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James Talarico wins Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Texas

The state lawmaker defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas.

Politics & Policy

Texas state Rep. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="James Talarico" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/09/09/democrat-james-talarico-us-senate" data-vars-content-id="30e8718a-f03d-4de6-acbb-a234bf7f39bc" data-vars-headline="James Talarico wins Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Texas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/09/09/democrat-james-talarico-us-senate" target="_self">James Talarico</a> of Austin defeated U.S. Rep. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jasmine Crockett" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/12/jasmine-crockett-house-democrats-senate-texas" data-vars-content-id="30e8718a-f03d-4de6-acbb-a234bf7f39bc" data-vars-headline="James Talarico wins Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Texas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/12/jasmine-crockett-house-democrats-senate-texas" target="_self">Jasmine Crockett</a> of Dallas for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Texas.Why it matters: Talarico&#x27;s victory sets the stage for a battle royal that promises to be among the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="most expensive contests" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/01/james-talarico-raises-62-million-for-texas-senate-bid" data-vars-content-id="30e8718a-f03d-4de6-acbb-a234bf7f39bc" data-vars-headline="James Talarico wins Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Texas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/01/james-talarico-raises-62-million-for-texas-senate-bid" target="_self">most expensive contests</a> of the year, as Democrats hope President Trump&#x27;s unpopularity translates to red-state victories.

Cornyn, Paxton advance to runoff in Texas GOP Senate clash

Neither Republican in the three-way primary cleared 50%, sending Sen. John Cornyn and Texas AG Ken Paxton into a high-stakes runoff.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are headed to a runoff after neither Republican cleared the majority threshold Tuesday, setting up a bruising fight for the GOP Senate nomination.<ul><li>Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) lags far behind.</li></ul>

Austin pop-up fuels matcha craze

The pop-up has quickly become one of the city's buzziest stops.

News

Editor&#x27;s note: This story was written by University of Texas student Trinity Orosco for Axios Austin.An Austin matcha pop-up is drawing lines that stretch down the sidewalk, tapping into a fast-growing U.S. market for the Japanese green tea.

Find Middle Eastern flavors at South Austin's newest bakery

Try the labneh za'atar bun and pair it with Persian tea.

Food and Drink

South Austin pastry fiends who have been missing Moonlight Bakery&#x27;s cinnamon rolls, cookies and whole wheat breads have a new source for flaky dough.Driving the news: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Matok" data-vars-click-url="https://matokbakery.com/" data-vars-content-id="2eb4a55f-6572-4a85-9a7c-e0e44c1e2c38" data-vars-headline="Find Middle Eastern flavors at South Austin&#x27;s newest bakery" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://matokbakery.com/" target="_blank">Matok</a>, Hebrew for &quot;sweet,&quot; opened Tuesday in the old Moonlight spot, in a strip mall off South Lamar Boulevard, a few blocks south of the intersection with Oltorf Street.

What to do this weekend in Austin

Things to Do

Here&#x27;s what&#x27;s in store this weekend.🎭 Wonder at puppets, in pieces conceived for adults, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="at the Austin Puppet Incident" data-vars-click-url="https://events.humanitix.com/the-2023-austin-puppet-incident" data-vars-content-id="362f0943-63c7-43c0-b58b-d92fcc259fe2" data-vars-headline="What to do this weekend in Austin" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://events.humanitix.com/the-2023-austin-puppet-incident" target="_blank">at the Austin Puppet Incident</a>, 7:30pm Friday and Saturday at the Dougherty Arts Center. Tickets start at $15.

Six Halloween-themed bars in Austin

Try these spots for scary vibes and cocktails.

There are plenty of spots to grab Halloween-themed drinks before the month ends.What&#x27;s happening: We&#x27;ve rounded up four spots for themed cocktails, scary decorations and more.

What to know before heading to ACL Music Festival

Grab a hat and pack your sunscreen. ACL Fest is back.

