October 11, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

James Talarico returns to Senate campaign trail in Texas after 10-day absence

James Talarico made his first public appearance on Friday after nine days off the trail, showing up at a music festival in downtown Austin to shake hands, greet supporters and put to rest what had been days of speculation about his whereabouts and well-being. In a short interview with The New York Times, Mr. Talarico said that he had been sick with “a nasty case of the flu” and had been “home sick in bed.” “Everybody should get the flu shot,” Mr. Talarico said before heading off to greet festivalgoers at Austin City Limits in Zilker Park, as music swirled from a nearby stage. He said he had more events planned over the weekend in Dallas. Mr. Talarico last held an in-person campaign event on Sept. 29, at a fund-raiser in New York City, his second there in two days.

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A day later he appeared virtually before a Hispanic business group, conducting his talk from a hotel room. He had come down with a cold, he told the audience, which he had intended to speak to in person. His opponent in the Senate race, Ken Paxton, has been hammering Mr. Talarico over his absence for days, suggesting that Mr. Talarico was hiding some underlying problem that he did not want to divulge. On Wednesday, at a rally with President Trump, Mr. Paxton led the crowd of thousands in a chant: “Where is James Talarico?” Sign up to get J. David Goodman's articles emailed to you. J. David Goodman is a Houston-based reporter covering the people and politics of Texas. Mr. Talarico’s campaign said for days that the candidate has been recovering from the flu, and that he would return to the campaign trail this weekend. A spokesman for the campaign, JT Ennis, said that Mr. Talarico had held “more than 100 public events” and shaken “tens of thousands of hands” before getting sick. In the interview on Friday, Mr. Talarico said there was no truth to any rumors that were spreading on the internet about his absence, including one that he had been receiving some sort of mental health treatment. “Just a reminder not to believe everything you read on the internet,” he said.

Oklahoma stuns No. 1 Texas in last second in Red River Rivalry

In 122 years of the Red River Rivalry, Oklahoma had never beaten a No. 1 Texas team. Until Saturday. And it took every bit of scrap and scrape the Sooners could muster to do it. John Mateer connected on two key throws on the winning drive, and the Sooners scored on offense, defense and special teams to shock the Longhorns 27-24, reclaiming the Golden Hat trophy after two consecutive losses in the always-unpredictable series. "It was really a classic game of two really good programs in an incredibly intense environment," Sooners coach Brent Venables said. "I think both sides would say it wasn't always pretty. It didn't always go our way, but it went right according to script."

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The Sooners (3-2, 1-1 SEC) blocked a punt for a touchdown and Arch Manning threw two fourth-quarter interceptions -- one of which Peyton Bowen returned 42 yards for a score, the quarterback's first career pick-six -- as Oklahoma clawed back despite mustering 238 total yards. Manning's second interception, Courtland Guillory's first as a Sooner, came at the Oklahoma 39 with 19 seconds left. "It was crazy," Guillory said. "In a game like this -- I say the biggest rivalry in college football, then I'm from Texas, so that makes it even bigger to me -- man, it was an amazing feeling that my first pick was in a big-time moment like that to help my team win." With the score tied 24-24, the Sooners turned Mateer loose instead of playing for overtime. The offense was struggling, and Mateer had been the subject of fans' ire with six turnovers in the past three games. The scrutiny began, in many ways, at this game last year after a scorching early-season start in which he was a Heisman Trophy candidate before injuring his thumb. He had surgery and rushed back to play in this all-important game but threw three interceptions and was sacked five times in a 23-6 loss.

The crew of virtually unknown donors powering the rise of the New Left. One we found lives in Texas.

In Michigan this year, a new super PAC vowing to fight pro-Israel money chipped in more than half a million dollars to help progressive Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate bid. Its funders: a crew of virtually unknown political donors, many of whom had never given to politics before last year but have since donated up to $1 million each. In New York, billionaire Alex Soros cut checks directly to progressive politicians, including Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Those donations are part of the millions of dollars that Soros and his father, George, plan to give to Democratic causes this year. And in Philadelphia, nearly a million dollars in TV advertising paid for by outside groups is boosting Democratic socialist Chris Rabb, highlighting his endorsement from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and his willingness to fight for Medicare for All. The left flank of the Democratic Party raises and spends only a fraction of what many Republicans and the Democratic establishment do on elections. But as the far left gains momentum, supporters are working to expand their funding.

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Even the Democratic Socialists of America, which is funded exclusively by membership dues and relies largely on volunteers, has been experimenting with raising more money. Another group that focuses on identifying and helping progressive candidates, Justice Democrats, said its goal is to remain competitive in races where opponents can use funding advantages to sometimes overwhelm progressives with ads. In past elections big donors to progressives were generally older, wealthy hippies or successful Hollywood players. The emerging group skews younger, is often South Asian or Middle Eastern, and works in fields such as technology and medicine. Sathvik Kaliyur, CEO of a fundraising firm called NWF Strategies whose clients have included Mamdani and El-Sayed, said his goal is to make it easier for candidates who don’t come from money to run for office. American Priorities has used its funds to support progressives who criticize Israel, including more than $1 million to help elect Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, two DSA-backed candidates who won New York congressional primaries. The ads themselves didn’t mention Israel or the Palestinian territories as an issue: Instead, they stressed affordability and that the two women were “Mamdani-endorsed.” One of the group’s funders, Texas entrepreneur Sam Mahrouq, said he supports efforts that “encourage a balanced American foreign policy and oppose corruption, discrimination, endless wars and excessive special-interest influence.”

