Texas Primary Results, South Carolina Rejects Redistricting, Iran Deal Whiplash

Summary

---

NPR Up First Podcast Summary

Episode: Texas Primary Results, South Carolina Rejects Redistricting, Iran Deal Whiplash

Date: May 27, 2026
Hosts: Steve Inskeep, Amy Martinez
Reporters/Guests: Andrew Schneider (Houston Public Media), Gavin Jackson (South Carolina Public Radio), Franco Ordoñez (NPR White House Correspondent)

---

Overview:

This episode dives into three of the day’s biggest stories:

1. Major political shifts in the Texas primaries, especially Senator John Cornyn’s defeat by Ken Paxton, a Trump-backed candidate.
2. The South Carolina Senate’s rejection of redistricting efforts ahead of the midterms, defying pressure from President Trump.
3. Confusing signals from President Trump regarding a peace deal with Iran, and how broader Middle East politics are complicating negotiations.

---

1. Texas GOP Primary: Cornyn Ousted by Paxton

Key Segment: 02:57–06:42

Main Points:

• Ken Paxton defeats long-serving Senator John Cornyn in the Texas Republican primary with a nearly 2-to-1 margin.
• Trump's Endorsement: Paxton received late support from President Trump, credited as a major factor in his win.
  • "President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement is the most powerful force in politics."
    —Ken Paxton at victory speech (04:32)
• Changing of the Guard: The contest symbolizes a shift from establishment conservatism (Cornyn) to the “MAGA” wing (Paxton).
  • Paxton argued Cornyn was not supportive enough of Trump, despite Cornyn’s claim of supporting Trump’s agenda 99% of the time.
• Democratic Response: Paxton will face State Representative James Talarico, who campaigns on Paxton’s corruption allegations and his record flipping a previously pro-Trump district.
• Democratic Primary Development: Congressman Christian Menifee defeats senior Congressman Al Green in a key Houston-area primary, signaling broader generational change.

Notable Quotes:

• "Cornyn wasn't enough of a supporter of President Trump… that's a message he wasn’t able to get through to a majority of Republican primary voters."
  —Andrew Schneider (03:32)
• "The last time a Democrat won statewide office here was more than 30 years ago."
  —Andrew Schneider (05:08)

---

2. South Carolina Senate Rejects Redistricting Push

Key Segment: 06:42–10:14

Main Points:

• Over a third of South Carolina’s Republican senators joined Democrats to block a redistricting bill favored by President Trump.
• Process: Governor McMaster called a special session after initial Senate resistance, but many Republicans feared rushed changes could backfire.
  • Early voting was already underway, with more than 30,000 early votes cast as the debate happened.
• Concerns:
  • Senate Majority Leader Shane Massie argued the new map would energize angry Democrat and independent voters, possibly turning safe seats competitive:
    • "You energize them to come out and vote against you because people will vote when they're angry… we've made some people mad just having the debate."
      —Sen. Shane Massie (08:43)
  • Many in the Senate were less worried about presidential reprisals because they aren’t up for reelection this cycle.
• Comparative Context:
  • Simultaneously, an Alabama court blocked another Republican-drawn map for discriminatory reasons—both instances highlight national wrangling over redistricting.
  • Republicans have been more successful than Democrats overall in redrawing congressional maps to their advantage in multiple states.

Notable Quotes:

• "It wasn't so much a rebuke to Trump as a reality check."
  —Gavin Jackson (08:58)

---

3. Iran Deal Whiplash: Mixed Signals from the White House

Key Segment: 10:26–13:55

Main Points:

