Paxton Makes Final Pitch in Texas Senate Race

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is heading into the final days of his Republican primary runoff against Sen. John Cornyn 

 

with the backing of President Donald Trump.

“I don’t know if y'all noticed this, but Donald Trump endorsed me,” Paxton told a small rally in a town outside Austin, drawing applause from the crowd.

Tuesday's election has drawn national attention and significant campaign spending. It has also become the latest contest in which Trump is backing challengers against Republican incumbents, including Cornyn.

That effort has often been successful for Trump. Earlier this week, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie lost his Kentucky primary against Ed Gallrein, whom Trump endorsed and supported. Trump has also backed successful challengers against incumbents in Louisiana and Indiana.

Paxton has recently turned more of his attention toward the Democratic nominee, state Rep. James Talarico. Paxton opened his event Thursday with criticism of Talarico, a sign of his confidence heading into Tuesday.

Paxton then outlined his political record and argued he should be the Republican nominee, pointing to lawsuits he has filed defending conservative policies and priorities. Supporters at the event said that record appeals to many Trump supporters.

 

“He’s a fighter, he’s a person of action, he’s proven that as attorney general,” said Jeffrey Sonnier, 72, 

 

who attended the rally.

As for Cornyn, said Sonnier, “he’s inactive for five years and digs out to become a supposed active Republican MAGA person every six years.”

Paxton’s campaign said Thursday that it is pulling negative ads against Cornyn. Following Trump’s endorsement Tuesday, the campaign and a super PAC supporting Paxton instead began airing separate ads highlighting Trump’s support.

Cornyn’s campaign and groups supporting him, however, were outspending pro-Paxton groups by roughly three-to-one and had resumed airing an ad that notes Cornyn’s support for Trump’s agenda and includes clips of Trump praising Cornyn.

“He's called me a friend, and that's no surprise because I've supported him and his policies, you may have seen a commercial or two to that effect, 99.3% of the time,” Cornyn said in a video posted to X from a recent event.

Cornyn has also worked to focus attention on Paxton’s character and past controversies.

The campaign has emphasized Paxton’s past controversies, including impeachment proceedings in which he was acquitted.

If Paxton is the nominee, those issues are likely to become part of a general election campaign against Talarico,

 

where voters may be less “willing to overlook all the corruption, the self-dealing and the scandals,” Cornyn argued at a recent campaign event. “Ken Paxton would hand it to (Democrats) on a silver platter.”

Paxton supporters at Thursday’s rally said the accusations would not affect their support.

“He’s had his flaws, but so have we; we all make mistakes,” said Daniel Vega, 18, adding, “He’s repented, let’s move on.”

Through this week, Cornyn’s campaign and allied groups will have spent roughly $90 million on advertising, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact, including more than $20 million since the March 3 primary election.

Paxton’s campaign and a supporting super PAC have combined to spend roughly $10.5 million on advertising, including about $6.1 million since the March 3 primary.

The volume of advertising has saturated the race.

“The commercials are leading me against Paxton, that he might be a little crooked,” said Gail Licea, 74, a retired registered nurse who attended a Cornyn event before Trump’s endorsement. She also said, “I’ve been led to believe that sometimes John Cornyn doesn’t back President Donald Trump, and that concerns me.”

Wayne Hamilton, former executive director of the Texas Republican Party, said the concentration of advertising may make it difficult for any single message to significantly influence voters before Tuesday’s election.

“There is so much noise out there right now,” said Hamilton, who advises Gov. Greg Abbott and is unaffiliated with either Senate candidate. “I don’t know how any one message is going to break through.”

 

Trump Supporter Beaten to Within an Inch of His Life — As the Left Pretends Rhetoric Has No Consequences

The Left has been calling for violence relentlessly since Donald Trump re-assumed his presidency — and once again, they’ve got it.

It’s a horrific story, and we warn readers that there’s disturbing content ahead.