How Trump’s revenge campaign descended into turmoil

Joseph diGenova, the man assigned by the White House to lead the investigation into those who investigated President Trump, was walking out of Chuck’s Seafood near the beach in Fort Pierce, Fla., and toward his Tesla last month when his cellphone buzzed. It was his boss, Attorney General Todd Blanche. And he was spluttering mad. Mr. Blanche had been cautiously supportive of Mr. Trump’s decision to call Mr. diGenova, 81, out of retirement in April to kick-start the so-called grand conspiracy case, the Justice Department’s most expansive effort to pursue people the president considers his enemies. Now the attorney general, having soured on Mr. diGenova, was livid that he had lashed out at two prosecutors sent from Washington to help move the case along. Mr. Blanche ordered him to his office on Sept. 11 — or else, according to people briefed on the exchange.

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Assuming he would be fired, Mr. diGenova quit, dealing the latest blow to a troubled investigation central to the president’s vengeance agenda. More trouble was to come. Soon after, a top diGenova deputy, Kurt Olsen, also quit. It turned out he had failed a polygraph test about his contacts with foreigners, which imperiled his security clearance, according to two people familiar with the matter. Mr. Olsen said he complied with all requirements regarding foreign contacts and had not resigned over his clearance, but declined to say more. Still, the dual departures laid bare months of dysfunction. They also offered fresh evidence that Mr. Trump’s demands for revenge have divided the Justice Department, diverted resources from other investigations and continued the erosion of the principle that politics must be kept strictly separate from federal law enforcement. A New York Times examination of the inquiry, based on more than 20 interviews with current and former officials, found that it was star-crossed from the outset.

Trump sticks with his tariffs even as voters turn against them

Maybe President Donald Trump really does believe that “tariff” is the most beautiful word in the dictionary. Despite higher prices, criticism from trade experts and displeasure among voters, Trump holds fast to his belief that imposing the highest import duties on U.S. trading partners since the Great Depression is a winner. A recent poll suggests that is a big gamble with less than a month before the Nov. 3 midterms. Most U.S. adults disapprove of his trade policies, with more than 64% saying he has gone too far with his latest tariffs, compared with 58% in January. A look at the political, legal and economic challenges to the Republican president’s approach to trade.

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The United States has set taxes on imports from most countries in the low double digits, although the rates have gone up and down because of legal setbacks as well as Trump’s habit of changing them seemingly on a whim. In the biggest round last year, Trump levied what he called “reciprocal” tariffs and other duties on dozens of countries. He cited a 1977 law that he said allowed him to act without congressional approval in an economic emergency. After the Supreme Court struck that down in February, Trump turned to an array of other trade laws to accomplish his goals. The primary one he is using now, Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, allows him to impose tariffs on countries that he believes are engaging in unfair trade practices, such as not adequately enforcing a ban on forced labor. The new duties range from 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 economies, including big U.S. trading partners such as the European Union, India, Japan, Canada and Mexico. Trump is taking a sledgehammer to a relatively open global trading system that many mainstream economists think has benefited the U.S. enormously. It has helped boost growth, keep prices low and make U.S. businesses more competitive and often dominant in global industries.

State Stories

More than 1,200 Southwest Airlines flights delayed after software outage

Southwest had to delay over 1,200 flights Friday morning after a software outage. Southwest Airlines delayed over 1,200 flights nationally on Friday morning after a thirty-party software for checking baggage and boarding passengers went offline. A spokesperson for the Dallas-based airline told KERA in a statement the software, Amadeus, is back up and running as of 12:30 p.m. Friday. “Due to the early hour, we were able to minimize the effect on the operation the rest of the day,” the spokesperson said. The 1,200 delays account for 27% of all the airline’s flights, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. About 40 flights were cancelled. Dallas Love Field, where Southwest is headquartered, had about 95 delays and 7 cancellations.

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Lauren Rounds, a spokesperson for Dallas’ aviation department, said in a statement Southwest had experienced an “intermittent, internal network outage as of this morning, impacting boarding pass printing and mobile app scanning.” The airline has had more serious software troubles in the past. In 2022, 16,500 flights were cancelled during a winter storm after the airline’s technology struggled to keep up with scheduling and crew coordination. The following year, the airline had to halt all departures for an hour after a network firewall failure.

