:15 p.m. Central Time.<\/p>\n There are no monitors or updates streaming into the room, which was set up with just just a simple podium and backdrop with a U.S. and Texas state flag.<\/a> The room was primarily filled with members of the media busily clicking away at their computers. With very few supporters present, one could be heard saying she was going to watch the remainder of the race at the hotel bar.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, celebration erupted inside Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton\u2019s<\/a> election night watch party in Plano on Tuesday evening as news networks called the race in his favor.<\/p>\n Supporters packed into the ballroom burst into cheers and applause as the victory announcement flashed across television screens positioned throughout the venue. Some attendees waved campaign signs and raised their drinks in celebration, while others embraced and snapped photos near campaign banners.<\/p>\n Chants broke out across sections of the venue as country music played overhead. Campaign staff<\/a> and longtime supporters moved toward the front of the ballroom as attendees gathered near the stage before Paxton addressed his crowd as well.<\/p>\n Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo and Amanda Macias contributed to this report.<\/p>\n Breaking News2 hours agoTrump-backed Paxton wins Texas GOP Senate runoff, ending Cornyn\u2019s longtime reign<\/p>\n President Donald Trump and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/a> are the winners in the Lone Star State’s bitter Republican Senate primary battle, which has spanned for more than a year and became the most expensive Senate primary in history.<\/p>\n Paxton, who was endorsed by Trump just one week ago, defeated longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn in Tuesday’s runoff election for the Republican nomination, the Associated Press reports.<\/p>\n Paxton now faces off against state Rep. James Talarico \u2014 a rising star in the Democratic Party \u2014 in the general election in a race that is among a handful that may decide if the Republicans hold their slim 53-47 majority in the Senate. Talarico, who topped progressive star Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a vocal Trump critic, in the March primary, is trying to become the first Democrat in nearly four decades to win a Senate election in Texas.<\/p>\n Trump targeted Cornyn as “VERY disloyal” in the final days of the runoff campaign, as he backed Paxton, a major Trump ally and MAGA firebrand. The ballot-box showdown in right-leaning Texas served as the latest test of Trump’s immense grip over the Republican Party and the strength of his endorsements in GOP nomination races.<\/p>\n After sitting on the sidelines for months, Trump last Tuesday endorsed Paxton, calling him a \u201ctrue MAGA warrior.\u201d<\/p>\n Cornyn, who was supported by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee, repeatedly argued that if Paxton was the GOP’s nominee, the party will be forced to spend millions of dollars to keep the seat from flipping and that Republicans down-ballot will suffer.<\/p>\n Paxton and Talarico will now face off in November\u2019s midterm election.<\/p>\n 2 hours agoCelebration erupts at Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton\u2019s watch party<\/p>\n Celebration erupted inside Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton\u2019s election night watch party in Plano on Tuesday evening as news networks called the race in his favor.<\/p>\n Supporters packed into the ballroom burst into cheers and applause as the victory announcement flashed across television screens positioned throughout the venue. Some attendees waved campaign signs and raised their drinks in celebration, while others embraced and snapped photos near campaign banners.<\/p>\n The crowd had spent much of the evening mingling over plates of barbecue brisket, nachos and french fries while awaiting results. But the mood inside the room quickly shifted once the race was called, with chants breaking out across sections of the venue as country music played overhead.<\/p>\n Campaign staff and longtime supporters moved toward the front of the ballroom as attendees gathered near the stage in anticipation of remarks from Paxton later in the night. Songs including “YMCA” by the Village People, Van Halen\u2019s \u201cJump\u201d and Creedence Clearwater Revival\u2019s \u201cFortunate Son\u201d played throughout the ballroom as supporters celebrated the victory.<\/p>\n The upscale watch party featured classic Texas fare, including shredded chicken and slow-roasted brisket served in cast-iron skillets, along with a nacho bar stocked with guacamole, shredded cheese and pickled jalape\u00f1os. A charcuterie display with fruit, cheeses and nuts offered lighter options for guests.