Ted Cruz

James Talarico wins Texas Senate seat, first Democrat since 1988

Called the 2026 midterm results a 'Watergate-level repudiation' on November 4, 2026

James Talarico, a 37-year-old state legislator and former middle school teacher, beat Republican Ken Paxton in Texas's Senate race on November 3, 2026. Final returns showed Talarico with 55.1% to Paxton's 43%, a 12.1-point margin and the first Democratic Senate win in Texas since 1988.

Updated 5 days ago

Senate passes college sports regulation bill; House path uncertain

Rule Changes

As of September 2026: Bill co-author, shepherded it through the Senate

The Senate voted 77-22 Monday to pass the Protect College Sports Act, the first federal bill to regulate how college athletes earn from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) and how often they transfer. It would let schools pay players up to roughly $50 million a year and give the NCAA an antitrust exemption it has sought for a decade.

Updated Sep 30

Waymo reveals the human scaffolding behind its driverless fleet

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Advocating for national autonomous vehicle regulatory framework

For years, autonomous vehicle companies kept a basic operational question unanswered: how many humans does it actually take to run a driverless fleet? On February 4, 2026, Waymo's chief safety officer told a Senate committee the number: roughly 70 remote agents oversee more than 3,000 vehicles in six American cities at any given moment—a ratio of about one per 43 robotaxis.

Updated May 29

Federal immigration showdown in Minnesota

Force in Play

As of May 2026: Publicly criticized Trump administration's rhetoric on Minnesota shootings

The Department of Homeland Security deployed 3,000 federal agents to Minneapolis in what it calls the largest immigration enforcement operation in U.S. history. Two months in, two U.S. citizens are dead: Renee Good, 37, shot January 7, and Alexander Pretti, 37, an ICU nurse, shot January 24; DHS claims self-defense in both cases, but witness videos contradict that.

Updated May 23

FAA puts $6B on the table to rip out ATC’s “copper age” and hit a 2028 deadline

Built World

As of May 2026: Positioning modernization as accountability test; hosting follow-on oversight hearings

The FAA is no longer talking about “modernization” like it’s a distant science project. In a House hearing, Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency will commit $6 billion by the end of 2025 to upgrade ATC telecom networks and radar surveillance, with a target deployment date of 2028.

Updated May 15