Four-term Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) was beaten decisively in the Republican primary for Texas’s 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday. Crenshaw comes behind state Rep. Steve Toth by a wide margin, a stunning reversal for a lawmaker who entered Congress in 2019 as one of the GOP’s most prominent rising stars. With 94% of the votes counted on Wednesday morning, Toth won 56% to Crenshaw’s 40.5%, according to the Associated Press. Crenshaw was first elected in 2018, succeeding retiring Republican Rep. Ted Poe in the suburban Houston-based district. A former Navy SEAL who lost an eye in Afghanistan, Crenshaw quickly became a fixture on cable news and conservative media, gaining national attention during his first campaign and building a reputation as a sharp, combative communicator. In Congress, he positioned himself as a national security-focused conservative, serving on key committees and often emphasizing border security, energy production, and military readiness. He cultivated an image as a policy-oriented Republican willing to engage across factions of the party, though that positioning increasingly placed him at odds with its populist wing. Crenshaw survived prior primary challenges, but not without turbulence. While he maintained comfortable general election victories in the solidly Republican district, he faced criticism from grassroots activists who viewed him as insufficiently aligned with the party. His votes on certain spending measures and foreign aid packages drew scrutiny from the right, and he occasionally clashed publicly with conservative commentators and fellow Republicans. Over time, those fissures widened. As the Republican Party shifted further toward a more combative, populist posture under President Donald Trump, Crenshaw’s brand of hawkish, institutional conservatism lost ground among segments of the primary electorate. His criticism of some Trump-aligned figures and his support for certain bipartisan legislative efforts fueled the perception among critics that he was out of step with the party’s grassroots base. That discontent has coalesced around Toth, a longtime Texas state legislator with strong ties to the state’s conservative activist network. Toth ran a campaign positioning himself as a more reliable ally of the Trump-aligned wing of the GOP, emphasizing border security, opposition to federal spending, and what he described as the need to send a fighter to Washington. Crenshaw’s defeat marks one of the most high-profile primary losses of the cycle, especially in a safe Republican seat where the decisive battle is likely the primary. Toth will face Democrat Shaun Finnie, an investment banker, in November. Finnie ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. However, Texas’s 2nd District has remained firmly Republican in recent cycles, and the GOP nominee will be heavily favored in the general election barring a dramatic shift in turnout or national conditions. Crenshaw’s trajectory mirrors a broader pattern within the GOP: lawmakers who rose during the pre-2020 era and sought to balance establishment conservatism with populist energy have increasingly found themselves squeezed by challengers promising clearer alignment with the party’s current center of gravity. For Crenshaw, the loss closes a six-year chapter that began with national momentum and ends amid a changing party landscape. Whether he seeks another path in public life remains to be seen. But, Texas’s 2nd District will likely send a new Republican to Washington — and one whose ascent underscores just how much the party’s internal politics have shifted since 2018.  