<\/p>\n At the bar, supporters ordered ranch waters, margaritas and Shiner Bock beers as the atmosphere turned increasingly jubilant following the race call. By 8 p.m. local time, the event had taken on the feel of a full-fledged victory celebration, with supporters crowding around televisions and chanting Paxton\u2019s name as final results continued to come in.<\/p>\n 2 hours agoGOP’s Senate campaign arm calls Texas Dem Talarico ‘most dangerous flank of the far left’<\/p>\n The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) slammed Democratic Party candidate for U.S. Senate<\/a> in Texas, James Talarico, in a statement ahead of the polls closing Tuesday night in the state’s slate of primary runoffs. <\/p>\n “A state President Trump won by nearly 14 points isn\u2019t going to elect James Talarico<\/a> \u2014 a radical leftist who thinks God is nonbinary and that Texas<\/a> should be a welcome mat for illegals,” NRSC Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell said “He is the most dangerous flank of the far left. Texas isn\u2019t swapping brisket for open borders.” <\/p>\n Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.<\/p>\n 2 hours agoClub for Growth backs Paxton, launches \u2018woke weirdo\u2019 ad against Texas Democrat<\/p>\n A deep-pocketed and influential conservative political group, Club for Growth,<\/a> is jumping into Texas\u2019 Senate fight behind Ken Paxton, endorsing the Trump-backed attorney general while its affiliated Win It Back PAC is set to launch a new ad branding Democratic nominee James Talarico<\/a> a \u201cwoke weirdo for Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n Talarico will face the winner of Tuesday\u2019s Republican runoff between Paxton and incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in November.<\/p>\n The \u201cDavy Crockett\u201d ad seeks to define Talarico as culturally out of step with Texas voters, highlighting past comments about pronouns, race, Christianity, gender and meat consumption. <\/p>\n The ad mocks Talarico as \u201cthe weirdest candidate for Senate the Lone Star State<\/a> has ever seen,\u201d saying he is \u201cfighting for all six genders and tens of thousands of species\u201d and joking that his \u201c11th commandment\u201d is \u201cthou shalt not smoke brisket.\u201d<\/p>\n The ad will start running tomorrow morning, Fox News Digital was told.<\/p>\n Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.<\/p>\n 3 hours agoAngela Paxton backs GOP runoff candidates, stays silent on husband\u2019s Senate bid amid divorce<\/p>\n While taking to social media to post several endorsements for the Republican primary runoff, Texas Sen. Angela Paxton omitted any mention of her husband Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/a>‘s Senate primary battle against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.<\/p>\n In an X post Tuesday afternoon, she urged Republicans to vote in various statewide races \u2014 even highlighting the attorney general seat her husband is vacating.<\/p>\n The glaring non-endorsement represents a sharp departure for the state senator who was previously a key fixture in her husband’s political campaigns and stood by him during his 2023 impeachment trial over corruption allegations \u2014 which included claims of an extramarital affair.<\/p>\n Angela Paxton previously announced she is ending their 38-year marriage on “biblical grounds,” saying that “in light of recent discoveries,” remaining in the marriage no longer honors God, herself or her children.<\/p>\n Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.<\/p>\n 3 hours agoTrump comms advisor slams John Cornyn, Chip Roy as ‘RINOs’ ahead of Tuesday night elections<\/p>\n Alex Bruesewitz, a communications advisor for President Donald Trump<\/a> credited with helping get celebrity performer Nicki Minaj to endorse the president’s policies, campaigned against two longtime Republicans running in major elections Tuesday night. <\/p>\n Bruesewitz called John Cornyn, who is battling Trump-backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a GOP runoff election Tuesday night, and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, “Republicans in name only” using the acronym “RINO” in a post on X ahead of the night’s races. <\/p>\n “Texas, today you have a real shot at defeating TWO anti-MAGA RINOs: John Cornyn<\/a> is facing Ken Paxton. Chip Roy is running against Mayes Middleton for Attorney General,” he posted Tuesday. “Never forget: both Cornyn and Roy spent years working against Trump and actively tried to defeat him in 2024. They both need to go! Get out and vote for the MAGA candidates NOW!”<\/p>\n Trump endorsed<\/a> Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn in the state\u2019s Senate runoff, saying Cornyn \u201cwas not supportive of me when times were tough,\u201d while praising Paxton as a \u201ctrue MAGA Warrior who has always delivered for Texas.