Texas state Sen. Mayes Middleton has won the Republican runoff for Texas attorney general. The Associated Press called the race for Middleton at 9:57 p.m. EDT when he had a 55.8% to 44.2% lead over Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. The runoff election comes after neither candidate obtained at least 50% of the vote in their respective primary races on March 3. Despite pushing a hardline conservative agenda in the U.S. House—including authoring the SAVE America Act and co-founding the Sharia-Free America Caucus—Roy fell short of securing the party’s nomination. While President Donald Trump has not weighed in on the race, Middleton secured endorsements from Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and his former primary opponent, Aaron Reitz. “Middleton has established a record as one of the most conservative senators in Texas history,” Patrick wrote on X. “He will make the Texas Office of the Attorney General the strongest and most impactful AG office in the nation. He will work collaboratively with President Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice to protect our Constitution.” Roy, meanwhile, described Middleton as a “fake attorney” who lacks legal experience. Nevertheless, Middleton’s record of advancing conservative legislation in the state Senate helped him win support from conservative voters. During his time in the Legislature, Middleton also took a firm stance on transgender participation in sports. In 2023, he sponsored the Save Women’s Sports Act, which bars biological males from competing in women’s sports. “He has led the charge against radical woke policies like DEI, ESG, Critical Race Theory, and allowing men in women’s sports,” Middleton’s campaign website states.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn in the state’s primary runoff Tuesday, adding to President Donald Trump’s hot streak of unseating those he considers insufficiently loyal and ending Cornyn’s multi-decade career in the Senate. The Associated Press declared Paxton the victor at 9 p.m. EDT, when he held a 25 point lead over Cornyn. Paxton had secured 62.5% of the vote to Cornyn’s 37.5%. In his victory speech, Paxton credited his victory to Trump and pledged to work with him. “When everyone in Washington told him to abandon me and abandon the people of Texas, he didn’t listen,” Paxton said of Trump. Paxton added, “Instead, he gave me his complete and total endorsement. President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement… is the most powerful force in politics… I look forward to delivering with him in the Senate to deliver for Texans.” Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2002, has long been a powerful figure in Washington politics, having previously served as the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and as the Republican Senate whip from 2013 to 2019. Paxton will now head to the general election against state Rep. James Talarico, who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, for the party’s nomination in March. Talarico has developed a large social media presence and has been a powerful fundraiser—although not at the level of Democrat Beto O’Rourke in 2018. In a statement on X after Paxton won, Talarico courted Cornyn’s supporters.  “I want to thank Senator John Cornyn for his years representing our state,” wrote Talarico. “We don’t agree on everything, but we both still believe in public service. To Senator Cornyn’s supporters: you have a place in our campaign.” In his concession speech, Cornyn indicated he would support Paxton in the general election after a hard-fought primary.  “I’ve always supported the Republican ticket and I intend to do so again in this general election,” said Cornyn. “I’ve said throughout this race that I trust the voters of Texas and they’ve made their decision and I must respect it.” The Cook Political Report previously rated the Texas race’s outcome “likely Republican,” but upon Paxton’s victory, shifted it to “lean Republican.” Paxton Challenged Cornyn From the Right Paxton, who has been the Lone Star State’s attorney general since 2015, challenged Cornyn’s conservative bona fides throughout the race, pointing to the incumbent’s past disagreements with Trump, and how he had questioned whether Trump was the right choice as nominee in 2024. Cornyn has made a name for himself as a bipartisan dealmaker in the Senate, having joined together with Crockett to advocate for making Juneteenth a federal holiday and having backed the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act—a gun control law passed after the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting. These past compromises with liberals in Congress, along with his previous opposition to