In hotly contested TX35, candidates debate affordability, immigration and tariffs’ impact on business owners

In their first and likely only forum, the two candidates in a surprisingly competitive San Antonio district made similar appeals to voters 11 days before the start of early voting. Republican nominee Carlos De La Cruz and Democratic nominee Johnny Garcia both acknowledged the affordability issues motivating their newly redrawn Congressional District 35 voters this election. They drew on their respective backgrounds in the military and law enforcement at the Thursday forum hosted by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Texas Public Radio, and even showed some willingness to break from their parties’ leaders in an appeal to the moderate nature of the district. De La Cruz was fresh off a visit from President Donald Trump in San Antonio to boost his candidacy, a nod to how critical the race for the newly created district is to the GOP’s delicate House majority.

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U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) dubbed it the “whole enchilada” of the midterm elections when campaigning in San Antonio earlier this summer. District 35 shifted drastically after Republicans’ mid-decade redistricting effort drew incumbent Greg Casar (D-Austin) out of its lines. Casar instead opted to run in a different district, leaving the seat open. The majority of the district’s eligible voters are Hispanic, a group that swung for Trump last cycle, and one that Democrats are hoping to make inroads with this cycle. Trump carried the district by 10 percentage points last election. Garcia, a Bexar County sheriff’s deputy, emphasized his San Antonio upbringing and working class background, often speaking Spanish to make his points. He said voters’ economic struggles were the genesis of his campaign. “People in this district were sold on a false promise that things would be fixed on day one, but here were are, nearly two years, and we’re still feeling the same pinch and squeezed,” Garcia said. Retired Air Force veteran De La Cruz focused on his military and border enforcement background. “My community, I know, wants a safe and secure border,” he said. “They want safe communities. They do not want any sort of defund the police nonsense.”

Angela Paxton knows exactly what she’s doing

Throughout Ken Paxton’s seemingly centuries-long campaign for Senate, the attorney general has been a punching bag for not only his opponent, Democrat James Talarico, but also late-night talk show hosts, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Texans who might vote for him, and the president of the United States. Recent polls show Paxton down as much as six points in his race against Talarico, a shocking number in a state that hasn’t seen a Democrat win a statewide seat since 1994. Politicos blame “candidate quality”—i.e., it can be a difficult thing, precedent aside, to elect a man who’s been impeached, indicted, and had multiple affairs detailed in the press. Republicans, in other words, need a Hail Mary. Enter Angela Paxton. The Texas state senator, who filed for divorce from Ken on “biblical grounds” (adultery) a little more than a year ago, stars in an ad released over the weekend addressing “the elephant in the room,” in which she essentially urges Republicans to hold their noses and vote the ticket, regardless of who the Senate candidate is. “Either we hold every Republican seat or we hand the future of Texas to the other team,” she says, encouraging viewers like a football coach at halftime. In the thirty-second spot, she never names her soon-to-be ex-husband.

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The move has been roundly criticized. The Dallas Morning News editorial board called it “hard to watch” and “a tortured 30-second sports metaphor.” The Talarico campaign quickly jumped on the opportunity to push back: “My team isn’t any political party. My team is Texas,” Talarico said in a statement. Over on X, commentators trotted out Madeleine Albright’s “special place in hell” line to condemn Angela and called the ad “sad” and “desperate.” This is a familiar role for Angela Paxton, whether real or performed: that of long-suffering helpmate, a mother and wife who puts her own needs—her dignity, even—aside for the good of her family, party, and country. But the woman on-screen during that short ad doesn’t come across as meek or embarrassed, or as someone easily coerced by misguided campaign staffers. Rather, Angela Paxton gives the impression that she knows exactly what she’s doing. A source told The New York Times that she agreed to film the ad as long as she could write the script. And she knows her audience. What she produced was based on talks she’s already been quietly giving at small gatherings, confabs of women in whom real electoral power resides. Those Texas Republicans know her; many have been her.

Dallas Morning News Editorial: We recommend Democrat Katie O’Brien Duzan for Texas House 94

State Rep. Tony Tinderholt of House District 94 is taking a run at Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons' seat. Simmons’ district was redrawn to favor a Republican, and she is now trying to unseat County Judge Tim O’Hare. In this game of electoral musical chairs, two candidates are vying to take Tinderholt’s place. On the Republican side, business owner Cheryl Bean is touting her party’s record on affordability and fiscal conservatism. On the Democratic side, marketing executive Katie O’Brien Duzan told us she’s focused first on her district and that she isn’t “a culture wars person.” In this race, we recommend O’Brien Duzan.

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District 94 encompasses parts of Hurst, Bedford, Arlington and Euless. Its borders were redrawn in 2021. Tinderholt has won by a comfortable margin in two general elections since then. In an effort to flip the district blue, O’Brien Duzan, 44, said she has been knocking on doors, asking people in District 94 what their priorities are. She said most are chiefly concerned about affordability and public education. O’Brien Duzan favors reforms to the commercial property tax appeals system so that “large corporations can't game their appraisals down while homeowners absorb the difference,” she wrote in the Voter Guide. She wants to ease the burden on local property taxes by raising the basic allotment for schools using the state’s surplus. O’Brien Duzan said she is against an expansion of the state’s voucher-like Education Savings Account program that pays private school tuition for some Texas students. On teacher pay-for-performance, though, she broke slightly from what we usually hear from her party. O’Brien Duzan said she thought the program could be beneficial, though reserved judgement since it is still early in implementation across the state.