\u201d <\/p>\n Roy has also drawn Trump\u2019s ire despite his hardline conservative record, including after he backed Ron DeSantis over Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primary. Trump publicly called Roy a \u201cRINO\u201d and discussed recruiting a primary challenger against him.<\/p>\n 3 hours agoFort Bend County voting outage sparks fears over uncounted ballots<\/p>\n A county-wide voting machine and poll book outage in Fort Bend County, Texas<\/a>, has severely disrupted voting, prompting local officials and the Democratic Party to urge residents to request provisional ballots.<\/p>\n While efforts are currently underway to extend polling hours as machines are updated, the Fort Bend County Democratic Party issued a stark warning to voters: extended hours may not guarantee a counted vote.<\/p>\n The party noted that during a similar voting disruption in Dallas County’s March Primary, the Texas Supreme Court ruled ballots cast after 7 p.m. local time were legally ineligible to be counted.<\/p>\n Precinct Four commissioner Dexter McCoy told voters not to let the technical glitches deter them, advising residents to “stay in line” and ensure their vote is documented.<\/p>\n “Go to your nearest voting location and cast your ballot, even if it needs to be a provisional ballot,” McCoy wrote in a statement. “Every eligible voter deserves to have their voice heard, and no voter should walk away believing their vote does not matter. … Do not give up. Stay in line, ask questions if you need help, and make sure your ballot is cast.”<\/p>\n 3 hours agoBrisket, nachos and ranch waters: Inside Ken Paxton\u2019s election night watch party<\/p>\n At Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton\u2019s<\/a> watch party in Plano, guests are being treated to a menu that leans heavily into classic Texas comfort food. <\/p>\n The spread features shredded chicken and slow-roasted barbecue brisket served in cast-iron skillets, along with a \u201cdeluxe\u201d nacho bar and a fully loaded french fry bar. <\/p>\n Loads of guacamole, shredded cheese and pickled jalape\u00f1os round out the spread \u2014 all the traditional fixings you\u2019d expect to find at a Texas<\/a> political gathering. For attendees looking for lighter fare, there\u2019s also a charcuterie table stocked with fresh fruit, cheeses and assorted nuts. <\/p>\n Servers circulated through the ballroom throughout the evening, refreshing trays and checking on guests as supporters gathered around televisions waiting for election results to roll in.<\/p>\n The drink menu, however, may leave some guests doing a double take. <\/p>\n The credit card-only bar has sodas priced at $9, while house wine \u2014 including a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and a California Pinot Noir \u2014 is going for $19 a glass. Premium mixed drinks, including margaritas and ranch waters, cost $18, while a beloved Texas Shiner Bock beer is listed at $14.<\/p>\n The atmosphere inside the venue felt equal parts campaign rally and upscale reception, with attendees mingling over plates of barbecue and Tex-Mex staples as country music played in the background and campaign staff moved through the crowd. <\/p>\n The music in the ballroom has mostly been classic country songs. There’s one large monitor showing Fox News’ coverage of the race.<\/p>\n Some guests snapped photos near campaign signage and television cameras, while others huddled around tables discussing early turnout numbers and election night expectations.<\/p>\n 3 hours agoRep Gill backs Paxton over Cornyn, slams ‘old school’ establishment<\/p>\n Rep. Brandon Gill<\/a>, R-Texas, is framing the battle for the Texas GOP ticket as a stark choice between the “old school GOP” and a proven conservative “fighter.”<\/p>\n During an interview with CNN, Gill took aim at incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, criticizing him for having a “long history” of supporting amnesty.<\/p>\n Instead, Gill is championing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the job, citing his record in the AG’s office and highlighting him as a relentless advocate who will defend Texas values in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n “The people in Texas are looking for somebody who’s going to do what they said they were going to do on the campaign trail,” Gill said. “I believe that’s not John Cornyn, that is Ken Paxton.”<\/p>\n 4 hours agoSen Mike Lee endorses Chip Roy for Texas AG: ‘Exactly who you need’<\/p>\n Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, threw his support behind Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who is running for Texas<\/a> attorney general.<\/p>\n “Texans: Please vote for Chip Roy today,” Lee wrote in an X post Tuesday afternoon. “He\u2019s a proven lawyer, conservative, and American patriot\u2014exactly who you need as Texas Attorney General.”