Axios

Senate Republican leaders are rushing to mend fences with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, signaling to big-dollar donors that the road to keeping the majority now runs straight through Texas.

Why it matters: The goal is to make the $130 million Senate primary between Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn feel like an anti-Alamo — not something to remember, but something to forget.

Jacob Frey's City Council critics hammered the Minneapolis mayor on Wednesday over his decision to nominate Brian O'Hara to remain police chief despite an off-and-on investigation into his workplace conduct.

• O'Hara abruptly resigned after independent investigators concluded Tuesday that the chief deleted evidence from his phone during their 2025 probe.

Why it matters: The fallout is putting fresh scrutiny on Frey's judgment and oversight of the police department during a politically sensitive reform process.

• City Council President Elliott Payne asked why Frey continued to support the chief even after the city twice turned to an outside law firm to investigate allegations against O'Hara.

Catch up quick: Last summer, the firm's investigators concluded there was "insufficient evidence" to back up a complaint that O'Hara had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a subordinate.

• But a witness came forward in December 2025 with new information that prompted investigators to reopen their inquiry.
• On May 6, with the clock running out on O'Hara's original three-year term, Frey formally asked the City Council to reconfirm him.

Frey said the complaints alone weren't enough to punish O'Hara.

• "I don't make decisions based on rumors and anonymous complaints because that would mean making decisions based on optics, not facts," the mayor said in a statement.
• But after the final report arrived Tuesday, "Everything material happened within a single day: the final report was delivered … discipline was issued, and the resignation followed," a spokesperson for Frey added.

The other side: Council Member Robin Wonsley argued there's precedent for placing a top police official on administrative leave during a workplace conduct investigation, as Metro Transit did with former transit police chief Ernest Morales III.

The intrigue: Rumors about O'Hara appear to have given one of Frey's typical allies, Council Member Michael Rainville, pause about reconfirming the chief.

• "I had outstanding questions about Chief O'Hara. … One of those questions has now been answered," Rainville wrote in a statement Wednesday.

Friction points: Payne faulted the mayor for keeping the council in the dark at a press conference on Wednesday.

• Payne heard from Frey informally that last summer's investigation had turned up nothing.
• But Payne said the mayor did not inform the council that an outside firm was involved, nor did he brief members on the results of either probe: "We discovered the depth of these investigations last night."

What we're watching: Payne challenged Frey to take a more active role in overseeing public safety functions, rather than continuing to delegate to a community safety commissioner.

• "We can no longer allow the mayor to deflect that responsibility," he said.

Frey's office pledged the mayor will work with the council "on next steps for a police chief."

Several of President Trump's top political advisers are joining Rep. Mike Collins' campaign in the Georgia Senate race, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The hires provide the clearest indication yet that Trump may be leaning towards endorsing Collins ahead of his June 16 primary runoff against former University of Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley.

President Trump is building a fiercely loyal midterm army amid a revenge tour where MAGA credentials appear to outshine traditional conservatism.

Why it matters: The president's victory lap following primary wins that ousted several objectors to his agenda could be premature, as there's no guarantee his endorsed candidate will win in November.

OpenAI is announcing new partnerships to combat misinformation, offering its cybersecurity products to state officials and backing legislation ahead of elections in the U.S. and globally.

Why it matters: AI is becoming an election mainstay, with candidates, especially Republicans, using it for their campaigns as voters turn to chatbots for information.

A new UnidosUS poll finds that 1 in 4 Hispanic Trump voters say they would not vote for him again if given the choice.

Why it matters: The erosion of Latino support for President Trump, combined with dissatisfaction with the economy, signals danger for competitive GOP-held seats in the 2026 midterm elections.

Rivet Industries has delivered 70 Soldier Borne Mission Command systems to the U.S. Army and expects to deliver hundreds more in less than a year.

• The startup has also brought on retired Gen. James Mingus, a former Army vice chief of staff, as an adviser.

Why it matters: The SBMC competition, also involving Anduril Industries, is being closely watched. Its predecessor, the Integrated Visual Augmentation System, was a multibillion-dollar punching bag.

TAIPEI — A $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan already approved by U.S. lawmakers is stuck in Trump 2.0 purgatory. Officials here are sweating the circumstances.

Why it matters: The Indo-Pacific is a tinderbox. Taiwan's government argues arms deliveries help maintain regional peace.

Republican Ken Paxton's 28-point primary rout of longtime Texas Sen. John Cornyn — the widest primary defeat for a sitting U.S. senator in nearly 50 years — further cements President Trump's hold on the GOP — but may complicate the party's ability to protect its Senate majority in November.

Why it matters: As election returns rolled in late Tuesday, top Republicans stewed over Trump's endorsement of Paxton — Texas' attorney general with a long history of legal and ethical troubles who they believe could be more vulnerable in November.

Large numbers of children are dropping off the Medicaid rolls, even though the sweeping changes Congress made to the program last summer didn't target kids' eligibility.

Why it matters: The trend indicates that new Medicaid work rules and nearly $1 trillion in cuts to federal program spending are having spillover effects before they're broadly implemented.

AI tools are reshaping the classroom and students' critical thinking — but school leaders are lagging on giving teachers formal guidance for using the tech, a new report shows.

The big picture: AI should amplify the best parts of the classroom and streamline work for already stressed teachers, education experts tell Axios — not create an added burden for educators or replace human connection.

Former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred has won the Democratic runoff against U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson in the 33rd Congressional District.

Why it matters: The Democrats faced off in a reshaped district after North Texas lost a Democratic-leaning congressional district under last year's GOP-led redistricting process.

Maureen Galindo, the sex therapist and U.S. House candidate whose antisemitic comments led to widespread disavowal by Democratic Party leaders, lost her Texas primary runoff on Tuesday.

Why it matters: This is a seat Democrats see as competitive in November. They viewed the runoff's winner, Bexar County sheriff's deputy Johnny Garcia, as undoubtedly the stronger candidate.

Former President Biden is suing the U.S. Department of Justice in an attempt to block the release of audio recordings and transcripts of private conversations with ‌his biographer.

Why it matters: The recordings from 2016 and 2017 formed a key part of special counsel Robert Hur's investigation into Biden's handling of classified documents.

Republican primary voters on Tuesday rejected U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, one of the Senate's most senior GOP members, in favor of Trump-backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Why it matters: Cornyn's loss marks one of the most significant defeats for a Republican senator in years and underscores how loyalty to President Trump continues to reshape GOP primaries nationwide.

U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee defeated U.S. Rep. Al Green on Tuesday in the Democratic runoff for Houston's newly redrawn 18th Congressional District.

Why it matters: Menefee's victory is set to end Green's two-decade run in Congress.

President Trump has appointed former Attorney General Pam Bondi to an advisory committee focused on AI policy, Axios has learned.

Driving the news: Bondi, whom Trump ousted as AG last month, will be on the Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).