The Week’s Biggest News in Brief: May 21-27

Paxton Wins Runoff: In a heated race to represent the Republican Party in November’s election for U.S. senator, Attorney General Ken Paxton handily defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn by around 380,000 more votes. This marks the end of an era for Cornyn, having served as one of the state’s two U.S. senators since 2002. Paxton’s win comes after he officially gained Trump’s endorsement last week, which should not come as much of a surprise considering the A.G. embodies the type of corruption and extreme ideologies that the president has built his career on. (Paxton also has a long record of stumping for Trump, including at the fateful “Save America” rally on Jan. 6, 2021.) He will now face state House Rep. James Talarico, who has built a campaign centered around anti-corruption, in the general election. 

Voting Results: We’re looking toward November now that the Democratic and Republican primary runoffs have finalized the candidates who will represent each party in the general election. Among the Dem state races, state Rep. Vikki Goodwin defeated labor union leader Marcos Vélez for lieutenant governor, state Sen. Nathan Johnson bested former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski for attorney general, Allison Bush took down Stephanie Bazan in the State Board of Education, District 5 race, and union leader Montserrat Garibay defeated longtime politician Kathie Tovo to represent District 49 as a state rep. Within Travis County, Precinct 4 Constable George Morales beat Del Valle ISD Trustee Susanna Ledesma-Woody in the Travis County commissioner, Precinct 4 race. Neither Garibay nor Morales will face a Republican challenger in November.

Dems Chime in on TX-35 Race: As the primary runoffs were heating up, plenty of eyes were on the U.S. Congressional District 35 race, one of the gerrymandered districts that Republicans hope turns red this fall. The race saw longtime Bexar County Sheriff’s Office employee Johnny Garcia competing against Maureen Galindo, a therapist and housing activist. Leading up to Tuesday’s election, Galindo garnered a wide amount of negative publicity for social media posts that advocates and other public officials have labeled as antisemitic. Since she began to see backlash, Lead Left, a Republican PAC, donated nearly a million dollars to her campaign. As controversy surrounding Galindo continued to spread and the candidate continued to turn to social media to express her views (including a proposal to turn a Karnes County ICE facility into a “castration processing center” and a pilot program “that catches pedophiles on TV – like that one show”), U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Jared Moskowitz of Florida both said that they would push to expel the candidate if she won and was elected to Congress. That won’t be necessary, as Democratic voters in the district ended up deciding that they want Garcia to represent them in November against Republican Carlos De La Cruz.

Malin, the troll, at Pease Park Credit: Zeke Barbaro

Malin Burns Down: Malin, the beloved troll statue that sat within Pease Park, was burnt to the ground early Thursday, May 21. According to the Statesman, around 5:30am, the Austin Fire Department was called to the scene, but was unable to save the statue from the fire, though they did extinguish the blaze before it could spread throughout the park. The department later said that it had tasked its arson investigation team with finding the cause of the fire. With the cause still unknown, Austin Fire is seeking community assistance in determining the reason for the fire. The $300,000 project was created by Thomas Dambo, a Danish sculpture artist who has built similar structures throughout the U.S. and Europe, and was constructed in 2024 through the help of community members.

Removal of Street Art: Last October, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Department of Transportation to withhold funding from cities that allowed social, political, or ideological messages painted on roadways. Austin has 16 around town, from the simple “Texas” mural on Guadalupe in front of UT’s campus to rainbow crosswalks and the “Black Artists Matter” mural on East 11th Street. After Austin asked to keep some of the art, TxDOT denied the request, now giving the city until June 22 to submit a plan to bring the roadways up to compliance. TxDOT is allowing three artworks, “Fairy Alley” between Treadwell and Dexter and two other crosswalks that were painted by children, to remain until they fade away.

Georgetown Flooding: Following Tuesday night’s and early Wednesday morning’s rainfall, KVUE reported that Shady River RV Park and Good Water RV Park in Georgetown were under evacuation early Wednesday. Both park sites are near East State Highway 29, close to the San Gabriel River.

East Cesar Chavez Street Credit: Getty Images

Cost of Renaming Cesar Chavez Street: After news broke in March that late union leader and activist Cesar Chavez sexually abused young girls, city leaders and other community members began to call for the renaming of Cesar Chavez Street, previously known as First Street. As the city works to address the concerns, the Statesman has reported that the change could cost between $423,000 and $1.2 million. City staff outlined an initiative that would take opinions from local residents and businesses, labor unions, and Latino community leaders, with three public meetings to be held over the summer, and then review the feedback before giving a recommendation to Council. The city staff also said that businesses and residents along the street would have to pay for the change.

Council Review of City Spending: Following ongoing issues with the budget and spending oversight, City Council is urging for a review of the city’s contracts and grants, according to Community Impact. At last week’s Council meeting, a resolution from Mayor Kirk Watson passed, calling for the review, hopeful that the evaluation will strengthen “oversight, transparency, accountability, [and] consistency.” Watson also proposed the possibility of a new public procurement dashboard, which would track the performance of city contracts. An initial update on the review is expected to come this fall, with the project aimed to be completed by late 2027.

