Philip M. Bailey

Congressman Crockett often talks about politics through herself.

emphasizing the things that she has done, her credentials and her background, that she's a fighter, whereas in Tallarico talks about the group, the affordability crisis, the healthcare crisis.

Even though I think in a lot of these issues, Congressman Crockett is actually to the left of Tallarico, he tries to have, I think, both ways where he appeals to moderates and some of his supporters say, oh, he's a better person to maybe stretch Republicans in a general election.

At the same time, he still tries to say, I'm just as progressive, maybe even more so than

And Congressman Crockett, when you put their two records side by side, there's some tad differences, but it's really a personality test more than anything else.

On the Republican side now, this is where it gets interesting.

John Cornyn, an institution in Texas politics, really comes from the George W. Bush era of Texas conservatism.

longtime republican senator there is really in a fight for his political career most polls show him either tied or down to attorney general ken paxton who was a scandal-plagued republican out of texas and also running his congressman wesley hunt a maga firebrand who isn't shying away from taking punches at cornyn either many expect experts are all telling me that look this is probably going to be a runoff between paxton

and Cornyn, with Paxton probably coming in ahead.

That means that President Trump, who has not endorsed in this race, is going to be pressured by all of these candidates, particularly Cornyn's folks in the Senate leadership, to get involved here.

And that's because, Dana, it's not because necessarily even Democrats really can win Texas, right?

Even if Ken Paxton were to win,

with his scandals and everything, as close as that might be in Democrats' minds, the real issue is money.

If Ken Paxton is the nominee for the Republicans in that race, that means they'll have to spend a whole lot more money rather than spend it in Ohio or Alaska or other states that they want to defend or even go on offense.

So the pressure is on, I think, for Republicans in a time, again, when Donald Trump's numbers are down.

Do they go with the more MAGA firebrand with scandals both in his professional and personal life?

Or do they go with the tried and trusted John Cornyn, who, if he's the nominee, Democrats know that that seat is basically off the table.

Maine, right, where you have Republican Susan Collins, a more moderate Republican, who is certainly someone that Democrats feel like they do have a legitimate chance in flipping that seat.

The real contest first, though, is going to be in the Democratic primary between Governor Janet Mills, who's backed by Chuck Schumer and most of the Democratic establishment.

And then Graham Platner, oyster farmer, younger 40-ish, sort of populist, left-leaning progressive who's got a lot of support from left-leaning groups like the PCCC and others who say, look, now's the time to shake things up.