Robert Downen

Our story @chicagotribune.com: Chicago teen Ofelia Torres, whose father was detained by ICE while she fought cancer, dies. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/14/c...

What Does the Railroad Commision Have to Do With “Radical Islam”? Everything, One Candidate Says Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French, known for his incendiary online presence, recently tendered his resignation to seek a position on the regulatory body that oversees the oil-and-gas industry.

If you’re wondering what radical Islam has to do with the Railroad Commission, good news: I’ve got you covered.

What Does the Railroad Commision Have to Do With “Radical Islam”? Everything, One Candidate Says Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French, known for his incendiary online presence, recently tendered his resignation to seek a position on the regulatory body that oversees the oil-and-gas industry.

If you’re wondering what radical Islam has to do with the Railroad Commission, good news: I’ve got you covered.

Bo French tweet: UPDATE: On the advice of my security team, I have to cancel my appearance at the Harris County GOP event tonight. This event is being held in an islamic center. ISGH

Bo French, who is currently running for Texas Railroad Commission on a vow to fight radical Islam, has on the “advice of his security team” just pulled out of a candidate forum tonight after realizing it was being held at a Muslim community center.

(h/t Brad Johnson on Twitter)

A yard sign for Matt Thorsen, candidate for House District 67, in which he proclaims that he is "NOT A RINO."

A yard sign for Rep. Jeff Leach, incumbent for House District 67, in which he proclaims that he is "NOT A PSYCHO."

Wild things happening in the Texas Republican primaries.

A screenshot from Apple Maps that very erroneously shows photos of gorgeous mountain in Spring, Texas.

Very excited for what Apple Maps tells me will be a stunning drive to Spring, Texas this week.

New Pew poll shows some white evangelical support for Trump slipping:

-58% support all/most of Trump's policies (-8 points since Feb. 2025)
-40% say Trump acts ethically (-15% since Feb. 2025)

From the February 6, 2026, edition of Patriot Party News’ On Tap with PPN, streamed on Rumble MARTIN RODIL (ELECTION DENIER): We’re gaining momentum on the work that collectively is being done to clean up the mess on the election system in the United States. It’s clearly that the president of the United States is leading the force to bring accountability to what happened in 2020, but also to protect the election integrity for 2026 and 2028 and from the years to come. … Everyone have seen what happened in Fulton County. I can tell you there is a similar effort right now being conducted in Arizona in Maricopa County, where the U.S. government is conducting a deep investigation on similar activities that were conducted in Fulton County back in 2020 that everyone is aware of. So — and it’s not just those two counties. I can tell you there is probably at least 10 critical different counties across the country that are being scrutinized or in review by the team that is being led inside the U.S. government by Tulsi Gabbard. … Now, as I said, Fulton County is just step one, but it’s another 10 other steps that’s going to be done in the coming weeks.

New:

Martin Rodil, an election denier involved with the Trump admin's 2020 election probes, said on a podcast that there's "a similar effort right now being conducted in Arizona in Maricopa County, where the U.S. government is conducting a deep investigation.”
www.mediamatters.org/voter-fraud-...

Noise from crypto mine pushes Texas neighbors to start a town Leaders of the effort say they moved to rural Hood County for its quiet country charm, which was shattered by what locals call “that roar” from the facility.

This is the same county where residents have complained for years about health problems related to noise from a crypto center by the way:

A Texas county rejects moratorium on data center development The 3-2 vote from Hood County commissioners Tuesday came after they received a letter from a state senator saying they did not have the power to issue a moratorium.

In the latest battle between the Texas Legislature/counties re: local control, a Texas county has moved forward with a data center - despite community pushback - after state lawmakers said that a moratorium would violate state law and spark an investigation by the attorney general.

Local police aid ICE by tapping school cameras amid Trump’s immigration crackdown Local police assisted federal immigration agents by repeatedly searching school cameras that record license plate numbers, data show

Police are using Flock cameras from Texas school districts to assist ICE.

What’s the Matter With Texas A&M? Five presidents in five years. Firings of “woke” professors. Crackdowns on Plato. Inside state leaders’ efforts to remake a great university.

I am biased because I am employed there, but this is one of the best pieces of journalism I’ve read in a while. It is well worth your time:

Pretti* apologies

VA Chaplains in Massachusetts Told Not to Mention Slain Nurse Alex Pretti Alex Pretti is being memorialized nationwide, but chaplains at Veterans Affairs facilities in Massachusetts have been barred from mentioning his name.

Veterans Affairs chaplains are being instructed not to mention slain VA nurse Alex Pretty. “It is inhuman, unconscionable, and unconstitutional. This is propelling the Constitution into a woodchipper.”

She Wanted to Speak on Anti-Muslim Bigotry. She Was Labeled a Terrorist Leader. Shaimaa Zayan, who works for the Austin chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, urged the Texas State Board of Education to reconsider its curriculum changes.

As a corollary, read @robertdownen.bsky.social's piece on the attacks Zayan has personally endured as part of Texas' all-of-government war on the state's sizable Muslim population: www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

Texas cannot be taken for granted, and the Republican nominee must be able to both consolidate the base and hold persuadable voters. Our data shows only one candidate meets that threshold: John Cornyn. PAXTON'S GENERAL ELECTION VIABILITY Across both public and private polling, the data is consistent and unambiguous: John Cornyn is the only Republican candidate who reliably wins a general election matchup. General Election Matchups (from NRSC internal polling conducted 2/1 - 2/2): • Cornyn vs. Talarico: Cornyn +3 • Paxton vs. Talarico: Talarico +3 • Cornyn vs. Crockett: Cornyn +7 • Paxton vs. Crockett: Paxton +1 Taken together, Cornyn outperforms Paxton by approximately 6 points in every general election matchup. In a state where margins matter and national control is at stake, that gap is decisive. The implication is straightforward: • Cornyn wins the general election. • Paxton puts the seat at risk. At a time when the Republican Senate Majority is narrow, Texas cannot afford to be a gamble. The data does not support experimentation. CONCLUSION With the primary just 29 days away, we cannot take Texas for granted. John Cornyn has the resources, the infrastructure, and, most importantly, the general election strength required to hold this seat. Any other outcome makes holding the Senate Majority more expensive.

NRSC sounding alarm over Paxton in the general election: “We cannot take Texas for granted.” (H/t @burgessev.bsky.social)

New poll from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (which, grain of salt, is backing John Cornyn):

• Cornyn vs. Talarico: Cornyn +3
• Paxton vs. Talarico: Talarico +3
• Cornyn vs. Crockett: Cornyn +7
• Paxton vs. Crockett: Paxton +1

INBOX: Texas Education Agency taps Levi Fuller, a former Assistant AG under Ken Paxton and chief of staff to far-right Rep. Andy Hopper, as “inspector general for teacher misconduct,” a new position that will “root out the flawed few that sow distrust among families and school communities.”

Amid the hundreds of colleagues we’ve lost today, I wanted to highlight the BRILLIANT data/graphics folks who any newsroom should be fighting to hire right now—threading here:

Texas’s Biggest Right-Wing Donor Has Abandoned Ken Paxton Tim Dunn was the attorney general’s biggest supporter. The U.S. Senate run has changed things.

For years, far-right Texas oil billionaire Tim Dunn has been Ken Paxton's biggest funder and supporter. So why, as Paxton runs for U.S. Senate, has Tim Dunn abandoned him?

ICE demanded Maine sheriff’s employment records following his criticism of arrest The subpoena came a day after Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce blasted immigration agents for arresting one of his guards.

ICE is demanding the employment records at a Maine jail after a sheriff openly criticized immigration agents for arresting one of his guards

Texas’s Biggest Right-Wing Donor Has Abandoned Ken Paxton Tim Dunn was the attorney general’s biggest supporter. The U.S. Senate run has changed things.

For years, far-right Texas oil billionaire Tim Dunn has been Ken Paxton's biggest funder and supporter. So why, as Paxton runs for U.S. Senate, has Tim Dunn abandoned him?

Meanwhile, one of the most conservative members of the Texas Legislature is coming to Talarico’s defense, saying (as others have) that this would be completely outta character.

ten years ago today no one clapped

😐

A Texas Democrat Just Won a Stunning Upset. What Does It Mean for November? Taylor Rehmet’s victory over Leigh Wambsganss in a state Senate special election was low turnout, but the numbers send a message.

"Rehmet believed the core message of his campaign—working-class solidarity—could be the glue in a winning coalition of unions, progressives, blue-collar voters, and disaffected Republicans. Early analysis indicates just how much that was true."

Ammon Bundy Is All Alone The anti-government militia leader can’t make sense of his allies’ support for ICE violence.

Ammon Bundy on ICE: “To call such people criminals for lacking official permission” to be in the country is to “forget the moral law of God, the historical truth of our own founding, and the Constitutional ideals that continue to define justice.”

ICE now confirming that there is a measles outbreak at the Texas concentration camp where young Liam was held.