Texas’ GOP Senate nominee will lead the Republican ticket. Who would have the longest coattails?
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.
Chip Roy, Mayes Middleton leading Texas attorney general GOP primary in new poll
The poll, released Wednesday, also showed Sid Miller and Don Huffines with comfortable leads in their Republican primary bids for agriculture commissioner and comptroller.
Texans born without traditional sex traits worry new law will force them to choose a gender they don’t identify with
Intersex Texans fear House Bill 229, which defines gender based on the reproductive system, could increase surgeries on intersex children and create challenges to obtaining sex changes on government documents.
Texas labor unions are increasingly divided on which candidate to endorse for governor
Gov. Greg Abbott was endorsed by Texas Teamsters, a labor union that has historically supported Democrats. Other large unions still back his Democratic opponent.
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.
Tillis rips ‘political lawfare’ and praises grand jury after Dems avoid charges in ‘illegal orders’ case
A Senate Republican known for breaking with the Trump administration praised a grand jury’s decision not to indict several congressional Democrats who urged service members to refuse what they described as “illegal orders.” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., applauded a Washington, D.C., grand jury’s decision to reject an indictment against six congressional Democrats who last year called on service members to refuse what they characterized as illegal orders under the Trump administration. “Political lawfare waged by either side undermines America’s criminal justice system, which is the gold standard of the world,” Tillis said in a post on X. “Thankfully in this instance, a jury saw the attempted indictments for what they really were. Political lawfare is not normal, not acceptable, and needs to stop.” GRAND JURY REJECTS DOJ EFFORT TO INDICT DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS WHO URGED MILITARY TO DEFY ILLEGAL ORDERS It’s not the first time Tillis has bucked the administration. He has placed holds on future Homeland Security nominees, pledged to block President Donald Trump’s pick to replace outgoing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, and has been a vocal critic of the president’s advisors, including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller. Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor in the nation’s capital, sought to bring criminal charges against Sens. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., along with Reps. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., Jason Crow, D-Colo., Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., and Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa. The group of Democrats — all of whom previously served in the military or as intelligence officers — last year said service members could “refuse illegal orders” and “must refuse illegal orders,” arguing that troops are not required to carry out commands they believe violate the Constitution. DEM SENATOR SAYS SHE’S UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION OVER ‘UNLAWFUL ORDERS’ VIDEO Service members are obligated to follow lawful orders from their superiors, but they may refuse orders deemed illegal, according to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the military justice system enacted in 1951. Their video prompted Trump to accuse the group of seditious behavior “PUNISHABLE BY DEATH” in a fiery Truth Social post. GRAHAM DEMANDS DEMOCRATS EXPLAIN ‘REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS’ MESSAGE TO TROOPS After the grand jury declined to indict them, the lawmakers praised the decision. “Donald Trump wants every American to be too scared to speak out against him,” Kelly said in a statement. “The most patriotic thing any of us can do is not back down.” Slotkin added that no matter what comes next from the administration in its pursuit of legal recourse, “tonight we can score one for the Constitution, our freedom of speech, and the rule of law.” Fox News Digital did not immediately hear back from Pirro’s office for comment.
Pelosi endorses JFK’s grandson in Democratic House primary
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., endorsed Jack Schlossberg — the grandson of the late President John F. Kennedy — who is running for Congress in New York’s 12th Congressional District. “This moment calls for leaders who understand the stakes and how to deliver for the people they serve. Jack Schlossberg is that kind of leader— a candidate for Congress we are all excited about, and someone I am proud to endorse,” Pelosi said in part of a lengthy statement that Schlossberg posted on X. “Jack possesses a unique ability to navigate the digital and the classical political worlds in ways that can get things done for people — and hold President Trump accountable. Those skills are critical right now, and they are also quite rare,” she asserted. JFK’S GRANDSON JACK SCHLOSSBERG DOUBLES DOWN ON ATTACKS AGAINST RFK JR, WARNS OF ‘DANGEROUS’ AGENDA Schlossberg lavished praise on Pelosi when sharing her statement of the endorsement. “Speaker Pelosi is a national hero and master legislator — I’m proud to have her support. She’s the backbone of the Democratic Party — no one understands Congress like she does,” he noted in the post on X. CAMELOT OR CRINGE?: MEET JFK’S GRANDSON TURNED CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE FOR THE SCROLLING GENERATION “I sat down with her, told her about our campaign and policy plans for NY12. She believes we can win,” he added. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., currently represents the district but announced last year that he will not seek re-election. Pelosi also announced last year that she will not run for re-election. NANCY PELOSI SWIPES AT TRUMP, ACCUSING HIM OF CROWNING HIMSELF AS ‘KING’ Some of the other candidates running in the Democratic primary for New York’s 12th Congressional District include state Assemblymembers Micah Lasher and Alex Bores, as well as George Conway, the ex-husband of Kellyanne Conway, who served as senior counselor to the president during much of President Donald Trump’s first term.
