EARLY VOTING OPENS TODAY IN TEXAS PRIMARY RUNOFF
Early voting is underway today in the Texas Primary Runoff Election, giving voters their first chance to weigh in on some of the state’s most closely watched races before Election Day on May 26th. The early voting window runs Monday through Friday, May 18–22.
A total of 38 races are headed to a runoff after no candidate secured more than 50 percent of the vote in the March 3rd primary. The marquee matchup is on the Republican side, where incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn — who has held the seat since 2002 — is facing a challenge from Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won 40 percent of the primary vote to Cornyn’s 42 percent. The latest polling shows the race statistically tied heading into early voting.
The winner will face Democrat and Austin State Rep. James Talarico in November.
Also on statewide ballots: Republicans Chip Roy and Mayes Middleton are squaring off for the attorney general nomination, while Democrats Joe Jaworski and Nathan Johnson face off in their own AG runoff. And on the Democratic side, State Rep. Vikki Goodwin of Austin is battling labor leader Marcos Velez for the chance to take on Lt. Governor Dan Patrick in the fall.
What to know about the candidates in the Democratic runoff for Texas lieutenant governor:
Here in Central Texas, Travis County voters have a handful of consequential races to decide.
Democrats will settle the Travis County Commissioner Precinct 4 race — a contest between former Constable George Morales and Del Valle ISD trustee Susanna Ledesma-Woody. Whoever wins will be the first new commissioner for that precinct in more than 30 years, representing a large portion of South and Southeast Travis County.
Democrats in Travis County will also choose between Montserrat Garibay and Kathie Tovo for the open Texas House District 49 seat, left vacant after Rep. Gina Hinojosa launched a gubernatorial bid. Republicans in Travis County face a runoff for the 37th Congressional District, where Ge’Nell Gary and Lauren B. Peña are vying for the right to face Democratic Congressman Greg Casar in November.
Up in Williamson County, Republicans David McDonald and Jeff Mayes — who finished with 46 and 29 percent respectively in March — are headed to a runoff for County Commissioner Precinct 2. With no Democrat in the race, the winner will take the seat uncontested in November. Williamson County Democrats, meanwhile, will choose between Casey Shepard and Milah Flores in the U.S. House District 17 race, and between Stephanie Limon Bazan and Allison Bush for a seat on the State Board of Education.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day through Friday, and voters may cast their ballot at any vote center in their county.
Don’t forget your photo ID.
What is the traffic impact and major disruptions as TxDOT rebuilds intersections at RM 2222 and Courtyard Drive? (Austin American-Statesman)
The Texas Department of Transportation is launching its annual “Click it or Ticket” campaign today in an effort to encourage wearing seat belts.
Firefighters across the Texas Panhandle are battling a wave of fast-moving wildfires that have scorched tens of thousands of acres, destroyed homes, and forced mass evacuations across Randall, Potter, and Oldham counties.
In Randall County, the Hunggate and Chocolate Chip fires merged near Interstate 27, burning over 34,000 acres with 95% containment and destroying at least three homes.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park was closed and placed under an immediate evacuation order as flames pushed east-northeast at speeds of 3 to 5 miles per hour.
In Potter County, the Shifty Fire burned more than 5,000 acres in the northwest part of the county before reaching 100 percent containment.
A new, smaller blaze, the Stinky Fire is only five acres.
To the west, the Line Fire — the largest single incident in the region — burned nearly 11,000 acres in Oldham County and neighboring Quay County, New Mexico, with the Texas portion estimated at 10,000 acres. It has been fully contained.
Officials are now dealing with the 750-acre Blue Diamond Fire.
Texas A&M Forest Service raised the state’s wildfire preparedness level to “2” as ten active fires continue to burn across the region. Drought conditions, wind gusts, and dry lightning storms have left the Texas Panhandle, eastern New Mexico, and the Oklahoma Panhandle reeling from dozens of blazes.
