AGP Executive Report

Politics in Washington: Acting AG Todd Blanche told senators the Justice Department is “not moving forward” on Trump’s nearly $2 billion “anti-weaponization” slush fund, but Democrats are pushing for a vote to force GOP lawmakers on the record. Texas & culture wars: In Fate, Texas, Mayor J.R. Garza’s city declared June “Nuclear Family Month,” spotlighting a growing GOP push to elevate a traditional family model during Pride. Border & agriculture: USDA says New World screwworm was found in a goat in Mexico’s Coahuila—about 25 miles from the U.S. border—prompting renewed concern for Texas ranching. Business & jobs: Samsung plans to relocate its U.S. headquarters to Plano, Texas, after building a new HQ in New Jersey, a move that could cost the Garden State about 1,000 jobs. Local help: Crossroads Family Care launched “Stuff Leo’s Backpack” to provide 250 East Texas students with supplies ahead of the school year. Consumer watch: Texas Roadhouse confirmed it collects personal data with card payments and app/account activity. Sports & community: STC’s 17th Annual South Texas Ceramic Showdown runs June 10-11 in McAllen.

NBA Finals Preview: The Spurs open the best-of-seven Wednesday in San Antonio against the Knicks, with Victor Wembanyama’s defensive dominance and Jalen Brunson’s scoring spotlighting a matchup built on Texas-sized momentum. Federal Intelligence Shakeup: President Trump named Bill Pulte—Texas-linked through GOP Sen. John Cornyn’s criticism—as acting director of national intelligence, drawing immediate questions from senators over qualifications. Nursing Home Watch: CMS data shows Lakeside Health and Wellness in Kemp, Texas rated 1/5 for Q1 2026, while Memorial Health Care Center earned a perfect 5/5—another reminder that care quality varies sharply across the state. Public Safety & Justice: An FBI “authorized court operation” on US 69 North in Smith County is reportedly tied to alleged human smuggling, while Houston’s LGBTQ community held a vigil for Persia Amara Conway as investigators await autopsy results. Texas Infrastructure & Economy: A rebuilt USDA lab in Kerrville targets screwworms, ticks, and other pests, and Houston’s rail derailment cleanup continues after a major crash disrupted roads. Politics & Schools: Parents and teachers urged Texas lawmakers to raise school funding, arguing current formulas leave districts unstable.

Markets & Energy: Stocks edged higher in Europe as oil eased from a Middle East-driven spike; Brent hovered near $95 and WTI slipped, with investors watching Iran talks and Strait of Hormuz disruptions. Big Texas Business Move: Samsung is relocating its U.S. headquarters to Plano from New Jersey, aiming to streamline decisions and bring about 1,000 employees to North Texas. State Policy & Safety: Texas DPS resumed temporary agricultural CDL credentials and requires written tests in English only, effective June 1. Houston Watch: Houston ranked No. 4 for dog bites involving mail carriers in 2025, prompting USPS’s June prevention campaign. Local Economy & Growth: AutoSavvy opened its seventh Texas location in Austin, expanding branded-title vehicle sales statewide. Research & Health: UT San Antonio and UT Health San Antonio won $2.7M in CPRIT awards to push cancer prevention and research across South Texas. Sports & Community: Houston’s World Cup hosting spotlight includes a new study warning of major environmental waste and electricity burdens during matches.

Texas Tech Faculty Fallout: A new survey says late-year restrictions on race, gender and sexuality instruction at Texas Tech pushed faculty to alter 277 courses, with more than half considering leaving for other universities and many citing academic freedom and recruitment fears. Coastal Flood Tech: Texas Sea Grant and A&M-Corpus Christi are installing flood monitoring sensors in Rockport/Aransas County to give officials earlier road-closure and first-responder alerts. Shipbuilding Jobs Boost: Davie Defense broke ground on a $1B Gulf Copper modernization in Galveston and Port Arthur to build U.S. Coast Guard Arctic Security Cutters, targeting thousands of jobs. Data Center Backlash: Bell County commissioners are weighing a temporary moratorium after residents raised concerns about water, power and infrastructure strain. Cyber & Compliance Push: Texas leaders are convening in Dallas to focus on cyber resilience as data governance and security demands rise for growing digital operations. Border Enforcement: DPS troopers intercepted 20 migrants hidden in a Laredo-area semi trailer, underscoring ongoing smuggling tactics. Education & Business: SHSU regents approved a new World Languages and Cultures bachelor’s and extended an Under Armour partnership through 2031.

College Sports Legal Fight: Texas Tech transfer QB Brendan Sorsby asked a judge to pause the NCAA’s permanent ineligibility ruling after admitting thousands of impermissible bets; attorneys argued addiction and compulsion, but no decision came Monday. Texas Public Safety: The Texas Military Department joined civilian partners for SAREX 2026 in San Antonio, testing search-and-rescue coordination with rotary-wing assets and unmanned aircraft. Hurricane Readiness: HHSC urged health care and child care providers to update emergency plans for the 2026 Atlantic season. Wildfire Mitigation Grants: Texas A&M Forest Service opened mechanical fuel reduction and prescribed fire reimbursement grants for eligible Central Texas landowners and municipalities, with applications due July 14. Local Crime Crackdown: Galveston County authorities executed 21 search warrants tied to an illegal gambling operation, including raids in La Marque and Sugar Land. Energy & Prices: U.S. crude exports hit a record 5.6 million barrels per day in May as Middle East tensions and Strait of Hormuz uncertainty keep global oil demand elevated. Health Care Cost Pressure: A North Texas–area telethon partnership aims to fight summer hunger as SNAP cuts and school meal gaps strain families.

Texas Politics & Public Safety: A New York Times and San Antonio Express-News investigation finds Texas school police presence after Uvalde has led to aggressive tactics—tackling, pepper spray, Tasers, even handcuffing and hospitalizations—for behavior that once would’ve meant a principal’s office. Cybersecurity: Carnival says a data breach tied to social engineering may have exposed Texans’ passport and driver’s license numbers, along with names and addresses. Energy & Markets: Oil prices jumped in early trading after Israel ordered forces to expand operations in Lebanon, pushing WTI and Brent higher. Business & Tech: Samsung plans to move its U.S. headquarters to Plano, Texas, shifting about 1,000 employees from New Jersey and building on its Texas semiconductor footprint. Higher Ed: Five big changes to higher education take effect July 1, including new federal Pell Grant rules for workforce training. Agriculture: Texas cattle producers are monitoring the New World screwworm as it creeps closer to the border, with USDA confirming a case in Mexico.

Texas Senate Shake-Up: Ken Paxton says Senate GOP leaders will back his general election bid after beating John Cornyn in the runoff, while Democrats and outside observers argue the seat is now “in play” for November. Party Unification: Texas Democrats are trying to bring together rival factions behind James Talarico as the race gears up for what could be one of the most expensive Senate contests in history. Renewables Under Pressure: DoD permit delays are stalling dozens of Texas wind projects, raising alarms about grid and consumer impacts. Tech & Chips in Texas: Samsung’s Taylor fab inched closer to production with a clearer 2027 production commitment, and Wall Street is watching major earnings tied to AI infrastructure. Health & Research: ASCO highlights include MD Anderson cancer prevention work and new trial results for metastatic colorectal cancer. Immigration Case in Texas: An ICE agent accused in a Minnesota incident is detained in Texas pending extradition. Local Spotlight: Killeen’s Main Street designation celebrates downtown investment and preservation.

SEC crackdown on crypto: The SEC sued Cypress resident Nathan Fuller, alleging a $12.3M scheme that promised 40%-50% returns using fake “AI trading bots,” with most money allegedly diverted to personal spending. Immigration enforcement at major events: FIFA’s Houston organizers confirmed ICE will be present for security at the World Cup but said it won’t run immigration operations—though attorneys warn it could still chill reporting. Texas immigration law clears another hurdle: A federal appeals court lifted a stoppage, letting Texas’ Senate Bill 4 take effect in full, continuing the legal seesaw over parts of the border crackdown. Texas Tech gambling case: Court filings say QB Brendan Sorsby placed at least 40 impermissible bets since 2022, with an injunction hearing set June 1 as he fights a ban for the 2026 season. Healthcare innovation: Sam Houston State’s osteopathic medical school won a $25,000 AACOM grant to bring AI training into residency programs. Energy & agriculture: Texas leads planned U.S. natural gas pipeline additions for 2026-27, while East Texas peach growers warn freeze damage is hitting yields.

Texas Politics: Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico is hitting the road after Ken Paxton won the GOP nomination, framing the race as a fight against “billionaires” and corruption while a new poll shows Paxton trailing Talarico. Local Politics: Harris County leaders sparred over renewing a Flock Safety camera contract, with residents warning about surveillance and privacy guardrails. Business & Finance: Scotiabank is buying Dallas-rooted MapleMark Bank to expand in North Texas, while Texas comptroller staff recommended a tax break for Bristol Myers Squibb’s $1B Houston plant. Public Safety & Justice: Texas Rangers arrested an ICE agent in Texas tied to a Minneapolis shooting case, and DNA work helped solve a 1997 Midland sexual assault cold case. Economy & Energy: Oil futures fell more than 2% as traders awaited signals on a U.S.-Iran ceasefire. Community Impact: Donations continue after a Dallas apartment explosion, and a grant program from Red River Credit Union opens June 1 for hunger, housing, and financial education nonprofits.

Rio Grande Water: The U.S. Supreme Court approved a final decree settling the long-running Rio Grande Compact fight, aiming to cut groundwater pumping in New Mexico and improve Texas water deliveries. Immigration Enforcement Accountability: An ICE agent accused in the Minneapolis “Operation Metro Surge” shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant was arrested in Texas, facing assault and false-reporting charges. Local Schools in Crisis: El Paso ISD leaders may consider financial exigency as the district faces a projected $42M shortfall and possible layoffs tied to major budget overruns. Texas Politics: Texas GOP runoff results keep the Senate race in play after Ken Paxton’s win, while Democrats are already attacking Speaker Dustin Burrows’ leadership. Food & Finance: Bank of America awarded Houston Food Bank $700,000 for a major expansion, and Dallas-based United Texas Bank received federal approval to convert to a national charter. Public Health: Houston-area officials warn heat season is starting with a history of sharp ER surges, urging stronger protections for vulnerable residents.

Texas Senate showdown: Ken Paxton crushed John Cornyn in the GOP runoff, setting up a November clash with Democrat James Talarico as the race turns into a national-style fight over Trump-era politics, religion, and gender. Digital media push: Rockport became the fifth Texas city to earn the “Digital Media Friendly” certification, aiming to attract animation, gaming, and other creative-tech jobs. Immigration enforcement: ICE lodged a detainer in a Memorial Day weekend Texas shooting case involving a previously deported man, while another ICE detention in Arizona sent a mother and 8th-grade son to a Texas facility, sparking protests. Tech and courts: A federal appeals court let Texas’ app age-verification law take effect for now, even as the legal fight continues. Houston economy & World Cup: Downtown’s Main Street Promenade opens as hotels report only modest World Cup demand so far. Business and money: Texas Business Court ordered a $21.9M judgment in a dispute involving a truck stop company. Weather and risk: A new UT/A&M study says major Texas cities can intensify storms, while Hill County faces a lawsuit over a data-center moratorium. Sports: Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire escalated the “play Texas” push for Week 1, while Lamar’s Will Davis is set for the College Station Regional.

U.S. Senate Race: Houston Democrat James Talarico is hitting the fundraising gas after Ken Paxton’s GOP runoff win, pulling in more than $3M in 24 hours as the general-election fight over healthcare and corruption accusations heats up. Rio Grande Water: The U.S. Supreme Court approved a Texas–New Mexico settlement ending a 13-year Rio Grande dispute, setting a 57/43 irrigation split and requiring less groundwater pumping by New Mexico. Energy & Cost of Living: AAA Texas says the statewide gas average is $3.92 a gallon after Memorial Day, with prices still likely to swing through summer travel; meanwhile oil jumped more than 3% after Iran targeted a U.S. air base, raising pressure on energy markets. Business & Growth: Fertitta Entertainment, based in Houston, is moving to buy Caesars for about $17.6B; Exxon also won shareholder approval to move its legal home to Texas. Public Safety & Courts: A priest on trial in Texas for sexual assault allegations also fathered a child with a congregant, prosecutors say, and Houston prosecutors dropped abuse-of-a-corpse charges against a funeral home owner. Texas Innovation: Firefly Aerospace expanded its Cedar Park campus with new HQ, cleanroom space, and an innovation lab.

Texas Senate Shockwave: Trump-backed AG Ken Paxton crushed Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP runoff, setting up a high-spend general election against Democrat James Talarico. Campaign Heat: Paxton and Talarico trade escalating insults and culture-war jabs as both launch statewide tours. School Safety Math: A new DFW crash study flags the most dangerous school zones, tracking thousands of incidents near 1,405 campuses. Discipline Under Fire: Texas’ DAEP disciplinary alternative schools face renewed scrutiny after reporting found students sent for everything from vaping to minor behavior. Healthcare Fallout: Texas Children’s Hospital reached a settlement ending gender-intervention procedures for children and requiring major doctor terminations and penalties. Houston Gambling Crackdown: HPD used SWAT after undercover work to raid a southwest Houston social club tied to illegal gambling, detaining several people. Energy & Business: ExxonMobil shareholders approved moving its legal home to Texas, while Google’s $40B data-center build pushes further into West Texas.

Texas Politics: Ken Paxton crushed Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP Senate runoff, setting up a November showdown with Democrat James Talarico; the race is already turning into a national, high-spending fight as Republicans try to manage Paxton’s scandal baggage while Democrats hammer his record and Talarico scrambles to clarify past remarks. Trump & Iran: President Trump told reporters Iran is “negotiating on fumes” and said midterms won’t change his war strategy, even as talks remain unsettled and critics warn the outcome could favor Tehran. Local Economy: Bexar County is moving toward a roughly $15M incentive package for H-E-B’s East Side expansion, tied to a major supply-chain investment and hundreds of jobs. Business & Housing: SpareRoom says roommate demand is spreading beyond big metros into Texas suburbs and commuter areas as rents push adults to share homes. Public Safety/Justice: A Houston man was found guilty for illegally selling firearms and ammunition, including machine-gun conversion devices, after an undercover operation. Health/Policy: The Texas Water Development Board outlined long-range planning to secure future water supplies amid drought risk and declining aquifers.

Texas Runoff Shock: Ken Paxton crushed John Cornyn in the GOP U.S. Senate primary runoff, setting up a November showdown with Democrat James Talarico—while Cornyn conceded and vowed to back the ticket. Campaign Fireworks: Talarico wasted no time, calling Paxton “the most corrupt politician in America” in an early attack ad as Paxton thanked Trump for the endorsement. Down-Ballot Momentum: In the Texas AG runoff, Mayes Middleton beat Chip Roy and will face Nathan Johnson in November. San Antonio Spotlight: Johnny Garcia won the Democratic nomination in TX-35, defeating Maureen Galindo after backlash over her “American Zionists” detention rhetoric. Election-Day Reality Check: Central Texas polling saw no major issues, though some waits popped up. Energy & Markets: Oil prices ticked up as Iran deal hopes cooled after U.S. strikes, keeping Strait of Hormuz reopening in focus. Legal Fight Watch: Greenbrier’s new lending deal is being challenged, with the current lender asking a court for receivership.

Texas Senate Runoff: Texans head to the polls Tuesday in a make-or-break GOP showdown: Sen. John Cornyn vs. Trump-backed AG Ken Paxton, with national attention on whether Trump’s endorsement can carry Paxton past Cornyn’s “establishment” pitch. Campaign Fallout: Cornyn warns Paxton’s “baggage” could hand Democrats the seat, while Paxton’s camp leans hard on Trump’s SAVE America agenda and voter ID push. Personal Scrutiny: Paxton’s alleged affairs and divorce drama are now part of the political fight, turning the runoff into more than policy. Energy & Industry: SoftBank is lining up banks for possible IPOs of SB Energy and its AI robotics spinout Roze, signaling fresh capital for AI infrastructure. Health Tech: Epic keeps expanding across health systems, adding AI tools and new implementations. Public Health: A new warning says the Ebola outbreak could become the deadliest on record if conflict and funding cuts worsen. Business & Housing: Wells Fargo is moving into 3D-printed homes with Icon Technology mortgages.