Austin American-Statesman Editorial: No recommendation for Texas House 73: Both options fall short

On many issues, from border security to gun rights, state Rep. Carrie Isaac is aligned with the conservative voters of House District 73, which covers Comal and western Hays counties. But people of all political stripes need water. And on that front, Isaac, a Republican from Dripping Springs, did her district a serious disservice last year in lobbying Gov. Greg Abbott to veto Senate Bill 1253, a measure to help manage the shrinking Trinity Aquifer in western Hays. The broadly supported, bipartisan bill would have given the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District more power and resources to regulate groundwater pumping requests by new users — a key step to protect the water supply for the long term. As Texas Monthly reported, Isaac pushed back with falsehoods that the bill would tax people’s groundwater and impose mandatory metering. It is also notable that Isaac’s chief of staff previously worked for the parent company of the private utility accused of overpumping that aquifer.

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Abbott’s veto, which Isaac urged, leaves a portion of Hays County less equipped to manage the community’s precious and dwindling water resources. We cannot recommend Isaac, who did not meet with us, for a third term. Isaac’s Democratic challenger, Merrie Fox, is a retired teacher and principal from New Braunfels who demonstrated a sincere commitment to addressing water issues and supporting public education. Unfortunately, as president of the Riverside Pride Board, Fox oversaw inadequate vetting of a drag-show performer invited to a 2025 Pride event marketed as family-friendly, despite having a similar issue with a different performer at the group’s 2023 event. (Amid the 2025 controversy, organizers uninvited the performer, moved the event to a smaller venue and dropped the drag show.) We wish District 73 voters had other options on the ballot. We hope in two years they will.

San Antonio city council members prep for legal action on proposed ICE facility as they launch studies on its impact

The City of San Antonio’s legal team could soon take action regarding a proposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said ICE and the Department of Homeland Security missed a Sept. 30 deadline from the City of San Antonio to submit more information about a planned processing center on the East Side. Now, city leaders are pushing for legal action to make sure ICE’s facility gets the proper environmental assessment and local permits. City Attorney Andy Segovia would be the one to take any legal steps, Jones told reporters after a council meeting Thursday. “We think we are in a good spot here, and look forward to the city attorney’s recommendation shortly,” she said. It’s the latest step the city has taken after community members began rallying against a proposed ICE processing center on the East Side.

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ICE purchased a 640,000-square-foot warehouse on 542 SE Loop 410 Access Road for $66.1 million at the beginning of the year. Local residents and critics of federal immigration policy have raised concerns about conditions at similar facilities, which hold ICE detainees who face deportation proceedings. On Oct. 3, hundreds marched through the East Side to protest ICE’s deportation policies and the proposed processing center in San Antonio. ICE has filed cases to deport more than 4,400 Bexar County residents since President Donald Trump’s inauguration last year, according to data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. City officials wanted clarity on the facility’s environmental assessment and impact, as well as its plans for local permits, before ICE started to renovate the Eastside warehouse. They were alarmed when the agency signed a contract with GardaWorld Federal Services in August to do work at the proposed facility, and gave DHS until Sept. 30 to respond to its questions. Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (D2) said signing that contract before taking other preliminary steps paved the way for legal action. The proposed facility is in his district. “What we’ve seen succeed in other cities is the federal government taking an action that demonstrates that, whether it’s construction or operation of a facility, that it is going to happen. And so for us, to me, the contract with GardaWorld signifies an action,” McKee Rodriguez said.

Texas’ space industry is booming. Now it needs the workers to build it.

CesiumAstro needs another 500 people to build communication satellites in Central Texas. The company launched its first operational satellite this month and is preparing to build hundreds more at its headquarters outside of Austin. Finding and training people to work there is among the company’s top priorities, said Shey Sabripour, founder and CEO of CesiumAstro. “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as we scale CesiumAstro isn’t about technology, manufacturing or even fundraising. It’s talent,” Sabripour said in a statement. “Raising capital is challenging, but finding and developing the workforce required to support the next generation of space innovation is even harder.”

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The U.S. space economy could add 300,000 high-paying jobs over the next decade and generate $428 billion in economic value, according to a report from the Space Workforce Incubator for Texas, or SWIFT. This need for workers is already being felt across Texas as NASA pushes toward the moon and the commercial sector – benefitting from cheaper rocket launches and advanced technologies – launches more hardware into space. Community colleges, universities, Texas’ Congressional delegation and the Texas Space Commission are racing to create a workforce that will ensure the state’s space legacy continues. It’s not an easy task. Space companies struggle to forecast how many workers they’ll need. High school students don’t have a clear path to becoming an industry tradesperson as there aren’t national certifications. Hiring can fluctuate, leaving community colleges unable to have year-round cohorts of students, and workers are being courted by other fast-growing sectors, such as semiconductor and advanced manufacturing. “As an industry, we are just racing to get to the next thing,” said Elaine Ho, associate administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement. “We are focused on the mission, on the next requirement, on the next deliverable, and workforce tends to be that secondary thought.”