The facts:

The wife of the elderly San Diego man brutally beaten outside his MAGA-inspired “Trump House” said there’s “no hope” for her husband after the vicious attack left him fighting for his life.

Kerry Sheron, 69,

 

was in critical condition following the violent assault outside his Escondido property on Wednesday afternoon.

His wife, Maria,

revealed to The California Post through tears that her husband isn’t expected to survive.

 

The alleged assailant, 32-year-old Escondido resident Thomas Caleb Butler,

 

was arrested on attempted murder charges and faces life in prison if convicted.

Profanity alert:

ALERT: Owner of ‘Trump House’ fighting for his life after neighbor beats him almost to death in his own driveway.

A 69-year-old man in Escondido, California, known for having his house covered in Trump and American flags, was beaten by Thomas Caleb Butler, 32.

Police responded to the assault and found the owner "suffering from significant injuries" and a good Samaritan that interviened [sic] also injured.

Butler had fled the scene when police had arrived, but was found about a half mile away and apprehended.

It was revealed that Butler lives just around the corner from the victim.

The ‘Trump House' has become a target of hostility, with one online comment reading, “My buddy lived down the street from him. Whenever I went to visit I made sure to swing by that place and shout stuff at them.”

The photos of Army veteran Sheron’s injuries are sickening:

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UNFORTUNATELY, MORE: Vance Recalls Harrowing Moments Following WHCD Shooting — Says It's Time for the Left to Look in Mirror

WH Kept Receipts, Lists 57 Times 'Sick, Unhinged' Democrats Called for Violence Against Law Enforcement

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Yes, the man was loud and proud, and openly showcased his support of the duly elected president. That’s enough to get you (almost and maybe) killed in today’s America? Leftists need to do some serious soul-searching. Or maybe we need to do it for them.

Conservative California state senate candidate Mike Netter had thoughts:

🚨BREAKING: Homeowner of Famous “Trump House” in Escondido California Brutally Assaulted, Left Fighting for Life in ICU

Just 11 weeks after pro-Trump signs at the residence were attacked, the homeowner of Escondido’s well-known “Trump House” — covered in large Trump flags and patriotic displays — was violently assaulted outside his home and rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

He remains in the ICU battling for his life.

Escondido Police responded to the assault around 2:14 PM Wednesday and quickly arrested a suspect nearby. He has been charged with attempted murder. Motive has not yet been released.

The home has long been a local landmark for its bold pro-Trump and America-themed displays.

Prayers for the victim’s full recovery.

This one is personal to me

Please re post and do the job the mainstream should do

This is one of those stories that leaves me speechless, and I pray for Kerry Sheron and his wife. Although there may be circumstances that we don’t know about yet, I firmly blame the Left for incidents like these. They have ratcheted up their violent rhetoric to levels we’ve rarely seen before, and the results are clear: three assassination attempts against Donald Trump, the cold-blooded ("alleged") assassination of a UnitedHealthcare executive by Leftist hero Luigi Mangione, the savage killing of Charlie Kirk.

And now a man lies in the hospital, fighting for his life. This is just plain wrong, and Democrats need to pay the price at the ballot box in November — and far beyond.

 

Not In My County: Defiant Upstate Exec Vows to Rebel Against Hochul’s Newly Passed Radical Anti-ICE Law

New York state lawmakers voted Thursday to pass Governor Kathy Hochul’s (D) sweeping sanctuary state bill, enacting a broad ban on cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE.

The radical legislation imposes new restrictions on federal immigration authorities, including barring ICE agents from most public spaces—such as hospitals and parks—and ending 287(g) agreements, which are voluntary partnerships between local law enforcement and federal agents.

It also bans ICE agents from wearing masks, which would allow them to protect their lives and their families' safety.

The legislation creates an “Office of Immigrant Trust” under state Attorney General Letitia James (D), 

 

giving her the authority to enforce the law and to harass local governments that do not fall in line. James has a thoroughly documented history of malicious prosecution against anything that might reflect favorably on the current President.

