With Ken Paxton's GOP primary win last week, Democrats now have the Republican Senate candidate, tactically speaking, 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 national electoral landscape.

The latest: Talarico announced his campaign had raised more than $3 million in the 24 hours after Paxton defeated longtime U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in last week's runoff — calling it the biggest single-day haul of his campaign.

State of play: Paxton, the 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. Now 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 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.

• Since the primary runoff, he's rallied in Houston, Nacogdoches, San Antonio, Leander and Plano.
• "We have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis," Talarico said of Paxton at a packed nightclub in Houston last week.

The other side: At his victory rally last week, 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.

Jay R. Jordan contributed reporting.

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?

⚡️ CPS Energy CEO Rudy Garza will leave the utility after nearly five years at its helm. He will take over as general manager at the Austin-based Lower Colorado River Authority. (CPS/LCRA)

🪸 The San Antonio Zoo celebrated the grand opening of the Brewer Ocean Conservation Lab yesterday. The lab focuses on cultivating corals for restoration while giving guests an immersive educational experience. (SA Zoo)

🏀 The Spurs will host a Finals pep rally tonight at 7pm at the Red McCombs Community Court at Hemisfair. The first 700 fans will get free Taco Palenque tacos. (Spurs)

🥩 Wagyu Factory, a Korean barbecue-inspired all-you-can-eat restaurant featuring premium beef and pan-Asian dishes, will open at Huebner Oaks soon. It's the viral chain's first Texas location. (CultureMap SA)

If you missed the "Love Island USA" hype last summer, this is your chance to redeem yourself. Season 8 premieres today.

Why it matters: Hot people spend over a month in a villa, coupling up with their love interests and competing in the weirdest challenges. What could possibly go wrong?

How it works: The show premieres at 8pm on Peacock, with new episodes every day this week. Starting next week, the show will air five days a week along with a recap show on Saturdays.

Here are some watch parties in San Antonio:

• Little Woodrow's is hosting premiere watch parties at all of its locations at 7pm.
• La Honky Tonk's watch party starts at 8pm and features $5 cocktails.
• Anaqua, the Plaza Hotel's poolside bar, will transform into "Casa Anaqua" with a screening, a DJ, specialty drinks and more, 6-9pm. Passes start at $10.

San Antonio's Pride Cultural Heritage District is decorated with rainbows this Pride Month even after the city removed themed crosswalks to comply with an order from Gov. Greg Abbott.

Catch up quick: Last fall, Abbott threatened to withhold funding from cities that didn't remove "any and all political ideologies" from streets. San Antonio sought an exemption for the rainbow crosswalks at North Main Avenue and Evergreen Street, but the state denied it.

• The city had the crosswalks removed earlier this year.

Zoom in: Now the sidewalks along the Main Strip are adorned with rainbows. There are also arrows with white, pink and light blue stripes to represent the transgender community; the black and brown stripes represent communities of color.

Between the lines: "We might've had to do what the state wants on their property," Councilmember Sukh Kaur, who represents the district, said earlier this year. "But we're doing what we want on our property."