A lot of eyes turned to Texas last night as Ken Paxton’s U.S. senate primary win over John Cornyn suddenly prompted political observers to claim that “Texas might now be in play” for Democrats (despite decades of unfulfilled wishful thinking that the state might turn Blue).

For those who are just beginning to wrap their minds around Paxton’s rise, let’s be crystal-eyed clear: Paxton is no “gift” for Democrats.

In 2023 Paxton, the state’s attorney general, was impeached by our Republican-dominated house of representatives. The impeachment was led by the former speaker, Dade Phelan, one of the most conservative politicians in the state (we follow him closely because he represents the county where Tracie grew up, Orange, a conservative bastion). The vote to move forward with the senate trial was 121-23. At the time, 60 of 80 Republicans — in Texas! — voted to impeach him! That gives you a sense of just how loathsome Paxton is in this Red state.

Paxton’s own staff of lawyers quit on him after accusing him of bribery and misuse of his office. His own hand-picked staff! Paxton has associated with a convicted, corrupt Austin real estate developer, the same one that let the attorney general use his Uber account so that he could meet with his adulterous love interest and then gave her a job.

Tracie and I were eager to watch the primary returns last night. Beyond the Cornyn/Paxton fight to the death, there were two contentious races in Texas where rabid antisemitism was a key element (one of the racists, a Democrat, lost; another, a Republican, won).

It’s exciting to believe that Talarico, the Democratic candidate for U.S. senate, might have a chance to beat “the most corrupt politician in America,” as Talarico’s team has already branded Paxton in their ads this morning.

But it’s also saddening to think that we may be represented in the senate by two of the most hated politicians of our era, Cruz and Paxton, both in lockstep with MAGA.

Daunted but not deterred, Tracie and I will be working hard for Talarico by block-walking. We can’t afford to lose this one.