Hinojosa taps into Texas high school football with latest ad

Regardless of where Texans reside on the political aisle, ads on both sides have begun running ad nauseam as Election Day nears. Most of the United States got a taste of Texas politics last weekend with a mass media blitz for Ken Paxton. In Texas, gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa is trying to add another big group to her coalition with less than a month until Election Day: voters who put the state's greatest export above all: high school football. Hinojosa tapped former Aledo High School coach and athletic director Tim Buchanan for her most recent ad, simply titled "Coach." In the ad, Buchanan reveals he voted for Abbott the prior three times he ran for governor, but was breaking from him this time.

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"I know how to read a scoreboard," Buchanan said, later adding, "I'm getting off the sidelines for Gina Hinojosa. Gina’s running for governor to take on the billionaires and always put our kids first." Buchanan's bona fides helped establish a state dynasty. The school, located just outside of Fort Worth, has captured state titles in football in three different divisions since 1998 and was the crown jewel of 5A Texas football from 2014 to 2023, taking home seven state titles. Eight of the school's 12 state titles came under Buchanan's leadership. Given how much Texas has entered the public consciousness through a hotly contested Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton, Hinojosa and Abbott have kept their ads relatively aligned with their respective campaign stances. Hinojosa has frequently attacked Abbott over his administration's championing of the school voucher program and data centers. Abbott has countered with Hinojosa's property-tax voting record, calling her "High Tax Hinojosa" in recent social media posts.

Fort Worth ISD board president responds to student petition over scripted lessons

The president of the Fort Worth ISD state-appointed Board of Managers has responded to a student petition against scripted lessons that’s garnered more than 1,500 signatures online. Board of Managers President Pete Geren shared a statement on Thursday evening saying he’s glad to see growing student engagement, hopes to see more moving forward and that the concerns raised by students have been received by the board. His response comes after dozens of Fort Worth ISD students, spanning from second grade to 12th grade, published an open letter calling on district leaders to fix scripted lesson plans that contain errors and to loosen the reins on classroom rules teachers and students have been subjected to amid a state takeover.

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“Regarding the information, insights, and opinions shared in the petition, they are valuable and timely. Those issues are in front of the board now. I am thankful that we have heard from thousands of residents on the topics addressed by the student petitioners over the last few months, but too few students. Thank you to all who shared their voices with us,” Geren said in a statement, referring to the district’s recent community listening sessions that gathered feedback and informed proposed district goals and guardrails. Students say scripted slideshows teachers are required to use in the classroom “are often wrong” and sometimes don’t match the accompanying learning guides, according to the letter. Students also said they have seen what appeared to be an AI-generated image in a slideshow for French class. “Education should be about exploration. We want to go to school to connect with people, discover things, and learn. We want to feel inspired when we walk into a classroom,” students wrote in the letter. “We can’t now, because the rigidity of the new lesson plans and rules makes it almost impossible to explore new ideas, and the dullness of slides and pointless tasks pushes students farther away from learning.”

Trump can’t stop talking about vomit and Texas barbecue

This year’s midterm mudslinging has largely focused on substantive topics such as corruption and affordability. When it comes to the U.S. Senate race in Texas, however, President Donald Trump has an additional issue he’d like the electorate to consider: vomit. The vomit in question supposedly belongs to Democratic candidate James Talarico — “Tofu Talarico,” to Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose party has spent months trying to make the alliterative nickname stick. In at least nine separate interviews and speeches, Trump has painted a visceral scene in which the current state representative throws up after eating barbecue. “He wants to eat a piece of lettuce. ‘A little piece of lettuce, please,’” Trump said at a San Antonio campaign rally Wednesday night. “He’s sick because he’s been forced to eat meat for political reasons, and he’s throwing up all over the place.”

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Usually, as Trump describes in the fabricated scenarios, Talarico politely ducks out of public view to regurgitate his food. The president has been repeating a similar story since Sept. 2 at a Rose Garden dinner — where Republican lawmakers gorged on prime-aged beef burgers, no less. There, he said that Talarico “eats meat and he goes outside, and he throws up all over the place.” Trump, who has diagnosed Talarico with a sort of barbecue-induced bulimia — not yet recognized by the DSM-5 — is probably riffing on the allegation that Talarico is a closeted vegan. Though, until Wednesday night, Trump mostly pronounced the term “vay-gan” while telling these stories. (He credited the first lady for correcting him.) “James is not and has never been a vegan,” a Talarico campaign spokesperson said in an email. Crowds at the campaign stops typically laugh intermittently when Trump talks about imagined vomit. But all of Trump’s retching rhetoric offended one Texas GOP operative’s Southern sensibilities.

San Antonio Express-News Editorial: All three Republicans superior in Texas 15th Court of Appeals races

In the upcoming general election, Texas voters for the first time will choose the justices on the state’s newest appellate court — the only appellate court with statewide jurisdiction and one whose creation itself sparked controversy and litigation. We’re talking about the 15th Court of Appeals, which the Texas Legislature created in 2023, assigning it jurisdiction to review three types of civil cases: Those brought by or against the state, state agencies and state officials or employees regarding their official conduct, with narrowly crafted exceptions, such as cases involving family law, personal injury, employment discrimination, eminent domain and about a dozen other types of litigation. Appeals from Texas’ business courts that deal with business disputes valued at more than $10 million. Challenges to the constitutionality or validity of state laws or rules when the attorney general is a party.