Austin City Limits Music Festival kicks off Friday, with performances from local artists to big names like Kendrick Lamar, Shania Twain, Foo Fighters and Hozier.The big picture: If you&#x27;re headed to Zilker Park on Friday, we&#x27;ve rounded up your guide to the two-weekend festival.

A Central Texan's guide to fall

From hayrides to haunted houses, we've got you covered.

Grab your favorite blanket and cozy up with a pumpkin spice latte.What&#x27;s happening: Thunderstorms coupled with a cold front moving in Wednesday evening will bring highs in the 70s this weekend, according to National Weather Service forecasters.

Austin metro sees household income increase

The area's median income was $94,604 in 2022.

The median household in the Austin-Round Rock metro area made slightly more last year than before the pandemic, per new census data.<ul><li>The area&#x27;s median income was $94,604 in 2022, compared to $93,581 in 2019 (inflation-adjusted).</li></ul>

Central Texas' pandemic-era migration brought billions to the region

In terms of total monetary increase, Travis County ranked highest in Texas.

Newcomers Guide

Counties across Central Texas saw the state&#x27;s highest increases in income thanks to new migration between 2020 and 2021.<ul><li>The findings come by way of a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new analysis of tax data" data-vars-click-url="https://eig.org/high-earners-migration/" data-vars-content-id="fcea963a-6e06-4d6e-8d1a-023cf9479791" data-vars-headline="Central Texas&#x27; pandemic-era migration brought billions to the region" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://eig.org/high-earners-migration/" target="_blank">new analysis of tax data</a> from the Economic Innovation Group, a nonpartisan think tank.</li></ul>

Where to swim for free in Austin

Try these five neighborhood spots before they close this month.

We&#x27;re staring down another week of triple-digit temperatures, but many of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Austin&#x27;s public pools" data-vars-click-url="https://www.austintexas.gov/pools-splashpads" data-vars-content-id="84a126df-649e-4e64-88d9-167189b77d24" data-vars-headline="Where to swim for free in Austin" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.austintexas.gov/pools-splashpads" target="_blank">Austin&#x27;s public pools</a> close Aug. 6 or Aug. 13.The good news: City parks officials have extended the operation of Garrison, Govalle, Mabel, Northwest, Shipe and Walnut Creek through Sept. 24 due to the heat.

New to Austin? Here's everything you need to know

Now that you're here, let's go get a margarita.