In short, the legislative package does everything in its power to handcuff ICE agents, while allowing illegal aliens to continue invading the Empire State, endangering the lives and safety of not only law enforcement but also the lives of average, everyday New Yorkers.

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READ MORE: Homan to Hochul — Block ICE and We’ll Swarm NY Streets

'Insanity': DHS Blasts NYC for Refusing ICE Hold on Illegal Alien Charged With Killing 4 in Random Arson

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Albany Democrats and Governor Hochul celebrated their latest effort to turn New York into a full-blown sanctuary mecca that protects criminals over citizens. But not everyone is falling in line.

Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin,

 

a no-nonsense upstate Republican who oftentimes emulates the President's defiance, immediately fired back with a warning—he will not comply.

"Let me absolutely guarantee this low IQ and dangerous [Governor Hochul] that [Rensselaer County] will once again ignore your stupidity just as we did with Cuomo constantly," he wrote on X.

Indeed, McLaughlin openly defied Cuomo, most notably standing alone as the only county executive in New York to refuse the then-Governor’s deadly nursing home executive order that forced COVID-positive patients into senior facilities.

Cuomo ended up sending thousands of seniors to their deaths through the order. McLaughlin saved countless lives.

"While you endanger New Yorkers, I will protect my residents," he continued, railing against Cuomo's successor. "We WILL continue to work with ICE, and we will continue to participate in the 287g program to protect our people."

McLaughlin dared Hochul to come after him, ever so gently telling her to "F off" and referring to her, accurately, I might add, as a "vapid puppet."

Let me absolutely guarantee this low IQ and dangerous @GovKathyHochul that #RensselaerCounty will once again ignore your stupidity just as we did with Cuomo constantly. While you endanger New Yorkers, I will protect my residents. We WILL continue to work with I.C.E and we will continue to participate in the 287g program to protect our people. As I said before, I dare you to confront me on this. Let me be even more succinct: F OFF you vapid puppet.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican gubernatorial candidate running against Hochul, is also vowing to challenge the radical sanctuary-state bill in court.

Blakeman, a vocal critic of open-border policies, has already signaled he will continue Nassau’s strong partnership with federal immigration authorities and protect the county’s successful 287(g) program no matter what Albany tries to force. 

“Kathy Hochul just sent a message to killers, rapists, and gang members around the world: come to New York!” Blakeman told The New York Post. “Her latest pro-criminal policy shields thugs from arrest while forcing more ICE agents onto our streets.”

McLaughlin and Blakeman represent a dwindling contingent of Republicans willing to fight back against extremist Democrats in the Empire State.

 

Senate GOP Is a Trainwreck...Because It's Still Loaded With Spineless Trash

Senate Republicans need to grow up. They’re leaving town, not returning until June, which kills the deadline to pass the reconciliation bill aimed at funding the Department of Homeland Security. The agency has been shut down due to Democratic Party antics since Presidents’ Day weekend. Yet, that’s the least of it. There’s obvious heartburn that President Trump endorsed Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn in the Texas Senate runoff, and Sen. David Cassidy (R-LA) lost his primary last weekend—he voted to impeach Trump; he had to go.

Yet, the reconciliation bill, the ballroom renovation, and finally the Justice Department’s anti-weaponization fund, which would provide compensation to those found to be unfairly targeted by the government, proved to be too much for these people to handle. They ran away. And yes, January 6 was an issue regarding the fund (via Semafor):

The most urgent reason for the delay is boiling anger among Senate Republicans at the president’s $1.8 billion fund of taxpayer money for people who allege they’ve been targeted by the government. That includes, potentially, rioters who participated in the 2021 Capitol attack.

