Axios

Some five days into the sprawling Middle East conflict sparked by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, significantly more Americans disapprove than approve of the attacks across several polls.

The big picture: President Trump has offered a mixed bag of motivations for the strikes and his plans to resolve the rapidly escalating conflict that has killed six U.S. service members.

Texas state Rep. James Talarico of Austin defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Texas.

Why it matters: Talarico's victory sets the stage for a battle royal that promises to be among the most expensive contests of the year, as Democrats hope President Trump's unpopularity translates to red-state victories.

America's natural gas bounty is acting like a moat, largely shielding the U.S. from price spikes while much of the world reels from escalating unrest in the Middle East.

Why it matters: Natural gas hasn't, historically, drawn the same headlines as the more volatile oil markets. But it's increasingly central to the economy — including powering the AI boom.