Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, told donors and lobbyists at a closed-door fundraising event that the Iran war and high gasoline and diesel prices are the main factors hurting his campaign. An audio recording of his remarks was published by Axios on October 7, 2026.
$$5.72 for average diesel price per gallon in Texas
Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate; James Talarico, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate
Texas received $30,146,655 in federal funding through the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program to continue providing voluntary home visiting programs that support parents and improve outcomes for families and young children.
$$30,146,655 for federal funding for home visiting services through MIECHV program
Health Resources and Services Administration, Federal agency awarding funding; Tom Engels, HRSA Administrator
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recalled more than 120,000 cases of Gatorade sold across 37 states, including Texas, because they contain undeclared food colorings. PepsiCo initiated the recall because the products contained unlisted Yellow No. 5 and/or Yellow No. 6.
$122,021 for cases recalled
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, issued recall; PepsiCo, initiated recall
Gina Hinojosa, a Texas state representative and gubernatorial candidate, sent cease-and-desist letters to television stations demanding they pull a Texans for Greg Abbott advertisement about her property tax votes. The Abbott campaign responded with a legal letter listing the votes.
$Hinojosa proposes ending residential property taxes through cutting corporate subsidies and government contracts; Abbott proposes a constitutional amendment eliminating school taxes for homeowners using state surplus funding.
Gina Hinojosa, State representative from Austin and gubernatorial candidate; Greg Abbott, Governor and gubernatorial candidate; Texans for Greg Abbott, Campaign organization and 2 more
Jamaal Howard, 46, was executed by lethal injection on October 7, 2026, for the 2000 fatal shooting of convenience store clerk Vickie Swartout during a robbery in Silsbee, Texas. Howard was pronounced dead at 8:03 p.m. CT.
$$114 for money taken during robbery
Jamaal Howard, Man executed for 2000 murder of convenience store clerk; Vickie Swartout, Convenience store clerk fatally shot during 2000 robbery; Greg Abbott, Texas Governor
Construction Partners, Inc. acquired the asphalt manufacturing and construction assets of J.H. Strain & Sons, Inc., adding two hot-mix asphalt plants and related equipment to serve the Abilene area and West Texas.
$approximately $140 million for acquired revenues projected to carry into fiscal 2027
Construction Partners, Inc., Acquiring company; J.H. Strain & Sons, Inc., Acquired company; Fred J. (Jule) Smith, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Construction Partners and 3 more
Sen. Ted Cruz is playing a behind-the-scenes role in Ken Paxton's Texas Senate campaign, acting as an informal adviser, bundler, and campaigner. Cruz helped secure a Texas Hispanic Business Council town hall for Paxton and has raised funds for his campaign, including $3 million in one day during a May fly-around.
$$3 million for campaign donations raised by Cruz during one-day fly-around in May
Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator; informal adviser, bundler, and campaigner for Paxton's campaign; Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General; Republican Senate candidate; James Talarico, Democratic Senate candidate and 5 more
An Associated Press investigation found that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican U.S. Senate nominee, took more than 275 out-of-state trips since taking office in 2015, with no entries on his official calendar. The trips consumed approximately 730 workdays and cost at least $1.9 million in taxpayer-funded security expenses.
$at least $1.9 million for taxpayer-funded security expenses for out-of-state trips
Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, Republican U.S. Senate nominee; Brian Slodysko, AP investigative reporter; Mark Tenley, Former deputy attorney general
Luis Perez III, 20, was arrested after police say he attacked his mother with scissors while they were crossing the border from Mexico into Texas at Eagle Pass. During an argument in a vehicle, Perez allegedly threatened and cut his mother, then stabbed the dashboard and center console before attempting to flee toward Mexico.
$$50,000 for bond
Luis Perez III, Arrested suspect; Eagle Pass Police, Arresting authority; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Detained suspect at border
Governor Greg Abbott declared a state emergency in response to soaring Texas gas prices. Congressman Chip Roy discussed the emergency and defended Abbott's action.
$$18 million for Texas Senate campaign funds raised
On September 30, 2026, the Texas Comptroller signed an executive order directing his office to amend sales tax regulations on data processing services. The proposed amendment would remove marketplace and platform fees from the definition of taxable data processing services, addressing double taxation where transaction fees are taxed in addition to underlying purchases.
$Proposed amendment would remove marketplace and platform fees from taxable data processing services to eliminate double taxation on transactions and related fees.