<\/p>\n 4 hours agoTalarico denies being vegan, says he has ‘pretty good’ chances in November<\/p>\n Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is pushing back against claims that he is a vegan<\/a> after catching heat from President Donald Trump and top Republicans ahead of Tuesday’s primary race.<\/p>\n Fending off the accusations during an interview on far-left news outlet MeidasTouch, Talarico said the the dietary rumors were untrue \u2014 citing his Lone Star State roots and taking a swing at Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.<\/p>\n “I\u2019m an eighth-generation Texan,” Talarico told the outlet. “I\u2019ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton\u2019s first indictment. And if all they have on me is lying about me being a vegan, I feel pretty good about our chances this November.”<\/p>\n Amid the backlash, the Talarico campaign blasted out a photo of the candidate wearing a Texas flag shirt and taking a massive bite out of a turkey leg. The photo was captioned: “Official Statement from James Talarico on Vegan Accusations.”<\/p>\n The dietary controversy ignited when Trump told reporters “you can\u2019t get elected as a vegan in Texas,” an apparent reference to an unearthed 2022 video where Talarico called reducing meat consumption an “existential” necessity and boasted about running a “non-meat campaign.”<\/p>\n The resurfaced clip drew fierce backlash from Texas Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz, who labeled Talarico a “freak” who wants to “ban BBQ.”<\/p>\n Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.<\/p>\n 5 hours agoRNC chair likens Trump endorsement to ‘Disney Fast Pass’ in Texas GOP runoff<\/p>\n During an appearance Tuesday on Fox News’ “The Story,” Republican National Committee<\/a> (RNC) Chairman Joe Gruters highlighted President Donald Trump’s dominant track record in picking conservative winners, with an undefeated 37-0 streak in primary contests.<\/p>\n “I always say it’s like a Disney fast pass: you go right to the front if you get that endorsement,” Gruters said.<\/p>\n The comments come amid a tense race as four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is challenged by state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who recently secured an endorsement from the president.<\/p>\n Gruters emphasized the conservative base “loves the president,” noting that when Trump backs a candidate, “those candidates usually win.”<\/p>\n While the RNC maintains neutrality during primary races to let the process “play out,” he said the committee is already aggressively laying the groundwork for the midterm elections.<\/p>\n “No matter what happens, we’re going to be there to make sure we pick up the flag of our primary winner, and we’re going to make sure that we take them all the way through the November race to make that we’re successful in winning this Texas seat,” Gruters said.<\/p>\n 5 hours agoTexas campaign calls for extended voting hours after machines go down in Fort Bend County<\/p>\n Campaign managers for Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas, told FOX 26 they are calling for a poll hour extension following reports that voting machines in Fort Bend County<\/a> have been down since at least 3:15 p.m. local time, with no clear timeline for when they will be restored. <\/p>\n Fort Bend County officials have confirmed the outages.<\/p>\n “To every voter in Fort Bend County: please still go vote. Officials are working to fix this as quickly as possible. In the meantime, eligible voters may cast a provisional ballot. Your vote matters, and we want you to cast it,” Menefee wrote in a statement to affiliate FOX 26 Houston.<\/p>\n “Fort Bend County officials must do what is necessary to extend poll hours tonight,” he continued. “Voters should not lose a single minute of their right to vote because of a technical failure outside of their control. The right to vote is too important to shortchange anyone.”<\/p>\n The Menefee campaign said it is monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates as they are available.<\/p>\n 5 hours agoFort Bend County voting booth issued, when to expect results<\/p>\n Fort Bend County<\/a>‘s election administrator confirmed there is currently a county-wide issue with their poll book, according to a report from affiliate FOX 26 Houston.<\/p>\n The check-in poll book stopped working after a bad file uploaded, temporarily suspending operations, according to the report.<\/p>\n While workers attempt to find a solution, voters are able to check in or cast their ballots provisionally.<\/p>\n Polls close statewide at 7 p.m. local time. Most polls are in Central time and close at 8 p.m. EDT, while polls in Mountain time close at 9 p.m. EDT.<\/p>\n In the March primary, The Associated Press reported results at 8 p.m. ET, when most polls closed.<\/p>\n By about 11:40 p.m. ET, the outlet reported 75% of the vote had been counted. Nearly 100% of vote results were released by the following morning.