the construction of a border wall, provided fodder for critics. BATTLE FOR THE LONE STAR STATE: On the eve of a high-stakes primary runoff, @KenPaxtonTX takes aim at incumbent Senator John Cornyn, challenging voters to name a single conservative victory from his rival's 24 years in Washington."I've been asking every voter, whether it's one… pic.twitter.com/XteR3yUL9N— FOX & Friends (@foxandfriends) May 25, 2026 However, despite occasional differences with the president and figures in the party’s conservative base, the Texas senator ultimately backed Trump as a general election candidate in all of his election bids and did not vote to convict him in his impeachment trials. Cornyn also voted to confirm of all of Trump’s Cabinet nominees in both terms. A Brutal Battle Cornyn released vicious attack ads during the campaign, accusing Paxton of corruption and marital infidelity and arguing past “scandals” would hurt Republicans’ chances across Texas. Paxton was impeached by the Texas state House in 2023 before being acquitted by the state Senate. His wife, Angela Paxton, filed for divorce during the campaign on what she called “biblical grounds.” Multiple figures from Trump’s orbit supported Cornyn, such as strategist Chris LaCivita, who worked on Trump’s 2024 campaign and assisted a pro-Cornyn political action committee, and pollster Tony Fabrizio, who has worked with all of the president’s campaigns and was contracted by Cornyn’s campaign. Trump waited until late in the campaign to endorse, all while the two Republican frontrunners continued to attack each other with vicious ads. During the first round of the primary in March, Cornyn came in first place, narrowly beating Paxton, with both of them leading Rep. Wesley Hunt in third place.  Ken Paxton CALLS OUT John Thune For His Failed Leadership, Failure To Rally Republicans and PASS The SAVE America Act: "I want to work with John Thune, but I need him to be on the Trump agenda and push the Trump agenda. I can't make him do anything, he's elected by his own… pic.twitter.com/TSALdieWct— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 26, 2026 However, all told, nearly 60 percent of Texas Republicans voted to unseat Cornyn in the first round. Shortly after the first round, Trump promised to endorse one of the candidates, asking that the others drop out immediately. Soon thereafter, The Atlantic reported Trump was expected to endorse Cornyn, but it did not materialize. Paxton pledged to drop out on the condition that Cornyn work to terminate the Senate’s filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act—legislation requiring photo identification and proof of citizenship in federal elections. Trump held off on his endorsement. Question: “If Paxton wins, do you believe that he can beat Talarico?”Senator Cornyn: “I think it’s an open question…” pic.twitter.com/avFvxJX1mq— Tom Miller (@TomMillerNews) May 26, 2026 Cornyn consequently backed eliminating the filibuster, but still no endorsement came from Trump. Finally, on May 19, after having successfully unseated Sen. Bill Cassidy of in Louisiana’s Republican primary, Trump endorsed Paxton over Cornyn, citing Paxton’s strong support for overriding the Senate’s filibuster to pass legislation. The president also said Cornyn was “not supportive of me when times were tough,” citing Cornyn’s “very late” endorsement in 2024. Hunt joined in, finally endorsing Paxton after having withheld his support after the first round of the primary. Cornyn did not drop out of the race upon Trump’s endorsement of Paxton. This article has been updated. Related PostsTrump Boost Sends Paxton Soaring—and His MAHA Record Is Front and CenterIn the race for U.S. Senate in Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton is dominating the polls after a surprise endorsement from President Donald Trump, plus additional support from Make America Healthy Again voters. A SoCal Strategies poll conducted after this week’s endorsement from the president found Paxton dominating Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn by 22…Massie Loses Primary to Trump-Backed Challenger GallreinRepublican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky lost to a primary challenger backed by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, denying the libertarian rebel an eighth term in Congress and reaffirming the president’s dominance of the Republican Party. The Associated Press declared Ed Gallrein the victor shortly before 8 p.m. when he held an almost eight-point lead…Hispanic Texas Voters Back Trump, Reject Sharia and CornynFIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Texas Hispanic voters overwhelmingly support President Donald Trump’s job performance and immigration agenda, according to a new poll from Republican Tejano PAC, a group that promotes conservative principles in public service. The survey, conducted by National Victory Strategies between April 21 and April 27, questioned 1,012 Texas voters. Thirty-six percent of…