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While the other 14 courts of appeals are geographically based with jurisdiction over assigned counties — the 4th Court of Appeals includes Bexar County, for example — the 15th Court reviews these types of cases regardless of where they originate. That led to opposition from those who viewed its creation as a way to steer cases away from what is considered a more liberal 3rd Court of Appeals, which includes Travis County. A lawsuit from Dallas County challenged the constitutionality of the 15th Court. The Texas Supreme Court in August 2024 rejected that challenge, and the new court began its work on Sept. 1, 2024, which brings us to this election. The 15th was launched with three justices — a chief justice and two designated as Place 2 and Place 3 — appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott. While two more justices will be appointed in 2028 and 2029, the first three are up for reelection this year. We recommend the three incumbents: Chief Justice Scott Brister, Justice Scott Field in Place 2 and Justice April Farris in Place 3, who are Republicans. All are highly qualified — with decades as jurists in district and appellate courts between them before they were appointed. And in our meetings with the candidates, all were thoughtful and engaging.

Austin asks for feedback as it considers rules for large water users

Dozens of residents walked between displays about water conservation, reuse, and consumption Monday, Oct. 5, at the city of Austin Permitting and Development Center, as Austin Water officials asked them to consider one question: How should the city manage its largest water users? The city’s water wonks presented some possible answers. “Tonight, we’re having an open house where we’re really seeking our community input and feedback on some new policies and procedures that we’re considering for high-impact water users,” said Shay Ralls Roalson, director at Austin Water. The discussion comes after City Council passed a resolution in July, aimed at addressing the impacts large water users have on the city’s utility.

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City Manager T.C. Broadnax must present recommendations to the Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee by Dec. 9. The first report on large users’ water consumption is due by May 2027. At the open house, Austin Water proposed implementing new requirements for developments that use or are projected to use more than 85 million gallons of water a year. They also suggested that large water users produce detailed conservation plans, annual reports, and water budgets, which would limit the amount of water a customer could use. Under the proposal, if customers were to exceed those budgets, they would face higher rates. The utility is also considering requiring large users to update their conservation plans every five years and set five- and 10-year goals. As Austin prepares for growth and drought and data centers continue to be constructed throughout the state, the Oct. 5 discussion is part of the early steps the city is taking to regulate developments within city limits. Austin Water’s draft defines a “high-impact water user” as one or more commercial buildings, including industrial and manufacturing facilities, that uses or is projected to use more than 85 million gallons of water a year. The calculation would include both drinking and non-drinking water.

National Stories

Justice Dept. is investigating TV networks over Trump pool coverage

The Justice Department is investigating whether the major television networks — ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and Fox News — violated federal antitrust laws when the group briefly suspended their pooled coverage of President Trump, according to six people with knowledge of the department’s action. Officials from the Justice Department contacted networks on Friday and demanded communications and materials related to the White House TV pool, the people said. The pool is a longstanding system where the networks share the responsibility of providing footage of the president and distributing it to other news outlets. Last month, the networks collectively suspended their pool footage of Mr. Trump for several days after the president barred CNN journalists from the White House grounds, which prevented CNN from participating in the pool. Video footage of some major events, including Mr. Trump’s greeting of President Xi Jinping of China, was not carried by any major news station.

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In a statement on Saturday, a Justice Department spokeswoman, Emily Covington, described the five networks as having “proudly boycotted covering White House events.” “Group boycotts among commercial competitors can violate the Sherman Act,” a core antitrust law, Ms. Covington wrote. “The Antitrust Division is simply investigating to determine whether these news organizations have violated the antitrust laws.” The inquiry by the Justice Department is a profound escalation of the Trump administration’s ongoing battles with the White House press corps. It also follows a pattern of the Trump administration using the levers of government against its perceived foes in the media. The Justice Department has subpoenaed reporters from The New York Times and seized a laptop from a Washington Post journalist. Officials at the Justice Department have discussed a potential investigation into the TV networks for at least a week, according to another person familiar with their deliberations. The investigation, which is still in its early stages, is being overseen by the department’s civil division, led by Stanley Woodward, the associate attorney general and a former White House lawyer.

AM radio is disappearing from cars. Congress wants to stop that

Chances are the last time you listened to a traditional radio was in a car. Maybe you tuned in to a ballgame, a local news report, or a weather or traffic update. Maybe there’s even a talk or music station you’ve listened to for years, if not decades. In a car, it can be as simple as just tapping a button — much easier than finding it on your phone. Broadcasters are fighting to make sure that doesn’t have to change. Legislation passed in the House last month that would require all new cars to have an AM radio. Backers of the bill say the century-old tech is critical to ensuring all Americans still have a way to access emergency information. Radios have been standard equipment in cars since before most of today’s drivers were born.