State Sen. James Talarico leads Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the race to be the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas. As of 11:20 p.m. ET, with 67% of the vote in, DecisionDesk showed Talarico with 51.5% to Crockett’s 47.2%. Whichever candidate wins the Democratic primary will face off against either Attorney General Ken Paxton or Sen. John Cornyn, who are themselves scheduled for a May 26 runoff election after neither candidate could crack the 50% barrier on Tuesday. The Cook Political Report ranks the race as “Likely Republican” as of Tuesday, with the Kalishi prediction market showing that Republicans have the upper hand in the race. Although the Republican primary has been messy, the Democrats have had a brutal fight in their own regard. The campaign trail has been marked with several heated moments, including when Talarico claimed that the Trump administration was responsible for nixing his interview with Stephen Colbert from hitting the airwaves over Equal Time Rule concerns, The Daily Wire reported. “This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see,” Talarico claimed. “His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert. Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.” The interview was ultimately posted online and gave a major publicity boost to his campaign. “You had a Democrat candidate who understood the way that the news media works, and he took advantage of all of your sort of prior conceptions to run a hoax, apparently for the purpose of raising money and getting clicks,” Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr fired back at a press conference last month after Talarico’s claims. Former Rep. Colin Allred also played a role in the race, as he dropped out and instead pursued another bid for Congress, but he waded in over rumors that Talarico said privately that he “signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable, intelligent Black woman,” according to Politico. Allred posted a video slamming Talarico’s reported comments, saying, “Thank you for telling us who you really are and what you really think, and goodbye.” “Don’t come for me unless I send for you, okay James? And keep my name out of your mouth while you’re at it,” he added, while also telling people to vote for Crockett instead. Allred lost to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in the 2024 Senate race. “In my praise of Congresswoman Crockett, I described Congressman Allred’s method of campaigning as mediocre – but his life and service are not. I would never attack him on the basis of race,” the state senator said in a statement to Politico at the time. Crockett also garnered the endorsement of former Vice President Kamala Harris, who lost Texas to Trump in 2024, and lawmakers like Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD). “Texas has the chance to send a fighter like Jasmine Crockett to the United States Senate,” Harris said in a call promoting Crockett’s campaign last week, according to the Texas Tribune. “Jasmine has the experience and record to hold Donald Trump and his billionaire cronies accountable.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn will advance to the May 26 runoff election in the Texas Senate Republican primary, results indicated as of Tuesday night. DecisionDesk projected the runoff at around 10:25 p.m. ET, with Cornyn at about 43.2% to Paxton’s 40.3%. Rep. Wesley Hunt, who was also campaigning for the seat, was in a distant third place as of Tuesday night. In the Lone Star State, a candidate needs to crack 50% of the vote in order to avoid a runoff election. None of the candidates was able to snag an endorsement from President Donald Trump that was unique to them, but the president did note that he backed “all three.” “I just haven’t made a decision on that race yet. It’s got a ways to go, and I haven’t. [Cornyn’s] a good man. John is a good — I like all three of them, actually,” the president said in mid-February. “They’ve all supported me. They’re all good and you’re supposed to pick one. So, we’ll see what happens. But I support all three.” It’s unclear if the president will endorse a candidate for the runoff election. All three candidates were in attendance at an energy-focused event led by the president in Corpus Christi, Texas, last Friday. However, the election was overshadowed this weekend by a shooting at an Austin bar where two people were killed and over a dozen were injured – as the alleged shooter wore a “Property of Allah” hoodie and apparel with the Iranian flag on it. The candidates engaged in a brutal and, at many times, personal fight for the nomination. Accusations flew about Cornyn’s political record, Paxton’s personal history, and Hunt’s attendance in Congress – all while trying to make the case that they would be the best individuals to carry out Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his second term. Whoever advances to the general election will face off against either Rep. Jasmine Crockett or state Sen. James Talarico in November, depending on the final outcome of the Democratic primary. Sen. Ted Cruz has remained neutral in the primary race, but his own electoral history could provide a window in the 2026 contest. Cruz defeated former Rep. Colin Allred in 2024 with 53% of the vote, and the Republican also beat former Rep. Beto O’Rourke in 2018. The Cook Political Report ranks the general election race as “Likely Republican” as of Tuesday night, as the Kalshi prediction market has the odds of Republicans winning the general election at 60%.