Welcome to Austin.State of play: Maybe you&#x27;re among the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="116-odd people" data-vars-click-url="https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2022/03/31/how-many-people-are-moving-to-austin-each-day.html" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2022/03/31/how-many-people-are-moving-to-austin-each-day.html" target="_blank">116-odd people</a> who <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="move here daily" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/03/31/census-data-texas-population-booms" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/03/31/census-data-texas-population-booms" target="_self">move here daily</a>, most likely from another <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="part of Texas or one of the coasts" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/01/05/one-way-u-hauls-austin-relocation" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/01/05/one-way-u-hauls-austin-relocation" target="_self">part of Texas or one of the coasts</a>.<ul><li>Or perhaps you graduated from McCallum High in the &#x27;70s, stuck around to attend the University of Texas on the five-year plan and now find yourself an empty-nester perched up high <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="in a new Rainey Street tower" data-vars-click-url="https://austin.towers.net/rainey-streets-future-skyline-looks-like-a-second-downtown-austin/" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://austin.towers.net/rainey-streets-future-skyline-looks-like-a-second-downtown-austin/" target="_blank">in a new Rainey Street tower</a>, with one bedroom drawer dedicated exclusively to your old tie-dye tees.</li></ul>Either way: Howdy!The big picture: The fact is, Austin has always been a fast-growing outpost, with the greater metro doubling in population every couple of decades since at least the 1960s.Between the lines: What&#x27;s shifted is our city&#x27;s character.<ul><li>Once a magnet for hippies and the progressive country rockers known as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="cosmic cowboys" data-vars-click-url="https://www.amazon.com/Cosmic-Cowboys-New-Hicks-Countercultural/dp/0190610352" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.amazon.com/Cosmic-Cowboys-New-Hicks-Countercultural/dp/0190610352" target="_blank">cosmic cowboys</a>, Austin is now a major landing spot for Silicon Valley tech bros.</li><li>No longer a sleepy college town, Austin now draws <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="far-flung immigrants" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/08/09/out-of-towners-wealthier-than-locals" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2022/08/09/out-of-towners-wealthier-than-locals" target="_self">far-flung immigrants</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="entrepreneurs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/06/08/canva-east-austin-office" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/06/08/canva-east-austin-office" target="_self">entrepreneurs</a> — all following the promise of the Austin dream.</li></ul>The bottom line: Now that you&#x27;re here, let&#x27;s go get a margarita.<h2 class="text-h6 !font-sans !font-normal !leading-[1.2em]">What to eat</h2><figure><img alt="" height="2205" id="5f736168-e5b2-46f1-a64d-85448213c937" src="https://images.axios.com/RqeRpNyltaJuKORrX0wLYd3zIgk=/2023/06/21/1687379893485.jpg" width="4012"/><figcaption>A spread from Taco Bronco at Saddle Up. Photo: Nicole Cobler/Axios</figcaption></figure>You&#x27;ll find no shortage of good food in Austin, but <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="we&#x27;ve rounded up the bites you can&#x27;t miss" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/06/23/essential-restaurants-austin" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/06/23/essential-restaurants-austin" target="_self">we&#x27;ve rounded up the bites you can&#x27;t miss</a> when you first arrive.<h2 class="text-h6 !font-sans !font-normal !leading-[1.2em]">What to do</h2><figure><img alt="" height="2992" id="21d0d404-23d9-480b-9c12-d07f6fea8fb2" src="https://images.axios.com/g6qZnn_d_2EJiHZ0HdoHAMbHUQw=/2023/06/21/1687379822625.jpg" width="3992"/><figcaption>Deep Eddy Pool is a perfect spot to cool off in the summer heat. Photo: Courtesy of Austin Parks and Recreation</figcaption></figure>Get a feel for our city <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="with these activities" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/06/23/best-things-to-do-austin" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/06/23/best-things-to-do-austin" target="_self">with these activities</a>.<h2 class="text-h6 !font-sans !font-normal !leading-[1.2em]">What to read, watch and hear</h2><figure><img alt="Stevie Ray Vaughan playing guitar" height="2400" id="ca35978c-3e4e-4f96-afb7-aa2b60b8cca8" src="https://images.axios.com/4sGlXxhgD6SNKp49D4TJUron4Tk=/2023/06/22/1687445547603.jpg" width="3725"/><figcaption>The late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan. You can find a statue honoring him by Lady Bird Lake. Photo: Ebet Roberts/Redferns via Getty</figcaption></figure>Once known as Waterloo, Austin is a college town, a tech town, a music town and, of course, a capital town. <ul><li>We&#x27;ve rounded up <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="what to read, listen to and watch" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/06/23/an-austin-newcomers-guide-what-to-read-and-watch" data-vars-content-id="59839b8e-fda0-4a4e-8bfb-b6b3400696a0" data-vars-headline="New to Austin? Here&#x27;s everything you need to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/06/23/an-austin-newcomers-guide-what-to-read-and-watch" target="_self">what to read, listen to and watch</a> to get you acclimated. </li></ul>

12 best things to do in Austin

Take in the skyline, go for a swim and discover new music.

Get a feel for our city with these activities.First up: Take in the skyline from the Pfluger Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge.

12 essential Austin restaurants

Prioritize these spots when you first arrive in Austin.

You&#x27;ll find no shortage of good food in Austin, but we&#x27;ve rounded up the bites you can&#x27;t miss when you first arrive.🍔 ATX staples: Prioritize these spots when you first find yourself in our city.

Newcomers Guide

Charted: The Austin metro's growth

What to do this weekend in Austin

Six Halloween-themed bars in Austin

What to know before heading to ACL Music Festival

A Central Texan's guide to fall