For the first time in recorded history, statistics indicate that more young men are attending religious services than young women, according to R. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  The Heritage Foundation hosted Mohler on May 26 to deliver a talk titled “Young Men Turning to Religion.” Mohler discussed the cultural and theological reasons behind the rising numbers of young men who go to church and want to get married and have a family. While “mainline Protestantism” has embraced woke and liberal movements and consequently has received less attention and lower church attendance, Mohler noted that denominations that uphold “thick Christianity” and orthodox beliefs are seeing an increase in the attendance of young men aged 18 to 29.  “Young men are going in three primary directions, which I think are understandable,” Mohler argued. “Those primary directions are Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Confessional Protestantism. So, I want to make the argument that even as young men are showing up in larger numbers, they’re not just showing up in churches. They’re showing up in churches that are predictable in terms of the fact that they have substantial, historical, doctrinal engagement, that they are representing very solid beliefs.” What sets these three branches apart is their ontology, or their understanding of “creation order” and human morality as intrinsically bound into human nature, according to Mohler. The fact that young women not only have become less religious but are also less eager to have children indicates that women have rejected ontology and the proper order of nature. “In the beginning of the 20th century, Pitirim Sorokin, the Russian, made the observation that every society has faced a crisis in turning boys into men, but basically no society had faced a crisis of turning girls into women in terms of functionality,” Mohler said. “I think Pitirim Sorokin would have to revise that understanding, not to say that we’re in a time in which civilization does not face a crisis of turning boys into men. But we now face a crisis, I think unique to Western civilization, in terms of convincing young women to move ahead, in terms of the hallmarks of what it means to embrace the female role, and in particular in terms of marriage and the bearing of children.” For young men, their inclination to raise families might stem from a desire to give what they never had. “I think a father hunger is producing in a lot of young men a wonderful fulfillment of the role of a father,” Mohler said. It doesn’t seem that men are just acting out of “tribalism” or a need to be accepted, according to Mohler, because they’re making hard decisions and changing how they live. “I just don’t think ‘tribal’ gets you that far,” Mohler said. “I think tribal gets you to the interesting event and the food that follows. I don’t think tribal gets you to, ‘I’m going to commit my life to this, I’m going to restructure my entire value system to this.’”

Memorial Day is a special time on the American calendar when we take a moment to think about and pay tribute to those who gave their lives for this wonderful country we call home. It’s a wonderful and venerated tradition. But the Left isn’t too interested in that. They have higher priorities. Whatever it is you decided to do this Memorial Day, it was almost certainly time better spent than what the typical Democratic official was doing over the weekend. If they just said “have a nice day, enjoy the weather” as former Vice President Kamala Harris did in 2021, it would have been better than what a whole host of them decided to do this year. This Memorial Day they didn’t just ignore the occasion, many focused their energy on making cheap partisan talking points, joining mobs on behalf of illegal aliens, and showing how generally disconnected they are with the traditional values of this country. It was a perfectly Democrat way to kick off the summer. Let’s have a quick roundup. The Partisan Cheap Shot at the Expense of Fallen Soldiers The first and maybe the most egregious example of bad behavior this Memorial Day came from the Democratic National Committee. “Today, we honor the American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in [President Donald] Trump’s war with Iran,” the official Democrat X account said on Monday. Using the death of these soldiers to take a shot at the president didn’t go over very well on social media. Some commentators called it “repulsive” and “appaling. Democrat Leadership is absolutely repulsive for doing this! The Democratic Party under fire for using Memorial Day to take a political swipe at President Trump after the DNC posted a tribute to Americans “who have died in Trump’s war with Iran.”The post featured photos of… pic.twitter.com/sIWuyDBY1u— Michelle Maxwell (@MichelleMaxwell) May 25, 2026 Memorial Day is about honoring the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country and standing with the Gold Star families who carry their memory every day.It is appalling that the Democratic Party used Memorial Day and the sacrifice of fallen servicemembers for a… https://t.co/Q4jcZLutkb— Congressman Zach Nunn (@ZachNunn) May 26, 2026 The post was bad enough that one Democrat rightly spoke up. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a veteran who represents Illinois, chimed in to denounce the post. “It is incredibly distasteful to use our heroic dead for a political attack on Memorial Day,” she wrote on X. “I’m a Democrat and I condemn this post by the DNC.” It is incredibly distasteful to use our heroic dead for a political attack on Memorial Day.I’m a Democrat and I condemn this post by the DNC. https://t.co/Qv6SGR6YWn— Tammy Duckworth (@TammyDuckworth) May 25, 2026 The DNC then deleted the post and added a generic tribute to fallen troops. Skipping the Parade, Joining the Mob Instead of honoring Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, top New Jersey Democrats decided to fight for criminal illegal aliens who’ve broken our laws. New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Sen. Andy Kim, both Democrats, showed up at the Delaney Hall Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark on Monday to protest on behalf of those detained there. They claimed that the illegal aliens being detained had been mistreated and were on a hunger strike. Both these claims have been denied by the Department of Homeland Security. Whatever the accusation, this ended up being more of a riot than a mere protest as the mob tried to block the ICE facility and threw bottles at the employees. WATCH: Protesters clash with law enforcement officers outside an ICE facility in Newark, New Jersey, just a day after their initial demonstration turned chaotic.ICE agents in riot gear arrived Monday afternoon to clear protesters blocking Delaney Hall’s entrance over concerns… pic.twitter.com/78P0BzfdOR— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 26, 2026 Federal agents eventually deployed pepper spray to disperse the crown. Sam Stein at the Bulwark threw a completely out of context post up on X saying merely that “ICE pepper sprayed a US Senator today.” In journalism that’s called burying the lede. DHS said in a statement that nobody had been struck by the pepper spray balls and that it had been used because “rioters refused to follow law enforcement commands and continue to obstruct the exit route.” In a video of the incident Kim appeared to be dissuading the crowd from attacking the facility, but he was jeered and clearly ignored. Kudos to my colleague Andy Kim for trying to convince the ICE protesters to do the right thing—and stop obstructing vehicles from coming into and leaving the ICE facility https://t.co/r1K8inl6xD— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) May 26, 2026 ICE later posted a quick roundup of occupants in the Newark detention center. “Jose De La O Lainez, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, arrested in Plainfield, New Jersey. His criminal history includes homicide.” “Jhan Martinez-Valverde, a criminal illegal alien from Peru, arrested in Elizabeth, New Jersey. His criminal history includes sex offense against a child.” “Sergio Marques Abrantes, a criminal illegal alien from Portugal, arrested in Newark, New Jersey. His criminal history includes enticement of a minor for indecent purposes.” I’ve got an idea. Here me out, New Jersey Democrats. Instead of rushing to the aid of murderers, rapists, and pedophiles, I have a list of names they may want to consider taking a small moment of their precious time to honor next year. Here’s a local boy they may want to consider. Marine Corps. Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone grew up in Raritan, New Jersey and earned the Medal of Honor for valiant action at the Battle of Guadalcanal when he held off a Japanese attack with his pistol. He saved the lives of many men and continued to serve with distinction through the Pacific War. Basilone was later killed at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Just a suggestion for next year. Grumbling About Military Spending Among the pettier moments this Memorial Day weekend were the barbs aimed at military displays. Fake Somali-run “daycares” siphoned off billions of dollars from state and federal treasuries and it hardly registered a shrug on the Left. But briefly flying a military helicopter over a car race to pay homage to the troops? *Gasp* Waste! I don't want to ever hear a conservative mention the term wasteful spending again. Ever. https://t.co/kjtTVw1Jmv— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) May 26, 2026 Here’s California Gov. Gavin Newsom telling Secretary of War Pete Hegseth that all we want is “lower gas prices.” Sir, we just want lower gas prices https://t.co/8IGWIpg2Fr— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) May 25, 2026 Keep in mind, if the governor cared about the highest-in-nation gas prices in his state, he could have done something about them years ago. Newsom clearly doesn’t mind using astronomical amounts of taxpayer dollars on projects to appease and enrich the state’s social justice warrior class. Or himself. George Floyd Finally, we come to another true “hero” Democrats spent time honoring this Memorial Day: George Floyd. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey decided to pay special tribute to Floyd. Today, we remember George Floyd, who was murdered by a former Minneapolis police officer six years ago. That moment changed our city forever.— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) May 25, 2026 We are committed to honoring this place both as a memorial with global significance and as a neighborhood where people live, work, gather, and heal,” Frey said of George Floyd Square. “The work ahead is bigger than any one moment or administration.” Fox News host Lisa Boothe called it a “disgrace” to honor a “criminal” on Memorial Day. It is Memorial Day, and the Mayor of Minneapolis is honoring a criminal. Disgrace. https://t.co/mBN0FSITl6— Lisa Boothe (@LisaMarieBoothe) May 25, 2026 “Patriotic Americans spend today remembering those heroes of our armed forces who gave their lives in service of this country, not praying at the altar of a felon druggy who died of a fentanyl overdose, you moronic sniveling coward,” radio host Buck Sexton wrote on X. Here’s Waltz dancing at the George Floyd Square ceremony instead of attending Memorial Day ceremonies. Tim Walz was a no-show at a Memorial Day event for the troops, but decided to dance at George Floyd Square.A governor, who campaigned as VP partly on his illustrious military career, who can't even feign respect for our fallen heroes.Pathetic.pic.twitter.com/8wwfQxNVrT— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) May 26, 2026 If there was any doubt how Democrats and the Left will respond to this year’s 250th anniversary celebrations on the Fourth of July, I’d say this has been an enlightening preview of what’s to come.

Spencer Pratt, a candidate for mayor of Los Angeles, is accusing incumbent Karen Bass of violating election law by electioneering within 100 feet of a ballot box.  In a video posted to Bass’ social media, she is seen giving a speech to an audience of supporters and casting her ballot while being cheered on.  You can drop off your ballot at voting centers and drop boxes throughout the city. Voting early is easy, even Babies for Bass agree! pic.twitter.com/aVw3WuPLwB— Karen Bass (@KarenBassLA) May 25, 2026 Pratt responded to Bass’ post on X, stating that his lawyers had filed a formal complaint. “Karen Bass just violated election law here. She is so accustomed to breaking the law with no accountability, she even filmed herself doing it. Well, those days are over. We just filed a formal complaint for illegally gaming the election. We must protect our democracy.” Pratt’s legal team is claiming that Bass violated Article B, Section 815 of the Elections Code of the City of Los Angeles, which outlines that “no person shall do any electioneering, solicit a vote, or speak to a voter on the subject of marking the voter’s ballot on Election Day within 100 feet of the entrance to the polling place.”  While Pratt has filed a formal complaint, it is not guaranteed that charges against the mayoral incumbent will follow. If Bass were found to have intentionally violated California electioneering laws, she could face consequences such as a warning, fines, misdemeanor charge, and in rare cases, time in county jail.  It is unclear whether Bass’ actions meet the legal threshold for electioneering, as legal experts usually distinguish between appearances near voting locations and voter solicitation.    Pratt’s complaint comes as he continues to grow more popular in polls, with the most recent data from Cygnal Political showing 22% support for Pratt compared to Bass’ 25%, and Nithya Raman at 18%.  A spokesperson for Bass did not immediately respond to the Daily Signal’s request for comment.