Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Good Morning! On this day in 1961, John Tower became the first Republican senator elected in the state since Reconstruction, winning a special election to fill LBJ's seat following his election as vice president.

A painting of a cornfield, valued at up to half a million dollars, was recently discovered at the Jefferson Historical Museum in Marion County. Scroll down to Et Cetera for details.

CORRECTION: Yesterday's story about the Texas and Texas Tech softball teams heading to the College World Series together started with the phrase, "for the first time in years." That was just silly. The Longhorns and Red Raiders actually played each other in the finals last year, with Texas coming out on top. We regret the error, and we can't wait to see what happens this year.

Later today, you’ll receive a message from our sponsor, RAD Intel, about a current investment opportunity at $0.95/share and the AI platform it’s building to help major brands improve ad performance.

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Take The Flyover with you. Busy day? Listen to our daily 15-minute podcast while commuting, cooking, or walking the dog—your Flyover fix, anywhere.

Paxton Defeats Cornyn in Runoff

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated four-term incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary runoff on May 26, winning roughly 62% to 38%. The result ends Cornyn's 24-year Senate career and marks the first time a Texas Republican senator has lost his party's renomination.

President Trump endorsed Paxton on May 19, calling him a "true MAGA Warrior." Paxton outperformed Cornyn across the state despite being significantly outspent. Cornyn's campaign and allied groups spent approximately $109 million in advertising throughout the campaign compared to Paxton's roughly $10 million.

Paxton, who was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 and acquitted by the Texas Senate, now advances to the general election against Democrat James Talarico, a 37-year-old state representative and former teacher. Talarico raised more than $27 million in the first quarter of 2026.

The Cook Political Report has moved the race from "Likely Republican" to "Lean Republican."

Texas Educators Flagged in New Database

A newly launched Texas Education Agency (TEA) misconduct dashboard shows thousands of educators flagged for misconduct and criminal history.

The TEA's Educator Misconduct Reporting Dashboard, required by Senate Bill 571, logged more than 13,000 misconduct reports in fiscal 2026, as compared to more than 6,000 from 2025.

Sexual misconduct investigations rose nearly 50%, reaching 441 cases compared to 303 the prior year. Inappropriate educator relationship investigations are up more than 150% over the prior year. The dashboard provides an interactive public view of the investigation and sanction process.

Dallas Unveils Largest Public Mural for World Cup

Dallas's largest public mural has been unveiled ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off June 11.

The piece, titled One Field, Infinite Smiles, was created by internationally acclaimed Dutch artist Rosalie de Graaf alongside several Texas artists and took two weeks to complete. It sits on the Trinity Park Conservancy building.

The mural overlooks the future 250-acre Harold Simmons Park, currently under construction between downtown Dallas, the Design District, and Trinity Groves. The park is expected to open in 2028.

Organizers say the goal is to connect art, community, and the outdoors for the thousands of international visitors expected in Dallas during the tournament.

This is not the same World Cup-themed mural that caused controversy last week for replacing a Wyland seascape mural called the Whaling Wall in downtown Dallas.

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➤ Galveston: A 17-year-old was hospitalized Monday after a shark bit him aboard a boat roughly two hours offshore in the Gulf near Galveston. His father applied a tourniquet before their boat broke down, prompting a U.S. Coast Guard rescue. The teen was conscious and alert during the response. (More)

➤ The Colony: Texas' first White Castle is breaking ground at Grandscape in The Colony, north of Dallas. The 3,400-square-foot restaurant, employing 70 workers, is expected to open in late fall 2026. (More)

➤ Statewide: Soaring beef prices have forced some celebrated Texas barbecue restaurants to close, with owners saying they've been in "survival mode" for a year. (More)

➤ Surfside Beach: The body of 11-year-old Joshua Lahai, swept away by a wave at the beach on Sunday, was recovered on Tuesday afternoon. (More)

➤ Dallas: Another boy, also 11, was rescued after being swept away by fast-rising creek water during Sunday afternoon's storms. Oak Cliff neighbors heard his screams for help and rushed to pull him to safety. (More)

➤ Austin's famous Mexican free-tailed bat colony has returned under the Congress Avenue Bridge for summer, and a new exhibit is opening to set the record straight on popular bat myths. (More)

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➤ The San Antonio Spurs fell to the Thunder 127-114 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals last night, putting them one loss away from elimination. Victor Wembanyama made just 4 of his 15 shot attempts. (More)

➤ Five Texas schools made the 64-team NCAA baseball tournament field: Texas, Tarleton State, Texas A&M, Texas State, and Lamar. Regionals begin on Friday. (See Schedule)

➤ Three Houston Astros pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers on Monday night in Arlington in a 9-0 victory. It's the MLB's first no-hitter since September 2024. (More)

➤ Texas junior Farah O'Keefe won the NCAA women's golf individual championship on Monday, sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on her final hole. She's the first Longhorn to win the title since Heather Bowie in 1997. (More)

➤ Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer listed his home in McKinney for $3.8 million to move closer to the team's Frisco headquarters. (More)

Yesterday's Results: NBA | NHL | MLB | Soccer

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➤ Texas will lead the nation in new natural gas pipeline capacity additions in 2026 and 2027, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, driven by record Permian Basin production growth. (More)

➤ Driscoll Children's Hospital purchased approximately 140 acres in Portland, Texas, for a new full-service healthcare campus. (More)

➤ BOXABL received state-level regulatory approval to sell its Casita Studio modular home in Texas, unlocking what the company calls its biggest growth opportunity as new state laws limit local zoning restrictions on accessory dwelling units. (More)

➤ The 30-year fixed mortgage rate ticked back up to 6.46% Tuesday—a 12-basis-point rise—adding costs for homebuyers in Texas, one of the nation's hottest and most active real estate markets. (More)

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➤ A painting by the artist John Constable, worth up to $500,000, spent years tucked inside the Jefferson Historical Museum in Marion County before Heritage Auctions tracked it down. The 19th-century work is now heading to the auction block. (More)

➤ CultureMap's 2026 Tastemakers Awards has wrapped its statewide tour, naming the best chefs, restaurants, and food-and-drink experiences across Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. (More)

➤ A small alligator has claimed a pond at Texas A&M's Research Park. (See Photos)

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