Texas Comptroller, signed executive order directing amendment
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone granted a preliminary injunction halting Department of Homeland Security construction of border barriers and related infrastructure in the Big Bend Sector. The ruling stops the DHS from building until it complies with all applicable laws, affecting approximately 500 miles of the southwest border.
$$7 billion for federal contracts
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone, Judge who granted preliminary injunction; Center for Biodiversity, Plaintiff who sued and won injunction; Texas Civil Rights Project, Plaintiff who sued and won injunction and 4 more
Chihuahua state police rescued 12 migrants and arrested three suspected human smugglers after intercepting two vehicles on Sept. 30 near Juárez. The operation was part of Mirror Operations, coordinated patrols between Mexican and U.S. authorities along the border.
$$52,860 for U.S. currency seized during Mirror Operations
Chihuahua Public Safety Department (SSPE), Conducted police operation; Gilberto Loya, Chihuahua Public Safety Secretary; Fredinson Miguel P.P., Arrested on suspicion of human smuggling and 2 more
The Texas Education Agency released first-year data on the Bluebonnet Curriculum for the 2025-26 school year. The program showed students meeting grade-level expectations in reading and math at higher rates than non-users, with 72 districts receiving an "A" rating, 26 of which had lower ratings the prior year.
$$1,300 less per classroom for cost comparison for Grade 2 math over four years
Texas Education Agency, Released curriculum data and findings; Melissa Semmler, Conroe ISD board member
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday allowing anyone to purchase tax-free red-dyed diesel for use on public roads, typically restricted to off-road equipment. The order aims to lower diesel costs for truckers, farmers, and businesses amid high fuel prices.
$The executive order removes federal tax on red-dyed diesel for all road use, eliminating a 24.4 cents-per-gallon federal tax.
President Trump, signed executive order; Gov. Greg Abbott, issued prior Texas statewide disaster proclamation; Joel Rifkin, North Texas truck driver, owner of Run Amok Transportation
Food bank leaders testified at Hunger Action Day at the Texas Capitol on Sept. 29 that new federal SNAP rules shift more administrative costs to Texas, requiring the state to cover 75% of SNAP's overhead costs instead of 50%. Leaders said food banks cannot replace SNAP's broader assistance.
$$117 million a year for annual SNAP administrative cost increase to Texas from federal rule change
Theresa Mangapora, Executive director of the Brazos Valley Food Bank; Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas; Feeding Texas, Advocacy organization and 1 more
The San Antonio Water System board approved its 2027 budget on Tuesday, which includes rate increases for residential and business customers. San Antonio City Council is scheduled to vote on the rate change Thursday.
$$3.91 for average residential monthly bill increase
San Antonio Water System, Utility company that approved budget; Cecilia Velasquez, Chief Financial Officer, presented to SAWS board; San Antonio City Council, Final decision-maker on rate change
Texas collected $4.4 billion in state sales tax revenue in September, an increase of 11.5% compared to September 2025. The increase was driven primarily by strong business spending in mining, construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and real estate.
$Comptroller Huffines said continued revenue growth puts the Legislature in position to use state surplus to ease tax burdens for homeowners, businesses, and renters.
Texas Comptroller Don Huffines, Texas Comptroller announcing revenue figures; Texas Comptroller's Office, Agency collecting and reporting state sales tax revenue
Republican political action committees Texas PAC and Senate Leadership Fund purchased advertising time during Fox's nationally broadcast NFL games on Sunday, October 5, 2026. The ads, which ran during the Cowboys-Texans, Eagles-Rams, Packers-Buccaneers, and Jets-Bears games, reached millions of viewers nationwide, including those outside Texas. The ads featured state Senator Angela Paxton urging support for the Republican ticket and attacked Democratic nominee James Talarico.
$$2 million for cost for one 30-second ad spot
Texas PAC, Super PAC affiliated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune; purchased and ran ads; Senate Leadership Fund, Political action committee tied to Senate Republicans; purchased and ran ads; Ken Paxton, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Texas; subject of ads and 2 more
In the most recent campaign finance reporting period, Democratic state Rep. Jon Rosenthal raised more money than Republican Bo French in the Texas Railroad Commission race. Rosenthal raised $488,415.56 while French raised $439,913.92 between July 1 and Sept. 24.
$$488,415.56 for campaign contributions
Jon Rosenthal, Democratic candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner; state representative; Bo French, Republican candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner; JB Pritzker, Illinois Governor; donor to Rosenthal and 3 more