With Ken Paxton's GOP primary win this week, Democrats now have the Republican Senate candidate they were hoping for.

• Now the question is whether their nominee, James Talarico, a young state lawmaker from Austin, can deliver them out of the wilderness.

Why it matters: A Talarico win would give the Democrats an unexpected seat in their quest to retake the Senate — and potentially move Texas into the battleground column for 2028, a seismic reordering of the presidential electoral landscape.

The latest: Talarico ratcheted up the pressure on Paxton yesterday, announcing his campaign had raised more than $3 million in the 24 hours after Paxton defeated longtime U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the Tuesday runoff — calling it the biggest single-day haul of the campaign.

State of play: Paxton, Texas attorney general, has dodged an impeachment conviction and an FBI investigation over corruption allegations from his own senior staffers. He also avoided a trial on felony security charges. His wife, Republican state Sen. Angela Paxton, is seeking a divorce on "biblical grounds."

• Meanwhile, Democrats are invigorated by special election results across the country, including in North Texas, and see hope in President Trump's low approval ratings.

What's next: Talarico's first campaign stops of his general election campaign hint at his strategy: Excite the Democratic base and win over disaffected Republican voters in suburban and rural areas.

• He rallied in Houston on Wednesday night, and was scheduled to speak last night in Nacogdoches in deep-red East Texas. He has stops in San Antonio, the Austin suburb of Leander and then Plano on Monday.
• "We have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis," Talarico said of Paxton at a packed nightclub in Houston.

The other side: At his victory rally on Tuesday night, Paxton called Talarico an "extreme radical."

• Paxton accused Talarico of running a "vegan campaign" and called his opponent "James Talafreako."
• The next night, Talarico said that he's been "eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton's first indictment" and his campaign has coopted the insult, selling "I'm a Talafreako" T-shirts.

The U.S. Senate race will not be some small special election — it's already getting plenty of national attention. Republicans also have a historical advantage in Texas, where they have swept every statewide election since 1996.

• And, Paxton has won statewide elections three times before.

What we're watching: The race between Paxton and Talarico could hinge on the answers to these questions...

• Can Paxton count on the support of establishment Republicans — personified by the George W. Bush wing of the party — who supported Cornyn?
• Will Black voters who supported U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) in her Senate primary campaign turn out for Talarico?
• Will Austin-based podcaster Joe Rogan, whose influence on young white men was so heavily scrutinized after the 2024 election and who praised Talarico on his show last year, go to bat for the Democrat — and will it matter?
• Will Talarico's populist message resonate amid rising prices — and Paxton's familiar culture warfare?

The bottom line: To the extent this vote is a referendum on the president, what will the national mood about Trump be in October, when early voting begins?

• Will Texas Republicans want to show their support for Trump — or will many of them just stay home?

SpongeBob will split his time between a pineapple under the sea and a 20-acre park in Frisco starting in July.

Driving the news: Universal Kids Resort will open July 1, the park announced yesterday. The adjacent 300-room hotel will open to guests on June 30.

The intrigue: The park won't offer fast passes or single rider lines, though hotel guests will get early access to the attractions, per the park's website.

Follow the money: One-day park admission starts at $55 for everyone older than 2. A silver annual pass is $130 per person.

• Parking will cost extra, unless you get a silver pass with a parking add-on.

Yes, but: Good luck finding availability for the hotel. Many of the room types for July were sold out yesterday.

• An overnight stay on Aug. 1 was priced around $247 after taxes for a standard queen room, which can sleep up to five people.

🔤 Prosper ISD student Avishka Dudala tied for sixth place in the Scripps National Spelling Bee last night. (Scripps)

🎶 Lizzo has recorded the beloved baby back ribs jingle for Dallas-based Chili's. (Dallas Business Journal)

🚨 A medical examiner ruled the February death of a man in police custody a homicide. An officer was fired in connection to the death. (DMN)

🥲 Tasha here.

Today I have to say goodbye to you, dear Axios Dallas readers.

• I've written over 1,000 newsletters since we launched in October 2021, and today will be my last.

The latest: This was my last week at Axios. Yes, even in our last moments together, I'm still writing in typical Axios style.

• I will be moving on to a different challenge but will remain in Dallas.

The big picture: We had hundreds of subscribers when we started sending this daily briefing almost five years ago. Now there are many, many thousands of you.

• Even as the readership has grown, many of you have still taken the time to respond and tell us what you think of the newsletter. I will miss seeing your names in my inbox.

Zoom in: This job is unlike any other I've had in news. I've written about politics and tragedies and weather and World Series wins and restaurants.

• Some days have been heavy. But other days have given me the chance to see some really cool things happening in Dallas.

The bottom line: It has been an honor to learn more about my community every day and share it with you.