POLITICS

Two Texas House Republicans have endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s 2026 Senate bid — breaking with longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn for what’s anticipated to be a heated primary contest. Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas), a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, announced his backing of Paxton in a statement first shared to Fox News on Thursday. “Attorney General Paxton is the conservative champion we need in the U.S. Senate,” Gooden wrote. He added that Paxton “will take a sledgehammer to the establishment, secure the border, and fight hard for President Trump’s agenda. Ken Paxton has my complete and total endorsement.” Gooden’s endorsement comes two days after Paxton, a widely known MAGA firebrand, launched his highly anticipated 2026 Senate campaign to challenge Cornyn. “It’s definitely time for a change in Texas,” Paxton said. “We have another great U.S. senator in Ted Cruz. And it’s time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values, fight for the values of the people of Texas, and also support Donald Trump.” Gooden isn’t the first Texas Republican to throw his support behind Paxton. Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) touted his backing of the attorney general’s campaign bid Wednesday. “He’s a bulldog, and that’s what we need in the Senate,” Nehls told POLITICO. Cornyn and Paxton are longtime ideological rivals. Paxton has repeatedly attacked Cornyn for what he views as inadequate embracing of Trump, and Cornyn recently bashed the Trump rabble-rouser over his legal scandals. Cornyn recently earned the backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who beat Cornyn in last year’s battle to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as the party leader in the chamber. The NRSC — led by Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) — also said it would support the incumbent. While both moves were expected, it signals the primary could get incredibly expensive — and that national Republicans could be willing to spend to back the longtime lawmaker. But the Republican endorsement that will likely hold the most weight is Trump’s. While the president has yet to announce whom he’ll support, Trump and Paxton have long been closely aligned. Ben Jacobs contributed to this report.

Whitmer emphasized her agreements with Trump in a speech earlier on Wednesday.

After urging Canadian officials to pull back tariffs on liquor, he conceded governors don’t have much power when it comes to trade.

The former special victims’ prosecutor is going for the seat held by Rep. John James (R-Mich.), who is mulling a gubernatorial run.

The early fundraising haul is a show of force but represents only a tiny fraction of the expected spending in the race.

High off its victory in Wisconsin, the party looks to November.

“This puts a lot more on the field,” said Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), a co-chair tasked with recruitment for the party campaign arm.

Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here’s an offering of the best of this week’s crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.

The former Illinois governor, who was pardoned by President Donald Trump in February, will lobby for the Republic of Srpska.

Across the party, there’s a push to refocus on economic issues even as some worry the president’s tariffs could cause short-term harm.

‘Get attention’: Musk defends million-dollar giveaways lead image

The Wisconsin Supreme Court race could wind up being a referendum on the president’s trade policies.

Election law experts were skeptical about the billionaire’s move.

The op-ed in The New York Times called the Signalgate controversy dangerous and “dumb.”

Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here’s an offering of the best of this week’s crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.

‘Painful period’: RFK Jr. lays off 10,000 HHS employees lead image

The embattled minority leader has faced criticism across the party over his fumbled strategy over a government funding bill.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who has represented the Chicago-area district for decades, has yet to announce her reelection plans.