• Pattern of Declarations: President Trump has repeatedly claimed that the war with Iran is “almost over” and that a deal is close, but these announcements have not led to concrete agreements.
  • Weekend example: Trump first declared a deal was “largely negotiated,” then reversed by saying “there was no rush,” and the next day, U.S. forces attacked Iranian speedboats.
  • "It's happened at least a half dozen times dating back to late March… and then, of course, it just doesn't happen."
    —Franco Ordoñez (10:54)
• Deal Complications:
  • Trump now wants more Gulf countries to join the Abraham Accords (normalizing relations with Israel) as part of talks—something Iran and many Arab states resist without progress on a Palestinian state.
    • "Iran sees the Abraham Accords as anti-Iran… it would make more sense to use as a carrot and stick approach…"
      —Franco Ordoñez paraphrasing Matthew Kroenig (12:02)
  • Israeli leaders are wary of U.S. negotiations with Iran; demands on Palestinian statehood are a major obstacle.
    • "Many Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, have maintained a position that they will not normalize ties with Israel without a clear path to towards creating one. And it's something that… Netanyahu… has said will never happen."
      —Franco Ordoñez (13:04)
• Political Pressure:
  • Trump is under pressure to stabilize gas prices, which spiked over Memorial Day; unpopularity of the ongoing conflict and slipping approval ratings add urgency.
    • "Polls show that the war is unpopular with many Americans. And Trump's approval ratings are also dramatic dropping."
      —Franco Ordoñez (13:27)
  • Republicans fear losing House and Senate majorities amid these dynamics.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement is the most powerful force in politics."
  —Ken Paxton (04:32)
• "You energize them to come out and vote against you, because people will vote when they're angry."
  —Senate Majority Leader Shane Massie (08:43)
• "It's happened at least a half dozen times dating back to late March… and then, of course, it just doesn't happen."
  —Franco Ordoñez on Trump's Iran deal announcements (10:54)

---

Timelines & Timestamps of Major Segments

• Texas Primary Results & Analysis .............. 02:57–06:42
• South Carolina Redistricting Fight ............ 06:42–10:14
• Alabama Redistricting Update ................. 09:40–10:14
• Presidential Iran Deal Messaging ............. 10:26–13:55

---

Summary Takeaways

• The Texas GOP is experiencing a shift to a more Trump-aligned, hardline base, as evidenced by Ken Paxton’s decisive primary win.
• Some state Republicans, especially in South Carolina, are pushing back on top-down redistricting demands—even from fellow Republicans—out of concern for democratic process and local politics.
• The White House’s messaging on Iran is repetitive and confusing, with repeated claims of imminent peace or deals not materializing, and efforts to widen the Abraham Accords may actually delay rather than hasten a resolution.
• Broader national trends in redistricting, Middle East diplomacy, and presidential approval are converging to make 2026’s midterms and foreign policy events especially volatile.

---

Transcript

[Steve Inskeep]

There's no air conditioning at NPR west,

[Amy Martinez]

not in these studios.

[Steve Inskeep]

So some parts of the building have air conditioning, but they made sure that your part does not. I'm sure there's nothing one way or

[Amy Martinez]

another diddle about that either. Studio C leaks water from a rainstorm. Like, I'm not kidding, mid show, right in front of me, a stream of water. Not a little bit. A stream of water.

[Steve Inskeep]

Wow.

[Amy Martinez]

Or I come in here and it's boiling hot or it's freezing cold. Or the ant, Studio E. Oh, the ants, too. Yeah, the ants. That was a great. That was a great.

[Steve Inskeep]

Are you getting the message yet, sir? Texas Senator John Cornyn lost a primary against Ken Paxton, the candidate backed by President Trump.

[Amy Martinez]

Republicans see a demonstration of Trump's power. Democrats see a weaker candidate they hope to beat this fall.

[Steve Inskeep]

I'm Steve Inskeep with a Martinez, and this is up first from NPR News, South Carolina. Republicans rejected the president's push to redraw congressional maps before the midterms. They warned it could backfire.

[Senate Majority Leader Shane Massie]

Helping Democrats, you energize them to come out and vote against you because people will vote when they're angry. And I think what we're seeing today across the state, with the record turnout that we're seeing, is that we've made some people mad.

[Amy Martinez]

And at least half a dozen times the president has said the war with Iran is almost over, but still no deal. Will his push for Gulf countries to normalize ties with Israel complicate negotiations? Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day.

[Steve Inskeep]

Foreign.

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

This message comes from Equip Health. Eating disorders don't just show up in a doctor's office. They show up in everyday life. That's why Equip's virtual eating disorder treatment program is designed to treat people where real life happens. Patients get a dedicated care team, including a therapist, dietitian, medical provider and peer mentor. EQIP is covered by many commercial insurance plans and available nationwide for all ages. Learn more at Equip Health, NPR this message comes from MIDI Health, a virtual care platform for women in perimenopause and menopause. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kathleen Jordan shares the wide range of symptoms they work to address for women in midlife.