<\/p>\n 6 hours agoGOP voters split in bitter Senate runoff between Cornyn, Paxton<\/p>\n The battle for the GOP Senate nomination in Texas<\/a> is exposing a sharp divide among Republican voters at the polls.<\/p>\n Four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is facing a fierce runoff challenge from state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who recently secured an endorsement from President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n Despite the Trump nod, some loyal Republicans are sticking with the establishment incumbent.<\/p>\n Voters like retired teacher Debbie Burdeaux told The Associated Press Cornyn has “done a good job for this state,” while expressing a strong distaste for his challenger.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have a problem with Trump,\u201d Burdeaux told the outlet. \u201cBut he doesn\u2019t have any effect on my vote.\u201d<\/p>\n Cornyn supporters’ primary concern centers on Paxton’s past controversies, which include an acquittal following a 2023 impeachment effort and allegations of infidelity.<\/p>\n “[Paxton] is a disgrace,” Burdeaux said. \u201cI want nothing to do with him.\u201d<\/p>\n However, those in Paxton’s corner appeared to be unbothered by his past criminal investigations or impeachment drama.<\/p>\n “He\u2019s a fighter. He\u2019s a person of action,” Jeffrey Sonnier, 72, told the AP.<\/p>\n Other supporters said they are willing to forgive his personal shortcomings, with Daniel Vega, 18, noting that “we all make mistakes” and arguing that because Paxton has repented, it is time to “move on.”<\/p>\n 6 hours agoAlabama takes redistricting fight to SCOTUS, files formal notice of appeal<\/p>\n Alabama<\/a> has escalated the battle over its congressional boundaries, filing a formal notice of intention to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday after a three-judge federal appeals court panel struck down the state’s proposed GOP-friendly map.<\/p>\n The lower court’s ruling blocked a map that would have given Republicans an electoral edge and instead ordered the state to use a map featuring two majority-Black districts that heavily favor Democrats.<\/p>\n While the case has not yet been officially docketed at the high court, the appeal will go directly to Justice Clarence Thomas before being referred to his conservative-majority colleagues for full consideration.<\/p>\n From there, a briefing schedule will be established, and an order on enforcement will follow.<\/p>\n The formal filing makes good on a promise by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who blasted the lower court’s ruling earlier Tuesday and promised to take the fight to Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n The Supreme Court has yet to formally acknowledge receipt of the appeal, but further updates are expected once the case is officially docketed.<\/p>\n Fox News’ Bill Mears contributed to this report.<\/p>\n 8 hours agoTrump\u2019s Paxton endorsement sparks panic among Republicans over Texas Senate seat<\/p>\n Moments after President Donald Trump<\/a> made his pick in the Texas Senate race, the mood among Senate Republicans immediately shifted.<\/p>\n Several were already en route to their weekly, closed-door lunch preparing to debate the now-stalled immigration funding package and lay out the road ahead for what was set to be a blistering week in the upper chamber.<\/p>\n But Trump\u2019s decision to pick Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over longtime incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, turned even the chattiest of lawmakers stone-faced; some worry that the choice will jeopardize a seat that has been safely Republican for decades.<\/p>\n Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said that she was “supremely disappointed” by the move.<\/p>\n “I think that this puts that seat in jeopardy,” Murkowski said. “Based on the numbers that I\u2019ve seen, yeah. How does that help strengthen the president\u2019s hand when we lose a state like Texas?”<\/p>\n The runoff winner will face insurgent Texas state Rep. James Talarico, who easily toppled Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, earlier this year and has been racking up endorsements from high-profile Democrats, including former President Barack Obama.<\/p>\n Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., who chaired the Senate GOP\u2019s campaign arm that clinched the majority in 2024, told Fox News Digital that he was still backing Cornyn.<\/p>\n “I do believe we are going to pull Texas, but I think John Cornyn was the safest bet,” Daines said.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to read the full story by Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller.<\/p>\n 8 hours agoCornyn says Paxton\u2019s \u2018baggage\u2019 could hand Democrats historic Texas Senate upset<\/p>\n As voters head to the polls today in Texas<\/a>, GOP Sen. John Cornyn is warning the longtime red state is “at risk” of Democrats pulling off a historic upset for a critical Senate seat.<\/p>\n Cornyn\u2019s primary race against challenger Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton finally comes to a head in today\u2019s runoff election. After what has been a particularly bruising primary, Cornyn expressed his worry that Republicans stand to lose a seat that would be devastating for the party\u2019s hopes of retaining a majority in the upper chamber.<\/p>\n Speaking with Fox News Digital ahead of Election Day, Cornyn touted Texas as “the most conservatively governed state in the country,” making it a “land of opportunity and where the American dream is still very much alive.”<\/p>\n “But I think all of that’s at risk, depending on how this primary runoff turns out, because I think Ken Paxton’s flaws and the baggage he brings to the general election are going to be exploited up to the fullest by James Talarico and by Democrats,” he said.<\/p>\n Whoever emerges Tuesday night will have to face state Rep. James Talarico, a Democratic rising star who many in the party believe has broad enough appeal to finally flip the state for the first time in over two decades.<\/p>\n Cornyn expressed worry about Talarico\u2019s fundraising abilities, citing the $27 million he raised in the first quarter of the year. He asserted that if Paxton wins, “there will be a tsunami of money coming into the state from outside.”<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to read the full story by Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo and Paul Steinhauser.<\/p>\n 9 hours agoAlabama governor pushes Supreme Court fight after judges reject congressional map<\/p>\n Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey<\/a> is standing firm on her state’s right to draw its own congressional districts after federal judges temporarily blocked the use of Alabama’s 2023 congressional map.<\/p>\n In a statement Tuesday, Ivey threw her full support behind Attorney General Steve Marshall’s decision to appeal what she called an “unsurprising decision” to the U.S. Supreme Court.<\/p>\n The governor expressed hope that the nation’s high court will intervene in the ongoing redistricting battle and allow the state to move forward with its scheduled Aug. 11 Special Primary Election.<\/p>\n Emphasizing state sovereignty over federal intervention, Ivey said “Alabama knows our state, our people and our districts best.”<\/p>\n 9 hours agoHakeem Jeffries accuses GOP of being ‘corrupt,’ attempting to cheat following map ruling<\/p>\n House Democratic Leader<\/a> Hakeem Jeffries unleashed a blistering attack on President Donald Trump and Republicans Tuesday, accusing the GOP of trying to “cheat” in the upcoming elections following a federal court ruling on Alabama’s congressional map.<\/p>\n In a statement responding to the decision, Jeffries celebrated the ruling by a federal three-judge panel \u2014 which included two Trump appointees \u2014 that rejected Alabama’s attempt to reinstate its 2023 congressional district lines.<\/p>\n The court ruled that reverting to the 2023 map represented a “districting plan tainted by intentional race-based discrimination.”<\/p>\n The top House Democrat used the legal update to take aim at his political rivals, claiming “Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans have failed the American people.”<\/p>\n Jeffries went on to accuse the GOP of “concluding that the only way they can win in November is to cheat,” adding their “desperate power grab hit a wall” with the court’s decision.<\/p>\n He vowed that House Democrats will continue to battle what he described as a “corrupt Republican scheme to racially gerrymander congressional maps in order to rig the midterms,” and called on the Supreme Court to “do the right thing” if Alabama seeks judicial approval to violate the 14th Amendment.<\/p>\n “The American people must be permitted to decide who gets to represent them in Congress, not Donald Trump,” Jeffries said.<\/p>\n 10 hours agoCornyn blasts ‘untrustworthy’ Paxton, defends pro-Trump record amid Texas Senate runoff<\/p>\n Sen. John Cornyn is firing back at Ken Paxton following President Donald Trump<\/a>‘s endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state’s GOP Senate runoff.<\/p>\n In an interview with “Fox & Friends” co-host Lawrence Jones Tuesday, Cornyn critiqued his intra-party rival. claiming “Texans have learned that you can’t trust the thing that Paxton says.”<\/p>\n The senator noted Paxton “lied to taxpayers [and] his senior staff,” was impeached by a Republican-led House of Representatives, and left taxpayers on the hook for a $6.6 million judgment from whistleblowers.<\/p>\n Those whistleblowers, Cornyn pointed out, went to the FBI after Paxton allegedly interfered with a federal investigation into one of his campaign donors.