MIDTERM MADNESS: Breaking down the Texas results
Here’s Alex Seitz-Wald’s wrap on how Democrats hope to translate a strong turnout showing in the Texas midterms to a big national wave.
And here’s the New York Times’ lede: “Texas Democrats surged to the polls on Tuesday in the first primary of 2018, demonstrating a wave of Trump-inspired energy, but also showcasing party divisions that have emerged at the outset of an otherwise promising midterm campaign.”
And here’s the Texas Tribune’s coverage of how the contests for those open congressional seats panned out.
TX-Land Commissioner: George P. Bush pulled off an outright win in his reelection race, avoiding a runoff and keeping the Bush dynasty alive and well in the state.
TX-2: Greg Abbott-endorsed Republican Kathaleen Wall, who spent nearly $6 million of her own money, may miss the runoff (although the race was close enough that there could be a recount)
TX-7: Laura Moser did make the runoff, setting up a big intra-party fight in May.
TX-GOV: Democrats Lupe Valdez and Andrew White are also headed to a runoff.
TX-SEN: Beto O’Rourke will face Ted Cruz in the general election, but his primary showing proved that he has a lot of work to do to live up to the Dem hype.
And in a new radio ad, Cruz pokes fun at O’Rourke’s first name (which is Robert, but he goes by Beto.) Cruz’s given first name is Rafael.
2020: Deval Patrick says a 2020 run is on his “radar screen.”
AZ-SEN: The Wall Street Journal profiles Kyrsten Sinema, noting her tricky path to victory in a state flush with independents and centrist Democrats as well as energized liberals.
CO-GOV: The Denver Post covers the party caucuses, coming away with the view that — on either side — the governor’s race is wide open.
FL-27: Donna Shalala is in for the race to replace retiring Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
GA-GOV: A big Democratic donor is putting up millions to elect Stacey Abrams.
And Casey Cagle may have gotten a boost from his fight with Delta.
MO-GOV: Former employees for Eric Greitens aren’t talking to reporters, notes the St. Louis Dispatch.
MN-SEN: POLITICO takes a look at how new Sen. Tina Smith is handling her reelection race.
NY-GOV: ‘Sex and the City’ actress Cynthia Nixon is seriously considering a run against Gov. Andrew Cuomo, POLITICO notes. (She’s unlikely to win, but it could be a nasty race.)
TN-SEN: The mayor of Nashville is out after a scandal. Could it mean trouble for Phil Bredesen?
WI-GOV: A Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate is releasing a campaign video in which she breastfeeds her four month-old daughter on camera.
TRUMP AGENDA: Another top staffer exits the White House
Yesterday’s big departure: Gary Cohn, who resigned as Trump’s top economic adviser amid a dispute about tariffs.
POLITICO reports that White House aides are fretting that Cohn’s departure means “disaster” for the policy process.
The Washington Post reports that Trump’s protectionist impulses on trade are being fanned by a cadre of little-known advisers.
And from Pete Williams: Trump’s Justice Department is suing California over immigration enforcement.
ICYMI: Stormy Daniels is suing Trump, alleging that he never signed their nondisclosure agreement.
And this is (another) big development in the Mueller probe: “A Lebanese American businessman who has acted as an adviser to the United Arab Emirates has been cooperating with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, after he was hit with a subpoena upon arriving in the United States in mid-January, according to people familiar with the matter.”