Two Republicans and two Democrats are facing off in runoff primary elections to be Texas attorney general.

Why it matters: As the chief legal officer of the state, the attorney general represents Texas in litigation, defends state laws, initiates investigations and enforces consumer protection laws.

• The winner will replace Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has held the position for 12 years and is running for U.S. Senate.

Driving the news: Early voting continues through Friday. Election Day is Tuesday.

Catch up quick: The Republican runoff pits state Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston against U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, who represents parts of San Antonio, Austin and the Hill Country.

Follow the money: Middleton, the president of an oil company, is the largest contributor to his own campaign — he has contributed more than $15 million, including $2.4 million since the initial March primary.

• The heftiest contributions received by Roy, a former Paxton deputy, during the runoff campaign totaled $1.75 million from a political action committee controlled by Amarillo businessman Alex Fairly.
• Both candidates have tried to tie themselves to President Trump as they appeal to the sorts of diehard Republican voters who cast votes in a May runoff.

By the numbers: In March, Middleton won 39.1% of the vote and Roy 31.6% in a four-way race.

• Middleton (48%) leads Roy (39%) among Texans who are likely to vote in the May 2026 Texas attorney general Republican primary runoff election, per a University of Houston poll released earlier this month, with 13% unsure how they would vote.

The other side: The Democratic runoff features state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.

• In the March primary, Johnson took 48.1% of the vote and Jaworski 26.4%.

The bottom line: The state attorney general's office has long been a political stepping stone to higher office.

President Trump endorsed Paxton in the Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff yesterday, a day after the start of early voting.

Why it matters: Senate Republicans spent months pleading with Trump to endorse incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn over Paxton.

Catch up quick: But the president faced significant pushback from MAGA allies at the idea of a Cornyn endorsement.

• Cornyn's Senate Republican allies and their affiliated groups have spent tens of millions of dollars backing his candidacy.

The big picture: Whoever wins the May 26 runoff will face Democratic nominee James Talarico, a state legislator from Austin, who has led both Cornyn and Paxton in recent polling and holds a wide fundraising advantage.

What they're saying: "Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate," Trump wrote on Truth Social, calling him a "WINNER."

• "John Cornyn is a good man, and I worked well with him, but he was not supportive of me when times were tough," Trump added.

The other side: Cornyn wrote yesterday in a statement posted to X that he has worked closely with Trump.

• "It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP candidates down ballot and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything."

State of play: Talarico said in a statement yesterday that "it doesn't matter who wins this runoff."

Some Hill Country residents are concerned that immigration enforcement is slowing construction progress following last year's deadly flooding. (KSAT)

🏫 North East ISD trustees have named interim superintendent Anthony Jarrett the lone finalist for superintendent. (TPR)

🏅 San Antonio's USAA earned the No. 11 spot in the 2026 Axios Harris Poll reputation rankings, up from No. 16 last year. (Axios)

🍔 Bill Miller is serving burgers again after a decades-long hiatus. (Express-News 🔑)

In San Antonio, wildlife conservation now comes neat, on the rocks or in an old fashioned.

The latest: Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling is selling a limited-edition bourbon named after the San Antonio Zoo's gorillas.

• The B'Wenzi Lowlands Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey was created exclusively for the zoo. A portion of the proceeds from each bottle sold goes toward the zoo's local and global conservation programs.

Zoom in: The bourbon is made with Texas grain, aged in charred oak barrels and finished in amburana, or Brazilian oak, barrels. It has notes of cinnamon, maple syrup and vanilla.

Catch up quick: The zoo opened its Congo Falls habitat, home to seven Western lowland gorillas, in December. It's the first time in more than 30 years the zoo has been home to the critically endangered species.

What's next: Find the bourbon at Alamo City Liquor and Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling in San Antonio, and at Total Wine & More locations across Texas.

The Spurs remain in Oklahoma City for tonight's Game 2 against the Thunder.

Driving the news: We can't stop thinking about some of the great moves we saw in Monday night's game.

😆 Got a funny caption for this photo? Let us know what you think Victor Wembanyama or the Thunder's Luguentz "Lu" Dort could be thinking about here.

• Hit reply and we'll publish the best responses in an upcoming newsletter.
• Bonus points for making us laugh.