Good morning,

Yesterday, we asked readers who they would back for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate if the election were held today. You will find the results of the survey below.

This is the Texas Minute for Tuesday, June 10, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Soros-Backed Group Relaunches Effort To Turn Texas Blue With Multimillion-Dollar Push

• A Democrat-aligned political group backed by billionaire George Soros is once again setting its sights on Texas, aiming to flip the reliably red state with a new multimillion-dollar campaign. Brandon Waltens has the story.
      
• Campaign finance records show Soros gave $2.1 million to Texas Majority PAC in 2024 and another $1 million in April. The entity is partnering with the Texas Democratic Party and several county parties to organize volunteers, recruit candidates, and boost voter turnout ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
      
• As reported yesterday by the Wall Street Journal, the move marks the latest in a long line of efforts by Democrats to make inroads in Texas, a state Republicans have dominated for decades. Despite shifting demographics and repeated national predictions of a “blue wave,” Democrats haven’t won a single statewide race in Texas since 1994.
       
• Past efforts like Battleground Texas—formed over a decade ago with similar ambitions—have largely failed. Republicans have continued to control every statewide office.
       
• Like clockwork since the early 2010s, the eastern establishment media heralds the coming downfall of the Texas GOP. It is often accompanied by a consultant-led push to dissuade Republican donors from donating to primary challengers, "so we save money for the general election."

Organized Protesters Rally For Illegal Aliens, Against ICE

• Hundreds of demonstrators flooded the streets of Houston, Dallas, and Austin in a show of support for illegal aliens. Joseph Trimmer reported from Houston and Adam Cahn from Austin.
     
• Both protests featured activists brandishing Mexican, Palestinian, and LGBT flags while demanding the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
      
• The rhetoric in Houston was far from peaceful. Revolutionary Communists, Democratic Socialists, and other left-wing groups called for “revolution” and the removal of President Donald Trump.
       
• The Austin protest was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation. A couple hundred self-proclaimed "comrades" marched from the Capitol to the JJ Pickle Federal Building, where protestors defaced the entrance with obscene graffiti. Law enforcement eventually cleared out the increasingly unruly crowd with tear gas.
        
• More protests are being organized nationwide for this Saturday, June 14.

Supreme Court Shoots Down Mexico’s Lawsuit Against American Gun Companies

• Luca Cacciatore reports that the United States Supreme Court has sided with a coalition of states, including Texas, in dismissing a lawsuit filed by Mexico aimed at American firearms companies.
      
• In 2021, Mexico sued a number of U.S. firearms companies, claiming they were responsible in part for the criminal use of their products by the Mexican cartels. Attorneys general in states across the country quickly began picking sides. A number of blue state prosecutorial teams came to Mexico’s defense, while red states (like Texas) sided with the gun manufacturers.
      
• Justices unanimously decided last week that the case should be dismissed.

Texas A&M Political Science Textbook Attacks Trump

• A summer class at Texas A&M is using a textbook that promotes the establishment narrative that President Donald Trump is a criminal. Robert Montoya reports the book's opening chapter is filled with anti-Trump messaging.
     
• The textbook in question is the 11th edition of “Keeping the Republic: Power and Citizenship in American Politics,” by Christine Barbour and Gerald C. Wright. It is required reading in American National Government, a political science course at Texas A&M offered during the summer semester from May 26 to July 4 of this year.

Republicans Win Runoff Races in Frisco, Lose McKinney Mayoral Matchup

• Local runoff elections over the weekend yielded mixed results for conservatives in several North Texas cities, including a pair of wins in Frisco and a loss in McKinney. Erin Anderson details the races.
       
• In runoffs for two Frisco City Council seats, Republican-endorsed candidates Burt Thakur and Jared Elad defeated their establishment-backed opponents, respectively winning 55 and 53 percent of the vote.
     
• In the runoff for the open McKinney mayor’s seat, establishment-backed developer Bill Cox beat pastor and Republican former state representative Scott Sanford, winning 53 percent of the vote. The previous mayor, George Fuller, was term-limited out of office but backed Cox.

Support Texas Scorecard!

Texas Scorecard doesn’t take government grants or corporate sponsorships, and we don’t put our content behind a paywall. The support of our readers is what makes Texas Scorecard possible!

Quote-Unquote

"My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me."

– Winston Churchill​

Y'All Answered

At the top of the 2026 GOP primary ballot, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn will be challenged for the Republican nomination by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Yesterday, we asked readers who they would support if the election were held right now.

Here is a sampling of what readers had to say.

• “Anyone from Paxton to an armadillo would be more effective than Cornyn.” – David Hendrickson
      

• “We’ve watched Cornyn be a RINO for decades.  No need to give him more time to ruin Texas.” – Kathy Parker
      

• “I fear a divisive primary that will lead to Paxton voters not supporting Cornyn in the general, or vice versa. A Democrat senator from Texas would be a national disaster. I support Wesley Hunt, who can bridge the differences.” – Jerry Harben
      

• “Senator Cronyn has failed the state repeatedly and shown himself to be a Rino.” – Lois Young
      

• “A vote for Paxton in the primary is a vote for the democrats in the general election!” – David Holden 
      

• “Ken Paxton has too much negative baggage.” – Ed Wedin
      

• “We need better choices.” – Melba Cunningham
       

• “Cornyn is not a true conservative, he only plays one in election years.” – Gene Glass
      

• “Cornyn is part of the Washington swamp.  Paxton will represent Texans and fight for our values and ideas.” – Ted Shaw
      

• “John Cornyn started out conservative, but over time has become a RINO. Time to retire.” – Sharon Bailey
      

• “If Texas voters don't send Paxton to the Senate, they might as well send Beto…” – Jason Kerr
      

• “Cornyn is a RINO and a career politician. Hopefully, Paxton would represent Texas better, but could this be the lesser of two evils?” – Priscilla Love
     

• “Cornyn would likely have been ousted years ago, but this is the first primary that will actually have a decent alternative to him.” – Roger Taylor
      

• “Cornyn is weak and two-faced. I’d rather vote for no one than him. Hate losing Paxton as AG, but hope someone just as tough can step into his shoes.” – Margaret Vonder Hoya
      

• “From his positional statements and votes, it’s clear Senator Cornyn has retired on the job and fails to represent the viewpoint of a majority of Texas voters.” – Jim Blande
      

• “I think it would be good for Texas if Mr. Cornyn would relinquish his seat in the white haired old-folks home in Washington.” – Vicki Dudley

Directory of Your Current U.S. & Texas Lawmakers

This information is automatically inserted based on the mailing address you provide to us. If you'd like to update your contact information, please visit our subscriber portal.