Opinion roundup: Paxton, Talarico and the fight ahead. Here's what to know
Star-Telegram columnists spent the week dissecting Ken Paxton’s commanding Republican primary runoff win over Sen. John Cornyn and what it means for Texas. Opinion writers also weighed in on energy policy, data centers and a controversial Railroad Commission victory.
Here are key takeaways:
- Bud Kennedy argues Paxton can run for U.S. Senate only because Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick steered the 2023 impeachment trial to protect him, writing that Patrick made himself judge and shaped rules that kept Paxton’s mistress off the stand.
- Ryan J. Rusak breaks down the structural hurdles facing Democrat James Talarico, arguing Talarico must overcome a roughly 500,000-vote Republican advantage and a progressive “buzzkill problem” that has alienated moderates.
- Kennedy also examines how Bo French won the Texas Railroad Commission runoff despite opposition from Gov. Greg Abbott, Patrick and nearly every other statewide GOP leader, crediting more than $1 million from West Texas oil billionaires Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks.
- Conservative commentator Mark Davis predicts Republicans will unify quickly behind Paxton, arguing Talarico’s positions on gender, abortion and the Bible will make Paxton’s general election ads “nearly write themselves”.
- Rusak warns that Paxton’s roughly 30-point trouncing of Cornyn is bad news for conservatism itself, arguing it rewards combative personality over character and effectiveness in ways voters may come to regret.
- A separate Rusak column lays out the winners and losers from Tuesday’s runoffs, naming Donald Trump the undisputed king of the GOP but also flagging risks for the president and Texas businesses that have drawn Paxton’s attention.
- Sarah Stogner, a Texas district attorney, urges Texans worried about data center construction to push candidates for answers before November, noting a University of Houston survey found nearly 63% of Houston-area residents oppose data centers within a mile of their homes.
- Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian warns Texas not to follow California’s energy path, arguing the Golden State’s refinery closures and reliance on foreign crude offer a cautionary tale as Texas weighs its mix of oil, gas, coal, nuclear and renewables.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.