But the bill is slowing down for other reasons, none of them related to immigration: Trump is unsuccessfully pushing for security funding for his White House ballroom renovation, and his goodwill with GOP senators is at a second-term low as he seeks to defeat his second Republican incumbent in as many weeks. Republicans had little appetite for giving Trump what he wanted this week, according to senators and aides.

Broadly speaking, Trump’s sway over the Senate GOP is lower than it’s been at any point in his second term, those Republican sources said — even as his influence in party primaries peaks.

The White House had indicated to Senate Republicans this week that Trump could veto any party-line immigration bill that didn’t contain his unrelated priorities, including the East Wing money and unrestricted use of his “anti-weaponization” fund, according to four people familiar with the matter. A White House official denied to Semafor that such a message was sent.

That bold talk of vetoing a top priority came after Trump helped oust Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., in his primary before endorsing scandal-plagued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who’s beloved among his GOP colleagues. The president also attacked the nonpartisan Senate parliamentarian for ruling that the East Wing security funding could be filibustered, a broadside that many senators viewed as a low blow.

 

[…]

Republicans “were upset going into the meeting and probably were no less upset coming out of the committee, because there was no remedy. There was some frustration,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. Politically speaking, he added, the fund is “unexplainable. That’s the problem.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., upbraided Blanche over the fund in the meeting, and Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told Blanche firmly that the administration needs to consult more closely with Congress ahead of decisions, according to people familiar with the meeting.

“So the nation’s top law enforcement official is asking for a slush fund to pay people who assault cops? Utterly stupid, morally wrong; take your pick,” Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement.

The meeting was described as an “absolute sh*tshow” by two people briefed on it.

[…]

Senate Republicans clearly need a breather after this week, and they may be able to reassemble the immigration bill. They may even find a way to get back in sync with Trump, who has a unique ability to get his way even when it seems impossible.

On the other hand, Trump is getting deep into his second term with low approval ratings and more focus on foreign policy than on domestic issues. Republicans may be realizing that they need a path to success — at legislating and campaigning — in a post-Trump party.

It could be a rough 2026 as they figure that out.

That’s a lot of whining. All talk, no action. This upper chamber is full of the spineless and the cowardly. I understand we don’t have a true majority, since we have four to five members in the agitator caucus, but this is a lot of complaining for a body that has done nothing. That indulged Senate Democrats on DHS funding, only to get played like a fiddle. I can see why Trump views them as eunuchs. They’re completely worthless, and they proved it again this week. 

Pretty neat how the GOP eunuchs have no problem handing out money to every leftist program known to man but the prospect of maybe helping some of their most dedicated voters a little bit even once is where they draw the line. https://t.co/YCBkvbrVnA

— Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) May 22, 2026

 

One of the Most Braindead House Dems Could Be on His Way Out

Election Day for New York’s primaries is June 23, but this House Democrat might be on his way out. He’s a familiar face, one of the biggest doofuses on Capitol Hill. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) is trailing primary challenger former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander by double digits 

Ha! https://t.co/DNbmscnAVH

— L A R R Y (@LarryOConnor) May 21, 2026

Former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander (D) is leading incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman (N.Y.) in the Democratic primary for New York’s 10th District by more than 20 points, according to a new survey.

In the Emerson College Polling/PIX 11 poll, 56.6 percent of respondents said they would back Lander while 23.1 percent said they support Goldman and 20.3 percent were undecided.

Lander launched his bid to challenge Goldman late last year, shortly after losing the party primary for the New York City mayoral race.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), who won that race, has backed Lander’s bid for Congress, saying in a post on the social platform X in February that the former comptroller “has spent his career taking on big fights for New York’s working families.”

[…]

Shortly after Lander’s announcement, Goldman declined to comment on the former comptroller’s decision to challenge him in the Democratic primary.

“I’m not really thinking about this right now. I’m in Washington, really focused on making sure that health care will not be taken away from millions of people,” Goldman said during an appearance on PIX11’s “Politics Daily.”

