Tuesday, May 26, 2026

A Texas election to watch

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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Tue May 26 2026

Nicole Fallert
Newsletter Writer & SEO Editor

Welcome to the Daily Briefing. Start with these reads:

•	The U.S. launched strikes on Iran as pressure mounts to resume peace talks.
•	A SpaceX launch went successfully.
•	This hospital shaped modern medicine.

Nicole Fallert here. Had the day off? Catch up with our news quiz. We have the news to know on Tuesday, from a Texas runoff election to a dispatch from a Great Lakes cruise.

GOP Senate runoff in Texas

The national spotlight on Tuesday will be on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's runoff election against U.S. Senator John Cornyn for the GOP nomination for November's Senate race. Paxton is a staunch MAGA ally who earned the endorsement of President Donald Trump days before the runoff, which was called after neither he nor Cornyn earned over 50% of the votes in the March primary.

In a month jam-packed with elections, the unique race serves as yet another litmus of Trump's endorsement in the midterms. Paxton has Trump's backing, bucking Cornyn, who has occasionally opposed the president.

More news to know now

•	Senator says he was pepper-sprayed amid "chaos" at ICE facility. U.S. Sen. Andy Kim said he was pepper sprayed outside Delaney Hall, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Newark, New Jersey, on Monday afternoon, after visiting the facility in support of detainees who are mounting a hunger strike protest.
•	SoCal chemical threat lessens: The risk of a massive explosion of a damaged chemical tank in Southern California was "eliminated," resolving what authorities described as a possible "worst-case catastrophic event."
•	List of World Cup base camps: In addition to the 16 host cities, 25 other communities will host base camps during the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

American Music Awards

She's got 'luck ... or something'

Hilary Duff speaks onstage.

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

This year's American Music Awards relished in nostalgia. The Memorial Day awards featured performances from the Pussycat Dolls with Busta Rhymes and a win for the Black Eyed Peas for best throwback song for "Rock That Body." And yes, Hilary Duff was back on stage on the heels of her new album "luck... or something."

Travel

Take a Great Lakes cruise

USA TODAY Travel Reporter Nathan Diller ventured on a single cruise through the Great Lakes. The voyage offered a convenient, low-stress way to visit destinations and attractions he'd long hoped to see. The region is seeing high demand, too, with more than 25,000 passengers expected to sail there this year, according to Cruise the Great Lakes, up 5% from 2025.

Before you go

•	Here's why many people retire earlier than planned.
•	The missed handshake at the NCAA softball Super Regional.
•	Is this actually the worst "Star Wars'" character ever?!