[Amy Martinez]

There's dry eyes, dry hair, dry skin.

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

There's dry mouth, trouble sleeping, panic and anxiety attacks.

[Amy Martinez]

When we ask patients about common symptoms,

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

on average they report six MIDI Health committed to helping women in midlife with perimenopause and menopause care, accessible via telehealth [e-mail] this message comes from Capital One with the Venture X card. Earn unlimited double miles, a $300 annual capital one travel credit, and access to airport lounges. Capital One what's in your wallet? Terms apply [e-mail] a pair of Republican

[Amy Martinez]

senators have lost their seats in less than two weeks.

[Steve Inskeep]

Yeah, one of them is John Cornyn. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated Cornyn on Tuesday. He's been a senator for four terms. Paxton outpolled Cornyn by a margin of nearly 2 to 1. President Trump supported Paxton, endorsing him late after Paxton was leading in many polls. Trump also recently supported the successful primary challenge to Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy.

[Amy Martinez]

Houston Public Media's Andrew Schneider has been following all of this. So, Andrew, help us understand the scope of Paxton's victory over Cornyn.

[Andrew Schneider]

Well, like many elections across Texas and around the country, the contest is very much about a potential changing of the guard. Cornyn is in his mid-70s. He's a staunch conservative, but he represents the establishment wing of the Texas Republican Party. The party's moved considerably to the right since he was first elected senator when George W. Bush was in the White House. Paxton's younger. He's long been been a favorite with what has been developed into the MAGA wing of the party. He made the case over the course of the past year plus that Cornyn's time was passed and particularly that Cornyn wasn't enough of a supporter of President Trump. Cornyn repeatedly countered that he's voted for Trump's agenda more than 99% of the time, but that's a message he wasn't able to get through to a majority of Republican primary voters.

[Amy Martinez]

Yeah, early voting was already happening when president's endorsement came. So how much of a role did you think that played in Paxton's win?

[Andrew Schneider]

Well, Paxton gave Trump a lot of credit for pushing him over the top. Here's Paxton giving his victory speech in Plano, Texas.

[Amy Martinez]

President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement in this most power is the most powerful force in politics. And I'm honored to have his support and I look forward to working with him in the Senate to deliver for Texas.

[Andrew Schneider]

Last month, Texas Public Opinion Research released a poll that suggested a Trump endorsement would propel Paxton to a double digit victory over Cornyn. And that's exactly okay.

[Amy Martinez]

Now Paxton is the Republican candidate against the Democratic nominee. And that's State Representative James Talarico. Did Paxton give any indication at all how he plans to campaign against Talarico?

[Andrew Schneider]

Paxton's already arguing that Talarico is too far left to represent the state. He pointed to Talarico's previous statements on issues ranging from immigration to the economy to transgender rights. Now, traditionally that line of attack has been very effective for Republicans running statewide in Texas. The last time a Democrat won statewide office here was more than 30 years ago. But it's not clear how it will work this time. One of the ways Talarico became the Democratic nominee was by pointing to his record of flipping a state House district that previously went for Trump by double digits. Talarico's already launched his own campaign focusing on the corruption allegations that have dogged Paxton since he took the Attorney General's office. In fact, today marks the third anniversary of Paxton's impeachment by the Republican led Texas House on some of those charges. That's an impeachment that ended in his acquittal by the Texas Senate.

[Amy Martinez]

All right, should be a fascinating race. What are some of the other major developments that you saw in Tuesday's elections?

[Andrew Schneider]

That changing of the guard phenomenon wasn't just limited to Republicans. Another race we saw called early in by a wide margin was in the Democratic primary runoff for the 18th Congressional District. Thanks to last year's mid decade redistricting, Congressman Christian Menifee was forced into a race against Congressman Al Green. Menifee won that face off. Republicans targeted Greene as part of the redistricting and this was their first real victory out of that. Menifee is in his and Green is in his late 70s. And while Green had seniority on his side, this is a district that hasn't had steady representation for a few years and that was very fresh in voters minds.