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The overwhelming majority of vehicles do include them. But automakers like Tesla, Volkswagen and Volvo have been removing AM radios from some newer models over the past few years, especially electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, since EV motors affect the sound. “EVs and AM broadcasting technologies don’t always mix,” said John Bozzella, CEO of industry trade group Alliance for Automotive Innovation, during congressional testimony in April 2024. “The high-voltage electrical systems in EVs generate electromagnetic interference…. distort AM radio signals, affecting the listening experience for drivers and passengers. In other words: really staticky.” Auto industry research finds that drivers rarely listen to analog AM radio, instead tuning in to streaming and satellite radio or digital AM and FM broadcasts. But the National Association of Broadcasters, who represent the radio stations, argues there are serious safety reasons to keep analog AM radio in cars. Fewer and fewer American households have a traditional radio in their home, which can be an important source for emergency warnings during events like hurricanes, wildfires or terrorist attacks. That’s because some emergency situations can disrupt cell service, or a rush of usage can overwhelm networks, blocking phone alerts.

Threats of political violence have America’s elected officials living in fear

In January, a caller began leaving threats in the voice mail inboxes of members of Congress: “I want to see their throat cut from ear to ear.” Another caller left a blunt threat for a U.S. senator: “I’m going to murder you, and I’m going to start with your children.” A state attorney general received this three-word missive: “Bang, bang, bang.” Serving in public office in the United States is dangerous. From state and local government to Congress, an unending river of violent threats is washing through the mailboxes, offices, voice mail and texts of those who govern the nation. Thousands of public servants are living, working and, in the final weeks of election season, campaigning in a state of fear. And it’s getting worse, officeholders said in dozens of interviews.

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An investigation by The New York Times examining hundreds of records obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, court documents and law enforcement logs has found that, over a two-year period from 2024 to August of this year, thousands of violent threats inundated the lives of elected officials in unprecedented ways. Some threats were vague; some were frighteningly specific. They promised torture, stabbing, rape and murder. They aimed at Republicans and Democrats alike, and at a range of officeholders from county clerks to United States senators. They targeted spouses, parents, siblings and children. At least 44 governors, as well as their staff and families, have been subjected to violent threats over the past two years, The Times’s investigation found. That’s also true of at least 70 of the nation’s 100 senators, and at least 185 members of the House of Representatives — nearly half the body. More than half of the country’s secretaries of state, most of whom serve as their states’ chief election officers, have received threats of violence. Actual violence also spiked during that period: assassination attempts against Donald Trump, the killing of Charlie Kirk, the assassination of a legislative leader and her husband in Minnesota, the firebombing of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home in Pennsylvania. For many elected officials, the escalation is a grim testament to the toxicity of violent rhetoric and how it can shake the country’s democratic institutions.

Trump announces Katie Bailey as new chief of White House-Hill relations

President Donald Trump announced the next chief for the White House’s Capitol Hill strategy on Saturday night, picking Katie Bailey, a former Republican Hill staffer. Bailey will replace James Braid in the role of director of the Office of Legislative Affairs, which oversees nominations and confirmations of Cabinet roles, relationships on Capitol Hill and the White House’s legislative priorities. Braid’s last day is Tuesday. Bailey has served as deputy director of the Office of Legislative Affairs since the beginning of the summer. She formerly worked for Republican Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana and former Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, and served in roles on multiple committees. Trump commended Bailey for assisting with the confirmations of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton and Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, saying she has “already delivered strong results.”

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Erie, Pennsylvania shooter killed 8 people, then himself, police say

A 45-year-old man shot and killed eight people in Erie, Pennsylvania, ?including a pregnant woman and two children, then apparently shot himself to ?death, authorities said on Saturday at a press conference where they revealed details of the previous evening's shooting. The shooter, who has yet to be identified, died of an apparent self-inflicted wound before officers arrived on ?the scene, said Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah. "Some scenes stay with you long ?after you leave them. This is one of those tragic scenes," Lorah ?said. Police have yet to establish a motive, Lorah said. He said eight of the nine ?who died in the shooting were family members, and one was a family friend.

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Lorah said ?after the shooter entered the home, he came out of the house and shot two women who appeared "distressed" and were pacing back and forth seeking assistance from neighbors. Police found the suspect on the second floor ?of the home on Perry Street, Lorah said. Erie Mayor Daria Devlin said the police ?department "arrived at a horrific scene, faced unimaginable circumstances, and carried out their duties with courage and professionalism." "They too ?are ?members of this community, and they too will carry the weight of what happened last night," she said. Earlier, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement on X that he had spoken with Mayor Devlin and had offered support following "the tragic mass shooting." Shapiro has ?long advocated for "common sense ?gun safety," and pushed ?the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 2024 to pass gun reforms, including universal background checks and restrictions on ghost guns, which are homemade ?guns that lack serial numbers and cannot be traced. Several of ?Shapiro’s proposals have ?stalled in the state legislature. There have been more than 400 mass shootings in the US in 2026, according to data compiled by Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting ?as one ?in which four or more people are shot, excluding ?the shooter. The last recorded mass shootings in Pennsylvania took place in July in Philadelphia, according to the ?data.