Goldman was the lead counsel for House Democrats during the first unsuccessful impeachment attempt against Trump. As a member of Congress, he has been a disaster—chosen as the face of the attack dog wing for his party, but he’s terrible at it. He attacked an angel parent two years ago, which completely backfired. Even worse, he arguably strengthened the case for the special counsel investigation into Hunter Biden after he self-destructed trying to discredit the IRS whistleblowers in 2023. 

 

Goldman is a piece of work. https://t.co/lorze6aa8s

— Benjamin Domenech (@bdomenech) January 19, 2024

YIKES: Rep. Dan Goldman was trying to prove that Joe Biden was not implicated in the IRS Whistleblowers' allegations, but instead accidentally showed that Joe Biden did discuss foreign business dealings with his son Hunter. pic.twitter.com/6nyEhfm36G

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 19, 2023

...Rep. Dan Goldman's friendly fire incident produced Dresden-level damage for the Biden defense. pic.twitter.com/NfHerSEp5X

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) July 20, 2023

...Goldman prompted a sworn statement from the investigator that Biden did indeed discuss his son's business deals. In doing so, Goldman may have delivered one of the most damaging moments in the hearing for the Bidens.

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) July 19, 2023

Law professor Jonathan Turley described the hearing as one in which Goldman did “Dresden-level” damage to the Bidens.

And he could be gone soon, but since the man is an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, he’ll still be wealthy and also foolish. 

 

Trump pauses operations for Iran diplomacy as House leaders block vote

President Donald Trump has appeared to utilize America’s military strength as leverage to bring a stubborn Iranian regime back to the negotiating table, while pausing further U.S. and Israeli strikes to give diplomacy a final opportunity to succeed.

Trump’s willingness to combine maximum pressure with strategic pauses has kept Iran on the defensive and created the current window for indirect talks, conservative analysts say.

On Thursday, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir arrived in Tehran to advance mediation efforts, following a preparatory visit by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Iranian officials claimed they received a revised American proposal through Pakistani channels and were currently reviewing it.

The day before, Trump also stated that he would give mediators “a couple of days” to secure Iran’s response, while making clear that the U.S. military stands ready to resume high-intensity operations if Tehran rejects reasonable terms.

 

Meanwhile, the president has been unequivocal that any lasting agreement must permanently dismantle Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions — a non-negotiable red line he has maintained consistently.

Additionally, in Washington on Thursday, efforts to tie the president’s hands through the 1973 War Powers Resolution faced pushback. After four Republican senators broke ranks with Democrats to advance the measure in the Senate, House Republican leadership — recognizing the lack of votes to defeat it outright — pulled the resolution from the floor in the afternoon.

This effectively delays the challenge until June, preserving the administration’s flexibility during this critical diplomatic phase.

 

Trump directly confronted internal opposition, including public criticism from Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.), reinforcing his position that decisive executive action was both necessary and lawful. Notably, the White House and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have also strongly defended the administration’s legal authorities, emphasizing that periods of ceasefire have impacted the War Powers timeline.

Two fundamental demands define the current talks:

• Freedom of Navigation in the Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s attempt to control this vital global chokepoint through its newly created Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) — including demands for permits and fees — has been firmly rejected by Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The United States insists the strait must remain fully open to international commerce without Iranian tolls or interference.

• Iran’s Nuclear Program: Trump has made it clear that preventing a nuclear-armed Iran is essential to any permanent deal. Hardline elements in Tehran continue to resist, but U.S. pressure has kept the regime from crossing critical thresholds.

With Congress temporarily sidelined and American forces positioned for rapid action if needed, the initiative remains firmly with President Trump. Iran is expected to deliver its formal response to the U.S. framework in the coming days.

 

Governor Jared Polis Cuts Tina Peters Jail Time as Trump Cheers and Democrats Seethe

  Governor Jared Polis has commuted the prison sentence of former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters, cutting her roughly nine‑year term to about four years and four months and making her eligible for parole on June 1, 2026. 

