Texas has gained more than 2.5 million new residents since 2020 — roughly the entire population of New Mexico — reshaping the electorate and injecting new uncertainty into this year's marquee Senate race.
Why it matters: Republican Ken Paxton is favored to defeat Democrat James Talarico in November, but the influx of new arrivals — along with fading Latino support for President Trump and booming exurban counties — has scrambled the political math in typically red Texas.
Jet-setters, take note: We asked travel writer Lydia Mansel to share her top packing advice for summer trips.
The big picture: Forget folding tricks and compression cubes. The smartest way to pack lighter is to bring clothes you'll actually wear, saysMansel, who writes the packing-list newsletter Just Packed.
As exurban cities near booming metro areas explode in growth, hundreds of U.S. communities are losing residents at a pace that signals deep structural decline.
Why it matters: The shrinking cities are a crisis in plain sight.
Americans are still firing up the barbecue this summer — but high beef prices have them trading down to cheaper proteins like chicken, pork and turkey.
Why it matters: For many Americans, summer means burgers on the grill — and this year, that tradition is getting more expensive.