[Amy Martinez]

That's Houston Public Media's Andrew Schneider. Thanks a lot. You're welcome. Lawmakers in South Carolina have rejected President Trump's efforts to reshape voting maps before the midterm elections.

[Steve Inskeep]

A new map in South Carolina could have flipped the state's only House seat held by a Democrat Congressman James Clark. On the same day, an Alabama court blocked a Republican backed congressional map ahead of the midterms because it was, in their words, intentional race based discrimination. Still, Republicans have redrawn more districts in their favor across the country than Democrats have.

[Amy Martinez]

Joining us is Gavin Jackson of South Carolina Public Radio. So Gavin, how did this play out in the state Capitol of Columbia?

[Gavin Jackson]

Yeah. Well, on a procedural vote, over a third of the Republicans in the Senate, 14 of them voted with the Democrats to effectively kill a bill that would have changed the maps. It's been a whirlwind three Weeks here, with redistricting going from not being on anyone's radar to dominating the final days of the legislative session. The push was briefly stopped in the senate, which prompted Governor Henry McMaster to call a special session to take up a new map. And he's been saying that Trump needs to keep a Republican Congress to carry out his agenda. Now, a handful of prominent Senate Republicans continue to push back against this process that went into Memorial Day weekend. So it's been busy. And this all came to a head yesterday. That was the first day of early voting for the primaries, and Democrats were urging people to go to the polls, and more than 30,000 votes had been cast already as lawmakers were meeting. So some of them were even getting updates during that debate. And around that time, lawmakers faced a couple of procedural votes in the Senate to get the redistricting bill to a vote, and it lost.

[Amy Martinez]

Yeah, it's been a little different in each state. In every state. So what's the pushback about there?

[Gavin Jackson]

Yeah, again, they talked about the time crunch with the primary starting. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massie, a Republican, was outspoken against this from the beginning.

[Steve Inskeep]

And.

[Gavin Jackson]

And he raised constitutional concerns and said that the plan could backfire on Republicans by motivating Democrats and independent voters. Here he is Tuesday.

[Senate Majority Leader Shane Massie]

You energize them to come out and vote against you, because people will vote when they're angry. And I think what we're seeing today across the state, with the record turnout, early voting turnout that we're seeing, is that we've made some people mad just. Just having the debate.

[Gavin Jackson]

Yeah. Senators here really pride themselves on being deliberative and not letting Washington tell them what to do. Then you factor in expected lawsuits, cost of delaying the primaries. And some of them said it wasn't so much a rebuke to Trump as a reality check.

[Amy Martinez]

Yeah, but the president usually gets his way on this kind of thing. And in Indiana, he helped defeat some Republicans in primaries after they voted against redistricting. So aren't they worried about that there?

[Gavin Jackson]

There was definitely an undertone in the house where all 124 members were up for reelection, but that was different in the Senate because they're not up for another two years, so they're not too concerned about that. Now, some Republicans said that they were worried that redistricting could have made these seats that are safe now more competitive. And the governor said that he was disappointed, but that he would not be calling lawmakers back again.

[Amy Martinez]

Now, we mentioned the setback for Republicans in Alabama as well. What happened there?

[Gavin Jackson]

Yeah, that's another state that took up redistricting after the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights act in April. And they're going for one seat like they did in South Carolina. Now, a federal court temporarily blocked that yesterday, but it's expected to go to the Supreme Court, which has approved that redistricting once already. Now, around the country, like in Florida and Texas, Republicans have redistrict about eight or nine seats their way, more so than Democrats have. So the Louisiana Republicans are also working on one seat this week, and primaries are underway and the field may pretty much be set except for some of these court battles right now.

[Amy Martinez]

All right. That's Gavin Jackson of South Carolina Public Radio. Gavin, thanks.

[Gavin Jackson]

Thanks.

[Amy Martinez]

NPR's Franco Ordonez has noticed a pattern in how President Trump talks about Iran. Trump says the war is over or almost over, then clearly it is not.

[Steve Inskeep]

Over the weekend, the president said a groundbreaking deal with Iran was, quote, largely negotiated. A day later, he said there was no rush, while his aides indicated the deal was not done. And then on Monday, US Forces attacked Iranian speedboats that they said were attempting to lay mines.

[Amy Martinez]

So Franco Ordonez is here with us now. How many times have you seen this happen?