The move has set off a firestorm of partisan reaction — cheers from President Donald Trump and his allies, and harsh rebukes from Colorado Democrats who say the governor is undercutting accountability for election interference. The facts matter here: Peters remains a convicted felon. This was a commutation, not a pardon.

Trump Puts Iran on a Deadline: Final Offer or Face Strikes

President Donald Trump has put Tehran on a public countdown: “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them.” The warning lands the same day Pakistan quietly handed Washington a revised Iranian proposal meant to breathe life back into stalled talks — diplomacy and military posturing, all at once, with ordinary Americans caught in the middle.

Ultimatum, not idle bluster

The president’s language is blunt and intentionally so: he warned Iran they’ll “get hit much harder” if they don’t come back with a better offer. That’s not your typical diplomatic prose — it’s a lever meant to force movement by threatening escalation. Whether you applaud the polish or fear the peril, the White House is signaling it’s prepared to back words with action.

 

Back channels, envoys, and what’s actually on the table

Behind the loud headlines, Pakistan has been ferrying messages; its diplomats delivered Tehran’s amended text to U.S. officials, hoping to restart negotiations. Washington’s ad‑hoc peace team — including Special Envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff — is juggling that paper while Iran publicly says it isn’t “intimidated by the enemy’s threats.” The real sticking points haven’t changed: enriched uranium stockpiles, sequencing of any handover or pause, sanctions relief, and who guarantees the Strait of Hormuz stays open.

Why this matters at the pump and on the pier

When tanks of oil move from the Gulf, your wallet feels it. Markets already reacted: crude prices climbed and equities pulled back on the escalation. That ripple hits small business owners who watch margins shrink, truck drivers who see fuel costs rise, and the families of the sailors who keep those tankers moving through a tighter, more dangerous Strait of Hormuz.

A narrow window, with real risks

Diplomacy is still alive — but it’s on a short fuse. The U.S. can accept Pakistan’s handoff and return with a counteroffer, or Tehran can reject Washington’s terms and we’re back into the dark, ugly business of strikes and reprisals. The mistake here isn’t rhetoric; it’s miscalculation. So tell me: do we want to tighten the screws and risk a firefight, or do we use that pressure to force a deal that actually secures American interests — before the ticking clock runs out?

 

CartoonDems

 

USS Nimitz Deployment to Caribbean Comes as Cuba Tensions Surge

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its strike group have arrived in the Caribbean this week as tensions with Cuba escalate and President Trump has raised the prospect of potential military action against the island, according to initial reporting by The Hill.

The Nimitz-class carrier is operating alongside its air wing — including F/A-18E Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers and C-2A Greyhounds — as well as the USS Gridley, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer,

 

 and the USNS Patuxent, a Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler,

 

 according to U.S. Southern Command, which oversees military operations in the region.

“USS Nimitz has proven its combat prowess across the globe, ensuring stability and defending democracy from the Taiwan Strait to the Arabian Gulf,” Southcom said on X.

The Nimitz, commissioned in 1975, 

 

had been conducting joint exercises with the Brazilian Navy off Rio de Janeiro last week, the U.S. Embassy in Brazil said.

Trump told reporters Wednesday that Cuba is “on our mind,” following a Justice Department indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro on murder-related charges tied to the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft over international waters that killed four people.

“It’s very important,” Trump said. “It was a very big moment for people, not only Cuban Americans, but people who came from Cuba, that want to go back to Cuba, see their family in Cuba.”

The indictment was announced on Cuba’s Independence Day. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a rare Spanish-language message to Cubans, marked the occasion by defending U.S. sanctions and blaming the island’s ongoing power outages on the communist government.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe also met with Cuban officials on the island last week, signaling that Washington’s timeline for talks would not remain open-ended, according to officials familiar with the meeting.

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