Pentagon revises US military death toll in Iran war up to 21

The Pentagon revised the number of U.S. service members killed during the war with Iran to 21, adding two previously uncounted deaths to its casualty database amid mounting scrutiny over the conflict. The two additional deaths were classified as noncombat-related, according to multiple reports. They included Maj. Sorffly Davius, 46, an Army National Guard officer who died March 6 after experiencing a medical emergency in Kuwait, and an unidentified Navy sailor whose death in September was ruled a suicide. The updated figures, published Friday in the Defense Casualty Analysis System, also show 865 U.S. service members have been wounded since the war began Feb. 28. Davius’s death had previously been acknowledged by the military but was not reflected in the Pentagon’s public casualty figures.

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The revision comes weeks after the Washington Post reported that the Pentagon had undercounted American military deaths in the Middle East. Some officials told the outlet that at least 22 service members had died, while another placed the figure at 23. Not all were directly connected to combat operations against Iran. War Secretary Pete Hegseth disputed the outlet’s findings at the time. The Pentagon’s latest figures separate casualties into two different categories. Operation Epic Fury, the initial campaign against Iran, accounts for 15 deaths and 417 wounded. A second category, labeled “overseas operations,” includes six deaths and 448 wounded since July 7. The distinction emerged after the Trump administration classified the Iran war as an “overseas operation” in July. At the time, a ceasefire between the United States and Iran collapsed. The administration declared Operation Epic Fury was over in May. The New York Times reported in July that four service members had been removed from the initial casualty tally, reducing the death count from 18 to 14. The Pentagon subsequently restored those deaths under the separate overseas operations designation as criticism mounted over its casualty reporting practices. The latest update also includes the previously uncounted death of Sgt. Davin Seibel, who died in a May training accident in Iraq. His death was classified under Operation Inherent Resolve, the campaign against the Islamic State, bringing the total number of U.S. military deaths in the Middle East since February to at least 22.

4 killed after Isaias crashes into US Gulf Coast

Isaias peeled off hotel and condominium rooftops and facades along the Florida Panhandle before charging north Saturday, dishing out torrential rains and the threat of flash floods and tornadoes across the Southeast. At least four deaths were linked to the storm, including two people killed when trees fell onto homes in Florida and Alabama. Forecasters warned that flooding could stretch into the Appalachians. Isaias came ashore as a Category 2 hurricane Friday near Destin, Florida, a Gulf Coast vacation spot filled with high-rises and tourist shops. The storm weakened overnight but remained dangerous. Despite warnings of storm surges ahead of the storm, several major routes along the coast were open by daybreak Saturday and free of downed trees and power lines typically seen after major hurricanes.

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Within the first hours after landfall, nearly 900,000 customers were without power, mostly in Florida and Alabama. Hurricane-force winds in the Florida Panhandle blew the roof off a Pensacola hotel, and the city’s mayor said the airport “took some damage.” The storm flattened a boathouse in Destin and ripped away part of the facade of a high-rise in Panama City Beach. A worker in a condominium parking lot swept piles of the building’s insulation while others put back beach chairs that had been tossed about. In Florida’s Escambia County, Sheriff Chip Simmons said a woman was killed when a tree fell on her home and a man died of carbon monoxide fumes from a generator running in his garage. Four of the man’s family members, ranging in age from 4 to 72, were treated but expected to survive, the sheriff said. Nearby in Gulf Breeze, Jayme Mitich wiped tears away Saturday as she surveyed the damage to her apartment. Her living room was soaked and covered in insulation.

GOP lawmakers reject US-Russia diesel deal, Trump’s Zelensky comments

Several Republicans voiced objections to the Trump administration Russian diesel deal and President Trump’s suggestion that Ukraine needed a new leader. When asked about the deal, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said on Friday he supported the president’s decision but he doesn’t “support his decision to import it from Putin. Vladimir Putin is a butcher. He’s a butcher of his own people. And he’s a butcher of the good people of Ukraine.” “He [Putin] will never be our friend. So the president is doing everything he can to get diesel prices down. But you know what’s going to bring diesel prices down? An end to the war in Iran,” he continued. A reporter pressed former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), who appeared alongside Kennedy while campaigning for Michigan’s open Senate seat, on whether he agreed with the president’s decision.

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“No, not in importing it from Russia. I’ve actually called for a temporary export ban just to try to give some relief while farmers are out harvesting,” Rogers stated. The deal would permit Russia to supply 300,000 tons of diesel to the U.S. and the global marketplace amid growing pressure to address concerns over mounting energy costs due to global fuel shortages during the U.S.’s military operations against Iran and the Russia-Ukraine war. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) unveiled a bipartisan bill on Saturday that he says would block Trump from lifting sanctions, called the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Act. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) already signed on as a co-sponsor though it is unclear who the Democratic sponsor on the bill is. “[Ukrainian] President Volodymyr Zelensky has the overwhelming support of the United States Congress, he has the overwhelming support of the American people, and he has the overwhelming support of the Ukrainian people,” Fitzpatrick wrote on social media.

Copyright October 11, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved