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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Republican Rep. Lance Gooden endorsed Ken Paxton in the Texas GOP Senate primary against longtime Sen. John Cornyn.
👥 Who’s Involved: Rep. Lance Gooden, Sen. John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, President Donald Trump, Texas Rep. Troy Nehls, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Sen. Tim Scott.
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📍 Where & When: The endorsement was made in Texas on Thursday.
💬 Key Quote: “Attorney General Paxton is the conservative champion we need in the U.S. Senate,” stated Rep. Lance Gooden.
⚠️ Impact: The endorsement increases pressure in a primary that could turn into a costly and contentious contest. The GOP primary winner will likely be favored in the general election.
IN FULL:
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton‘s Republican primary bid against U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) is receiving some early support. Congressman Lance Gooden (R-TX), who represents parts of Eastern Dallas and is known for his MAGA allegiance, announced he is endorsing Paxton for Senate—a sign that populist and Trump-backing Republicans in the state could soon follow suit. The Texas Republican primary for the U.S. Senate is anticipated to be particularly contentious and costly.
Paxton, who has served as Attorney General since 2014, announced his Senate run earlier this week. He cites a need for change and a stronger representation of conservative values. He argues for aligning more closely with President Donald J. Trump’s agenda. Paxton has accused Cornyn of failing to support conservative principles and questions his loyalty to Trump.
Cornyn, a member of the Senate since 2002, has backing from significant Republican figures, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRCC) also endorses Cornyn. However, while he claimd that his voting record shows steadfast support for Trump’s policies, he initially opposed his bid to reclaim the presidency in 2024, and argued congressional Republicans should not oppose the lawfare prosecutions of America First leader.
While Trump could weigh in on the race with an endorsement—likely all but deciding the primary’s winner—such an action appears unlikely at the moment. Paxton’s campaign is characterized by his stance as a staunch conservative and ally to Trump, and the Trump-style lawfare against him—including an attempted but failed impeachment pushed by establishment Republicans and Democrats in the Texas legislature.
Despite the attention currently on Paxton and Cornyn, Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) could also enter the race.
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March showed a decrease of 0.1 percent month-over-month, leading to a year-over-year increase of 2.4 percent, below expectations. Core CPI also reported lower than anticipated figures, rising only 0.1 percent month-over-month.
👥 Who’s Involved: The report, used by economic policymakers, notably involves Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell as part of their assessment for monetary policy adjustments.
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📍 Where & When: The data pertains to the United States, specifically for March, as reported today.
💬 Key Quote: “Just out: ‘INFLATION IS DOWN!!!'” — President Donald J. Trump on Truth Social.
⚠️ Impact: These figures are crucial for understanding inflation trends, potentially influencing Federal Reserve policy, the financial markets, and economic decisions.
IN FULL:
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for March showed a decline, indicating that inflation continues to subside. Notably, this suggests that the tariffs imposed by President Donald J. Trump in February and March, ahead of his “Liberation Day” tariffs imposed on April 2, caused little, if any, inflationary pressure.
According to the data, the headline CPI fell by 0.1 percent month-over-month, diverging from the anticipated 0.1 percent increase. Over the past year, the CPI rose by 2.4 percent, slightly below the predicted 2.5 percent gain and the lowest year-over-year increase since September.
The White is celebrating the positive economic news, with President Donald J. Trump posting on Truth Social: “Just out: ‘INFLATION IS DOWN!!!'”
Falling energy prices had a notable impact, easing inflationary pressure as the energy CPI dropped by 2.4 percent in March. This decrease was driven to a significant extent by a 6.3 percent reduction in gasoline prices, offsetting hikes in electricity and natural gas costs.
The core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, increased just 0.1 percent in March, also below expectations of a 0.3 percent rise. On a yearly basis, the core CPI saw a 2.8 percent increase, the lowest since March 2021. Within the core CPI, sectors such as personal care, medical care, education, and apparel experienced price rises, while airline fares and used car prices declined.
The subdued inflation figures come amid economic discussions around tariff impacts and potential recession risks tied to energy prices. These CPI results are significant for the Federal Reserve, which closely monitors inflation to inform interest rate decisions. Lower-than-expected inflation may move the central bank to begin reducing interest rates.
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