Mexican cartel drones breach US airspace, are disabled by War Department, Duffy says
Drones operated by Mexican drug cartels breached American airspace and were soon disabled by the U.S. military, the Trump administration announced Wednesday. The breach took place near El Paso International Airport in Texas, leading the Federal Aviation Administration to temporarily close the airport late Tuesday. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the breach and lifted the airspace restriction on Wednesday. “The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion,” Duffy announced in a statement on X, referring to the Department of War. “The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.” “The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming,” he added. CARTEL DRONES POSE ‘DANGEROUS’ DRUG TRAFFICKING RISK IN BORDER STATE, OFFICIAL WARNS He did not say how many drones were involved or what specifically was done to disable them. The FAA’s initial announcement had said the El Paso airport would be closed for a period of 10 days, which would have been unprecedented for a U.S. city. The FAA had cited “special security reasons” for the initial closure. El Paso, a border city with a population of nearly 700,000 people and larger when including the surrounding metro area, is a hub of cross-border commerce alongside the neighboring city of Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. The brief closure did not include Mexican airspace. US MILITARY STRIKES NARCO-TERRORIST VESSELS IN LATEST EASTERN PACIFIC DRUG TRAFFICKING OPERATION Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat whose district includes El Paso, had urged the FAA to lift the restrictions in a statement Wednesday morning. There was no advance notice given to her office, the city of El Paso or airport operations, she said. “The highly consequential decision by FAA to shut down the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has resulted in significant concern within the community,” Escobar said. “From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas.” The incident came the same day that the Texas Department of Public Safety issued a warning about a “fake memo circulating online and through media outlets announcing temporary 10-day road closures in the El Paso area.” “This is a fake memo, and DPS is NOT closing the major highways – or any roads – in or out of the area over the next 10 days,” DPS said in a statement. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bondi faces grilling in House Judiciary Committee hearing over Epstein files, weaponization allegations
Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to testify Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee, where lawmakers are expected to confront her over the Department of Justice’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking case files, numerous high-profile, politically charged indictments and broader structural changes at the department. The hearing, beginning at 10 a.m., marks Bondi’s first appearance before the House panel since taking the helm of the DOJ. While some Republicans are likely to praise Bondi for shifting the department’s focus to street crime, drug trafficking and illegal immigration, Democrats and other Republicans have signaled they will grill her on the department’s attempts to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law that required the DOJ to publish all unclassified files related to Epstein’s case. LAPSED EPSTEIN DEADLINE UNDERSCORES CHALLENGE OF REVIEWING TROVES OF FILES IN 30 DAYS Republicans on the committee may highlight the DOJ’s efforts to combat transnational drug trafficking and the opioid epidemic, as well as violent crime and immigration, which the Trump administration has made clear are its top priorities. In the most prominent of the drug cases brought during Bondi’s tenure, the DOJ brought a superseding indictment against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, alleging narco-terrorism conspiracy and firearms charges. After his stunning capture last month, Maduro and his wife were brought to the Southern District of New York and are being detained there as they await trial. Bondi could be forced to address upheaval in the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota, where a weeks-long surge in immigration enforcement has bogged down the federal court there and led to an exodus of prosecutors. TOP MINNESOTA FEDERAL PROSECUTORS OFFICIALLY TERMINATED AFTER DISPUTE OVER DOJ SHOOTING PROBE Several recent controversial judicial developments are also likely to surface during the hearing, as the administration has faced hundreds of adverse rulings in the lower courts, including from some Trump-appointed judges. Federal judges in Minnesota have put a spotlight on what they view as legal problems with the way the administration has detained alleged illegal immigrants. Meanwhile, other judges have rejected several of Trump’s choices to lead the country’s 94 U.S. attorney’s offices. A federal judge ruled, for instance, that the interim appointment of Lindsey Halligan, who was leading the U.S. attorney’s office in Eastern Virginia, was unlawful. The move derailed the DOJ’s high-profile indictments of FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, leading a judge to toss out the cases. The DOJ is now appealing them.
‘GOP’ House candidate admits she’s actually a progressive in viral video: ‘Telling people the truth’
A video is going viral of a congressional candidate in North Carolina admitting she is truly a “progressive” even though she is running as a Republican. “Are you trying to trick people?” Katie Barr, who is running in North Carolina’s 14th Congressional District, was asked on a podcast called “The Hometown Holler.” “If you go on the campaign website, above the fold as they call it, is like, ‘I’m not a real Republican.’ Like, I am telling people the truth. I knock on a door and say, ‘I am running in the Republican primary, but I am not a Republican, I am a progressive,’” Barr responded. “I can’t claim a Democrat anymore.” She added that her goal is not “to pull a fast one,” claiming she is just “being dead honest with people about what I would do if I win.” SUSAN COLLINS SHRUGS OFF ATTACKS BY DEMOCRATS AND TRUMP, SAYS MAINE VOTERS ‘DON’T VOTE PARTY LINE’ On Nov. 6, Barr filed paperwork to challenge incumbent Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., to represent the state’s 14th Congressional District. Barr states on her website’s home page that she is running as a Republican because it’s “the only way to kick these corrupt cowards out of office.” She claims that Republicans have “rigged the maps” to ensure they will come out victors “every time.” “The general election has already been decided. So – the primary is the only competition for this job,” Barr’s website explains. FOREIGN BILLIONAIRES FUNNEL $2.6B TO US ADVOCACY GROUPS TO INFLUENCE POLICY, WATCHDOG REPORT CLAIMS Barr reiterated that she has been “honest” about who she is and how she plans to govern “from the start” in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Tim Moore is terrible for the voters of district 14,” Barr continued. “He’s getting rich off of his position while voters struggle. And Tim rigged this district to make sure he’d stay in office despite it all. That’s wrong. I’m running so voters have a real choice.” While Barr has faced criticism online over her maneuver, with critics calling the move cheating and describing it as shameful, at least one conservative critic doesn’t think it is as big of a deal as some are making it out to be. “I hate to burst the outrage bubble, but she’s not making a big secret out of this. It’s her whole schtick, and it’s front and center on her campaign website,” said Second Amendment activist Cam Edwards, on X, in response to the viral video of Barr.