[Franco Ordonez]

Yeah, a, it's happened at least a half dozen times dating back to late March. I mean, he's repeated several variations that a deal is close, that an agreement was largely negotiated, that a framework exists. And then, of course, it just doesn't happen. I mean, take this weekend, after almost three months of war, Trump was talking about an almost finalized deal that would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He was almost actually taking a victory lap, thanking intermediaries for their help with negotiations. And then, of course, you had the blowback from Republicans in Israel. I would say that this was the most emphatic he's been about an upcoming deal. But it's happened before. I mean, last month, Trump said they were very close to a deal and that the two sides agreed to even dig up Iran's enriched uranium. The reality is, while the president has repeatedly projected this kind of optimism, there is yet to be anything really concrete or durable toward a resolution.

[Amy Martinez]

And now he's trying to add more things to the deal. He's pressing on more countries to join the Abraham Accords as the regional agreement that seeks to normalize relations with Israel. But asking for that could make reaching a deal a lot more difficult.

[Franco Ordonez]

Yeah, it really could, as Iran sees the Abraham Accords as anti Iran. I mean, I was talking with Matthew Kroenig, who had the Iran portfolio at the Pentagon in the Obama administration. He also served under George W. Bush and Trump. He says the deal is already complicated enough. It would make more sense to be used as a kind of carrot and stick approach where you tell Iran, you'd better make this deal or else we're going to make dynamics in the region much more difficult for you by expanding the accords. But he said this actually may be more about sending a message to Israel.

[Amy Martinez]

One way it might make sense is

[Andrew Schneider]

if you're dealing with different audiences.

[Amy Martinez]

And the Abraham Accords is actually aimed at Israel and Netanyahu and saying, I know you're not happy that we're on the verge of making peace with the Islamic Republic, but please stand down for now. There's something else in it for you.

[Franco Ordonez]

And that, of course, would be a better security environment overall for Israel.

[Amy Martinez]

Okay, so if it's a better security environment, then why is it a hard sell to get other countries to join?

[Franco Ordonez]

Well, the biggest obstacle is the lack of a Palestinian state. Many Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, have maintained a position that they will not normalize ties with Israel without a clear path to towards creating one. And it's something that the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has said will never happen.

[Amy Martinez]

So how much are political pressures playing into all this?

[Franco Ordonez]

I mean, I'd say quite a bit. Trump is facing growing pressure from various fronts to take action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to get a handle on gas prices. They actually gas prices hit a new high over Memorial Day weekend. And polls show that the war is unpopular with many Americans. And Trump's approval ratings are also dramatic dropping. And Republicans worry that they could lose the majorities in the midterms, both in the House and the Senate.

[Amy Martinez]

That's White House correspondent Franco Ordonez. Thanks a lot.

[Franco Ordonez]

Thank you.

[Amy Martinez]

That's Up first for Wednesday, May 27th. Amy Martinez and I'm Steve Inskeep.

[Steve Inskeep]

Today's Up first was edited by Megan Pratts, Larry Kaplo, Rebecca Metzler, Mohamed Albardisi and Taylor Haney. It was produced by Ziad Buch and Nia Dumas. Our director is Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Zoe Van Genhoven. And our technical director is Carly Strange. Good morning, Carly. Our supervising producer is Michael Lipkin. Join us again tomorrow.

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

This message comes from midihealth, a virtual care platform for women in perimenopause and menopause. CEO Joanna Strober shares the mission behind working with women in midlife. It's not just about hormones. It's not just about weight loss medications. We are very much a holistic care platform, and our job is to figure out whatever medications are appropriate for you and offer you those medications. MIDI Health Committed to helping women in midlife with perimenopause and menopause care. Accessible via telehealth [e-mail] this message comes from BetterHelp.

[Gavin Jackson]

May is mental Health Awareness Month. Having a licensed therapist with you by video phone or chat can make a difference, and BetterHelp makes it easy. Sign up now and get 10% [e-mail]

[Sponsor/Advertiser Voice]

NPR up this message comes from DonorsChoose. Every day on donorschoose. Org, teachers ask for the books, supplies, and learning materials their students need. Show classroom heroes the appreciation they deserve. Donate today at donorschoose. Org Local.