Former Texas Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke is the preferred candidate among Democratic voters in the state’s 2026 Senate race, according to recent polling — despite having lost three major races within a span of four years.

Texas Republicans now face a clear path to redraw the state’s congressional maps after state House Democrats ended their 15-day walkout and returned to the Capitol on Monday. In California, meanwhile,

Texas Republicans mandated that Democratic lawmakers not be allowed to leave the state house without a permission slip and a police escort.

Plus, ahead of Friday's summit, Trump threatens “very severe consequences” if Putin doesn’t agree to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

To disregard California’s practice of independently crafting political maps to avoid partisan tilt, Newsom’s plan hinges on the compliance of lawmakers in the state Legislature, which is dominated by members of his own party. And so far, it doesn’t look likely that the governor will meet significant resistance.

Democratic lawmakers in Texas returned to the state on Monday, ending a two-week walkout that broke quorum and temporarily blocked Republican efforts to redraw congressional maps at the behest of U.S.