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What A Day

Can Talarico Turn Texas Blue?

What A Day

What A Day

News, Daily News

4.6 • 12.6K Ratings

🗓️ 5 March 2026

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Three states – North Carolina, Arkansas, and Texas – held primaries Tuesday. The turnout was massive, but so were the stakes, with the balance of power in Congress being decided this year. Texas held the spotlight with record campaign spending during the lead-up and a notable U.S. Senate primary upset by Texas Democratic State Representative James Talarico over Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. The contentious Senate race between Republican incumbent John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was so tight it triggered a runoff. NOTUS Congressional Reporter Daniella Diaz joins us to sort out what it all means.

And in headlines, the Senate votes against a War Powers Resolution, the House Oversight Committee subpoenas Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of the Epstein files, and RFK Jr. picks a fight with Massachusetts about sweet drinks at Dunkin’.

Show Notes:

Transcript

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0:00.0

It's Thursday, March 5th. I'm Jane Koston, and this is what a day.

0:07.7

The show saying that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristy Knoem has just two options

0:12.1

when answering California Democratic representative Sidney Kamelager Dove during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday.

0:19.2

Either yes or no. So Secretary Nome, at any time during

0:24.3

your tenure as Director of Department of Homeland Security, have you had sexual relations with

0:31.6

Corey Lewandowski? Mr. Chairman, I am shocked that we're going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today.

0:40.3

That is not a yes, nor is it a no.

0:43.3

It would also be nice if she responded to the congresswoman directly instead of requesting the regional manager.

0:53.3

On today's show, the Senate decides it's fine with the Trump administration's grab bag of explanations for its war with Iran.

1:03.5

And Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wages a fight against Dunkin' Donuts.

1:08.8

And Massachusetts is wicked furious. But let's start with

1:12.8

the 2026 midterms. Yes, technically, there are months to go until November 3rd. But in many ways,

1:19.2

we're already deep in the fight for control of Congress. Three states held primaries on Tuesday,

1:24.4

North Carolina, Arkansas, and Texas, and all three saw massive turnout,

1:28.6

for good reason. These races are opportunities to shift the balance of power in Congress,

1:33.2

where House Speaker Mike Johnson's GOP enjoys just a one-seat majority. Yes, one seat.

1:40.0

But probably the biggest spotlight was on Texas, where we saw both big spending and big turnout as voters cast ballots for candidates running for multiple house seats and one spot in the U.S. Senate, like Texas State Representative James Telerico.

1:54.2

He spoke to supporters on Tuesday night before officially declaring victory.

1:58.1

Tonight, the people of our state gave this country a little bit of hope,

2:03.1

and a little bit of hope is a dangerous thing.

2:07.4

Tala Rico won the chance to battle for a Senate seat, beating Texas Democratic Congresswoman

2:11.7

Jasmine Crockett in a primary that cost nearly $30 million. But that dollar amount pales in

...

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