Officials say assessments of the full extent of structural damage are still ongoing.
WEATHER
SUNDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERSGTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Dozens of Texas wind projects are stuck in limbo after the Pentagon halted routine federal permits over national security concerns—a move experts call an expansion of the Trump administration’s fight against wind energy. (Texas Tribune)
A small plane carrying three off-duty Dallas police officers crashed en route to make an emergency landing in a field near Forney overnight Saturday, the police department confirmed.
Upstream jobs in Texas’ oil and gas industry have increased slightly, according to the Texas Oil and Gas Association. The state added 1,800 jobs in this sector in March, according to the association’s analysis of Texas Workforce Commission data. (Houston Public Media)
Early voting begins Monday in one of the most consequential races on the Texas ballot — the fight to replace Ken Paxton as attorney general. We go one‑on‑one with all four candidates in the runoff, giving voters a chance to hear directly from each in their own words about their priorities, experience, and how they would shape the office. Congressman Chip Roy and State Senator Mayes Middleton are locked in a high‑stakes runoff to lead the GOP ticket. Adam Schwager breaks down the clash over experience, conservative credentials, and ties to Donald Trump as both candidates make their closing pitch to voters.
While much of the attention is on the Republican runoff, Democrats face their own decision between State Senator Nathan Johnson and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski. Adam Schwager speaks with both candidates about how they differ on strategy, electability, and how they would take on the Trump administration if elected statewide.
With no endorsement yet in the Cornyn‑Paxton Senate runoff, President Donald Trump instead turned attention toward Democrat James Talarico. Josh looks at how a visit with Barack Obama — and a seemingly simple taco order — became a political flashpoint, and what it says about messaging in the campaign for U.S. Senate.
(Episode from May 17, 2026)
For the last three weeks, a messy, dramatic battle has played out between two of the most powerful titans of tech in the world: Elon Musk and Sam Altman.
As jury deliberations begin today, the technology reporter Mike Isaac takes us inside the courtroom drama and explains how a corporate dispute got extremely personal.
Guest: Mike Isaac, a New York Times reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area, covering tech companies and Silicon Valley.
From the New York Times.
TEXAS TEN MOST WANTED
Saturday and Sunday’s shooting spree in Austin garnered national attention.
SPORTS
COLLEGE SOFTBALL: No. 3 Texas Softball utilized a Teagan Kavan complete game shutout and four home runs to defeat Baylor, 7-0, in the NCAA Austion Regional Final Sunday afternoon at McCombs Field. Texas advances to the program’s seventh-consecutive NCAA Super Regional.
The Horns enhance their overall record to 45-10 overall and 6-0 in the postseason. Texas moves its win streak to seven games and has won 13-consecutive NCAA Regional games. (Texas Longhorns)
MLB: The Texas Rangers avoided a sweep by their in-state rivals.
Jake Burger homered and tied a career high with four RBIs and Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven strong innings to lead the Texas Rangers to an 8-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday. The Astros, however, won the weekend series. (Associated Press)
ON THE SCHEDULE
NBA PLAYOFFS: The Western Conference Finals tip off tonight in Oklahoma City as the top-seeded Thunder host the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1, with a 7:30 p.m. CT tip at Paycom Center.
Oklahoma City comes in as heavy favorites — oddsmakers give them a 69% chance of winning tonight — after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in four games in the second round.
The Spurs, meanwhile, punched their ticket the hard way, outlasting the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games to reach their first Conference Finals in years. This is a clash of styles and generations: OKC’s young, relentless machine against a San Antonio squad that has quietly been one of the playoff’s better stories. The winner moves one step closer to the NBA Finals.
Deep inside Big Thicket National Preserve, explore one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in America: hidden swamps, winding bayous, and the untouched beauty of the Neches River.
Local guide, Gerald Cerda, recalls his unique life growing up on the land and his passion for introducing folks from around the world to it.
A new episode of Texas Country Reporter.
