Texas primary runoff takeaways. And, DOJ mass-deletes info on Jan. 6 riot cases

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated four-term Senator John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary runoff, winning by nearly a two-to-one margin. Paxton, backed by former President Donald Trump, outspent Cornyn in a $100 million campaign, the most expensive Senate primary in history. Cornyn, representing the Texas GOP establishment, lost ground as the party shifted rightward. Paxton will now face Democratic nominee James Talarico in November, framing him as too liberal on immigration, the economy, and transgender rights. In another Texas runoff, Democrat Nathan Johnson and Republican Mayes Middleton will compete to replace Paxton as state attorney general. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee defeated incumbent Al Green in Texas’ 18th Congressional District Democratic primary runoff. South Carolina lawmakers blocked a redistricting plan that could have flipped the state’s only Democratic-held House seat, currently held by Rep. James Clyburn. The proposed maps would have given Republicans all seven congressional districts, reinforcing the GOP’s national redistricting advantage. The state’s legislative session saw intense debate over the last three weeks before the measure failed. The Texas runoff results finalize the general election matchups, with Paxton’s victory signaling a potential shift in the state’s political leadership. Cornyn’s loss reflects broader tensions within the Republican Party between establishment figures and Trump-aligned candidates. The South Carolina redistricting defeat highlights ongoing battles over electoral maps ahead of the midterms.