<\/p>\n Despite Trump throwing his support behind Paxton, Cornyn defended his own conservative record and his loyalty to the president’s agenda.<\/p>\n “I supported the president’s agenda at the time that he’s been president,” Cornyn said. “I’m proud of the fact that we confirmed hundreds of … justices, including three new Supreme Court justices.”<\/p>\n He also reminded voters of his crucial role as the Republican whip \u2014 the chief vote counter \u2014 during Trump’s first term, where he helped secure the passage of the landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.<\/p>\n “I’ve been an ally of the president. He’s called me a friend,” Cornyn said. “I understand he’s made his choice, but only Texans get a chance to vote in this primary. I’m hoping that those who did not vote early, and the 75% who didn’t vote at all in the primary, will come out today and cast their vote.”<\/p>\n 10 hours agoAG Marshall says he is not surprised court struck down Alabama\u2019s ‘blandly unobjectionable’ map<\/p>\n Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is firing back after a federal appeals court struck down the state’s longstanding congressional map, calling the decision a temporary roadblock on the path to an eventual legal victory.<\/p>\n In a defiant statement released following the Tuesday ruling in Allen v. Milligan, Marshall said he is ready to escalate the fight to the nation’s highest court.<\/p>\n The three-judge panel’s decision blocked a GOP-friendly map that would have given Republicans an electoral edge by erasing a Democrat-held seat in the southeastern part of the state. Instead, the court ordered the state to use a map featuring two majority-Black districts that heavily favor Democrats.<\/p>\n “I am disappointed, but not at all surprised, that the three-judge panel has again struck down Alabama\u2019s blandly unobjectionable congressional map that has been in place for decades,” Marshall said.<\/p>\n The attorney general argued the ruling lacks legal merit, noting he found nothing in the U.S. Supreme Court<\/a>\u2019s May 11 vacatur order that would justify the outcome.<\/p>\n Marshall announced that Alabama will “immediately appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.”<\/p>\n While Tuesday’s ruling marks a setback for GOP redistricting efforts ahead of the November midterm elections, Marshall painted a picture of ultimate triumph.<\/p>\n “Know this \u2014 in my mind, it is not a matter of whether we win this case, only when,” he said.<\/p>\n 10 hours agoAppeals court blocks GOP-backed Alabama congressional map in redistricting setback<\/p>\n A federal appeals court blocked a proposed GOP-friendly Alabama congressional map<\/a> on Tuesday, dealing a temporary setback to Republicans\u2019 redistricting efforts ahead of November\u2019s midterm elections.<\/p>\n Alabama Republicans sought to use a previously blocked 2023 congressional map following the Supreme Court\u2019s recent ruling curbing the use of race in the drawing of electoral districts that helped minority communities increase their representation in Congress. <\/p>\n Under that map, Republicans were slated to gain one electoral seat by erasing a Black-majority seat held by Democrats in the southeastern part of the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, the three-judge panel said Republicans must continue to use a map that has two majority Black districts where Democrats hold significant advantages.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Ultimately, we cannot see our way clear to requiring Alabamians to cast their votes in the 2026 elections under a districting plan tainted by intentional race-based discrimination,” the federal judges wrote. “We again cannot understand the 2023 Plan as anything other than intentionally discriminatory.”<\/p>\n Alabama Republicans are expected to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. <\/p>\n Earlier in May, the court allowed the state to proceed with the 2023 map, while sending the years-long case back to the U.S. District Court in Birmingham for reconsideration.<\/p>\n Republicans’ redistricting setback comes as Trump has urged GOP-led states in the South to aggressively redraw their congressional maps to benefit the GOP, following the Supreme Court\u2019s Callais ruling.<\/p>\n Tennessee Republicans drew Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., out of his Memphis-anchored district where Black voters constituted a majority earlier this month, adding the seat to the GOP column. Similar redistricting efforts are underway in South Carolina, Florida and Louisiana.<\/p>\n Read the full story by Fox News Digital’s Adam Pack here.<\/a><\/p>\n 11 hours ago\u2018Put us down for Ken Paxton\u2019: Trump endorsement energizes Texas voters ahead of runoff<\/p>\n DALLAS \u2014 Across the Dallas metroplex and its fast-growing suburbs, Republican voters repeatedly invoked President Donald Trump<\/a>\u2019s endorsement of Ken Paxton when explaining their support for the Texas attorney general in the GOP Senate runoff against Sen. John Cornyn.<\/p>\n The race is unfolding as Texas continues to experience rapid population growth<\/a>, particularly in the suburbs surrounding Dallas, where Republicans are competing to shape the future direction of the party.<\/p>\n “Ken Paxton. Put all three of us, one, two, three down for Paxton,” Carolyn Harvey of Celina, Texas, told Fox News Digital<\/a>, pointing to her group.<\/p>\n “He\u2019s going to be good for Trump,” another voter chimed in. “And what\u2019s good for Trump is good for us, too.”<\/p>\n This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Amanda Macias<\/p>\n 11 hours agoHigh stakes: After more than two decades in Senate, Cornyn’s political future hangs in the balance<\/p>\n Sen. John Cornyn<\/a>, who has served in the U.S. Senate for more than two decades, is fighting for his political life in the Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff in Texas on Tuesday. <\/p>\n The senator, who took office in late 2002, has served in the upper chamber of the nation’s legislature for more than 23 years. <\/p>\n If Cornyn were to win and serve another six-year term, he would end up serving in the Senate for just over 30 years.<\/p>\n Last week President Donald Trump<\/a> endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the Senate seat.<\/p>\n 12 hours agoTrump boosts Paxton in race against Cornyn on Tuesday<\/p>\n President Donald Trump, who last week endorsed Texas<\/a> Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate, issued a Truth Social post on Tuesday urging Texans to vote for the candidate.<\/p>\n Paxton is facing off against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas GOP U.S. Senate primary runoff on Tuesday.<\/p>\n “Texas, Vote for Ken Paxton, our Country\u2019s BEST Attorney General!” Trump declared in the Tuesday Truth Social post<\/a>.<\/p>\n Paxton thanked the president.<\/p>\n “Thank you, @DonaldTrump! Polls are now open. Bring five friends with you. Post your photos to remind Texans that today is election day! Let’s work together to make Texas great,” Paxton declared in a post<\/a> on X.<\/p>\n 12 hours agoTexas GOP showdown: Chip Roy, Mayes Middleton clash in combustible MAGA Attorney General runoff<\/p>\n The bitter runoff battle<\/a> between Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the Senate GOP nomination is grabbing top billing, but it isn\u2019t the only statewide showdown in the Lone State State on Tuesday.<\/p>\n There are also Democratic and Republican contests for state attorney general in the race to replace Paxton.<\/p>\n In the expensive GOP showdown, four-term Rep. Chip Roy<\/a> is battling state Sen. Mayes Middleton, the president of an independent oil and gas company.<\/p>\n Middleton, who edged Roy in the March primary, has dished out roughly $17 million of his own money to back his campaign. But Roy, a former Texas assistant attorney general and former chief of staff to conservative Sen. Ted Cruz, received a late surge in fundraising from major backers.<\/p>\n “We’ve gotten the financial support necessary to compete with my self-funder opponent, who’s got his inheritance money that he can just spend,” Roy highlighted in a Fox News Digital interview on the eve of the runoff.<\/p>\n Roy has argued that Middleton’s lack of courtroom experience would make him a poor attorney general.<\/p>\n “Having been the first assistant attorney general makes me ready on day one, but it’s also that I’ve been a prosecutor, I’ve been in court, I’ve sat in front of a judge, stood in front of a judge, argued cases, and he has never done any of those things. And we think those things should matter,” Roy emphasized.<\/p>\n Middleton has pushed back, questioning Roy’s conservative credentials and running ads claiming Roy’s “betrayed MAGA” as he has pointed to the times the congressman has broken with Trump over policy.<\/p>\n “Chip Roy is someone that has spent a decade fighting the president. He actually said President Trump committed impeachable conduct on the House floor,” Middleton told Fox News Digital. “Instead of spending 10 years fighting President Trump, what have I done? I’ve spent 10 years fighting to defeat the left, which is what matters the most in this race.”<\/p>\n The winner of the GOP runoff will likely face Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson, who came close to clinching his party’s nomination in the primary. Johnson is facing off against former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.<\/p>\n This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser and Peter Pinedo<\/p>\n Posted by Paul Steinhauser<\/p>\n 13 hours agoTrump flexes MAGA muscle in Texas Senate runoff clash between Cornyn and Paxton<\/p>\n