Former APD Commander Indicted: Former Austin Police Department Commander Wade Lyons was indicted last week on sexual assault and official oppression charges based on allegations from a city employee that date back to December 2022 and October 2023, according to the Statesman. Prosecutors alleged that Lyons took part in a “coercive sexual relationship” with the city employee, while his legal counsel denied the allegations, saying that Lyons was actually threatened and sexually harassed by the employee. The former APD commander is set to appear in court for the first time on June 9.

AISD headquarters Credit: John Anderson

AISD Budget Delayed: Austin ISD is currently working to level an estimated $181 million budget deficit, as the district considers the sale of former campuses, cutting district positions, and closes school sites. Now, district officials are asking for a little more time. KVUE reported that the district has already identified over $100 million in cuts that would help balance the budget. AISD officials now hope that selling properties will save an additional $45 million. The district has moved its budget discussion to a June 4 special meeting, with a final board vote set for June 18. 

Alamo Drafthouse Petition: Earlier this year, Alamo Drafthouse changed how moviegoers experience cinema, doing away with the pen-and-paper and in-seat call buttons that have typically been used for ordering food and drinks and communicating with staff. Instead, the locally started theatre chain, which was acquired by Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2024, switched to a mobile ordering system, conflicting with its long-held no-phone policy. The modifications to the movie theatre’s procedures were met with frustration from community members, and have now resulted in the launch of a petition that is urging Alamo Drafthouse to reconsider its decision. Brought forward by culture writer Brint Davy, more than 8,000 individuals have signed the petition as of press time.

New Development Rules: At last week’s City Council meeting, CMs approved new development rules that are set to make it easier to construct taller buildings and bring forward a new density bonus program that is expected to produce more affordable housing, according to KUT. Replacing Austin’s DB90 density bonus program, which allowed for developers to construct taller buildings in exchange for adding affordable housing to the site, the new rules will allow developers to be granted an additional 15, 30, 45, or 60 feet of height, depending on zoning rules and the neighborhood, in return for the implementation of affordable units or other community benefits like larger sidewalks or trees. 

Camp Mystic Health Provider Loses License: Mary Elizabeth Eastland, the chief health officer for Camp Mystic, the Kerr County summer camp where a total of 27 children and counselors died due to last year’s July floods, has had her nursing license suspended by the Texas Board of Nursing last week. According to the board’s review, Eastland “[f]ailed to develop and maintain adequate emergency plans and emergency training protocols for campers, staff, and camp nurses at Camp Mystic.” The decision comes after leaders of the camp announced that it would not reopen for the upcoming summer.

500,000 Fewer Texans on SNAP: Changes instituted by the Trump administration that tightened work requirements and restricted noncitizen usage of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have drastically reduced the amount of Texans utilizing the program. Growing fears of potential deportation have also contributed to the declining utilization of the benefits, with The Texas Tribune reporting that the program is down 14% in the last year – a total of almost 500,000 fewer eligible Texans participating in SNAP. The largest declines took place in North and South Texas regions, as well as along the Gulf Coast, reflecting a national trend that saw a 10% drop in participation.

Rain to River: Austin Watershed Protection announced last Friday, May 22, that City Council adopted a 10-year strategy to strengthen the city’s ability to limit flood risk and empower creeks, lakes, rivers, aquifers, and springs in the area, called Rain to River. The plan will prioritize community feedback and needs and use innovative infrastructure to strengthen the bodies of water while transparently governing the process. 

Kids Eat Free this Summer: Throughout the summer, school districts around the Austin metro, including Austin ISD, will be serving free meals for children 18 years old and younger. AISD will provide free breakfast and lunch at over 30 campuses in the coming months, where any child, regardless of whether they are enrolled in the district, will be able to obtain the meals. Identification and registration are not required by the district, according to the Statesman. Round Rock ISD, Leander ISD, Georgetown ISD, Hays CISD, Manor ISD, and Bastrop ISD will also be providing local youth with free meals all summer long. Dates and times vary between districts and campuses.

World Cup Watch Party: Austin FC announced on Wednesday, May 27, that registration is open for the Austin Soccer Celebration, with free watch parties of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup at Auditorium Shores on June 11 and 12. The event will feature food from local vendors, a beer garden, family-friendly activities, and giveaways, as Austinites watch Mexico vs. South Africa and South Korea vs. Czechia on June 11, and Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina and United States vs. Paraguay on June 12 on large-scale video screens.

Peelander-Z Car Accident: All three members of Japanese-American punk band Peelander-Z, Peelander Yellow, Pink, and Tiger, were hospitalized with major injuries following a car accident in New Mexico last week. The trio were only two dates into a spring tour with stops throughout the western United States when an 18-wheeler rear-ended their tour van. Mosaic Sound Collective founder Dan Redman has organized a GoFundMe campaign to support ongoing medical care and provide updates on the Austin-based band’s condition. On May 25, he wrote that everyone is stable and conscious, but will require “significant rehabilitation.” “The road to recovery is going to be a long and challenging one,” wrote Redman in the fundraiser bio, “but if anyone can do it, it’s Peelander Z!”

Credit: John Anderson QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Republicans are afraid.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa following the runoff election results

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