The United States struck a “terrorist” target in Ecuador on Tuesday, flexing its military might while simultaneously carrying out full-scale war against Iran. On Tuesday, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced that U.S. and Ecuadorian military forces launched joint operations against “Designated Terrorist Organizations in Ecuador,” saying the narco-terrorist group had “long inflicted terror, violence, and corruption on citizens throughout the hemisphere.” This announcement marks a significant shift from training missions to active engagement. SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan praised the “unwavering commitment” and “courage” of the Ecuadorian armed forces, characterizing the collaboration as a decisive strike against the “scourge of narco-terrorism” that has destabilized the hemisphere through violence and systemic corruption. On March 3, Ecuadorian and U.S. military forces launched operations against Designated Terrorist Organizations in Ecuador. The operations are a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism. Together,… pic.twitter.com/MrkKZcrDbs — U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) March 4, 2026 The joint operation is the culmination of a strategic move by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa. Since taking office in 2023 and securing a full four-year term in April 2025, the Miami-born, pro-Trump conservative has consistently campaigned for international intervention. Noboa argued that what began as local gangs had evolved into international narco-terrorist groups who were responsible for roughly 70% of the world’s cocaine transit. To facilitate this military cooperation, the U.S. government took several formal steps throughout 2025: In September 2025, the United States officially designated major Ecuadorian gangs Los Choneros and Los Lobos as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). These joined the February 2025 FTO designations of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua and the Mexican Sinaloa and CJNG cartels, all of which maintain significant operations within Ecuador. In July 2025, the leader of Los Choneros, José Adolfo Macías Villamar (alias “Fito”), was extradited to the United States. There has been a staggering rise in violence in Ecuador. Despite Noboa’s “no-holds-barred” strategies—including declaring an “internal armed conflict” in 2024—Ecuador has struggled with the highest murder rate in Latin America. In 2024 alone, the country recorded nearly 7,000 homicides, forcing approximately 95,000 citizens to flee the country. While previous leftist administrations, such as that of Rafael Correa, expelled the U.S. military in 2014, Noboa has actively courted a U.S. presence, even expressing interest in hosting a permanent U.S. military base. For the United States, a stable, pro-American Ecuador is viewed as a critical bulwark against the influence of ideological groups opposed to the United States.

The Department of War released the names of four U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in an Iranian attack in Kuwait over the weekend. Those fallen include Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, according to the Pentagon. All four of the soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command, Des Moines, Iowa, and were supporting Operation Epic Fury. The department is continuing to investigate the incident that occurred in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, during an unmanned aircraft system attack. Two other service members were also killed in the attack but have yet to be identified publicly. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Monday that the troops were killed after an Iranian missile slipped through U.S. air defenses during heavy incoming fire. “You have air defenses and a lot coming in — and you hit most of it,” Hegseth said. “Every once in a while, you might have one — unfortunately, we call it a ‘squirter’ — that makes its way through.” “These are powerful weapons,” he added. President Donald Trump expressed his gratitude to the fallen, but said “there will likely be more” before the operation ends. “We honor our fallen heroes, who served fearlessly and selflessly in defense of our nation. Their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their families, will never be forgotten,” Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief of Army Reserve and commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, said. Capt. Cody Khork Khork, a resident of Lakeland, Florida, first joined the National Guard in 2009, where he worked as a 13P (Multiple Launch Rocket System / Fire Direction Specialist). In 2014, he became a commissioned officer in the Army Reserve, serving as a Military Police officer. Over the course of his service, he deployed to Saudi Arabia in 2018, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2021, and Poland in 2024. Khork’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 10 Year Device and “M” Device, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal. Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor Amor, a resident of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, enlisted in the National Guard as a 92A (Automated Logistics Specialist) in 2005. She transferred to the Army Reserve in 2006 and deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in 2019. Amor’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device. Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens Tietjens, a resident of Bellevue, Nebraska, enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2006 as a 91B (Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic). He had two deployments to Kuwait in 2009 and 2019. Tietjens’ awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device. Sgt. Declan J. Coady Coady, posthumously promoted from specialist, was a resident of Des Moines, Iowa. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 as a 25B (Army Information Technology Specialist). Coady’s awards and decorations include the Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. “To the families and teammates of these Cactus Nation soldiers: you have my deepest sympathy and my respect,” Maj. Gen. Todd Erskine, commanding general, 79th Theater Sustainment Command, said. “Our nation is kept safe by folks like these — brave men and women who put it all on the line every single day. They represent the heart of America. We will remember their names, their service, and their sacrifice.”