Ronny Jackson, Trump's former White House doctor, is likely headed to Congress. So is ex-Rep. Pete Sessions.
Former White House physician Ronny Jackson won Tuesday's Republican primary in Texas' deep-red 13th Congressional District, beating agricultural lobbyist Josh Winegarner and almost certainly punching his ticket to Congress. Winegarner was endorsed by outgoing Rep. Mac Thornberry (R), but President Trump had thrown his support behind Jackson, who served as the White House physician from 2006 to 2018.
Trump had nominated Jackson to be head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, but he withdrew his name and left the White House amid allegations of professional misconduct, including being drunk on the job, overprescribing medication, and creating a hostile work environment.
Former Rep. Pete Sessions (R), who represented the 32nd District in the Dallas area from 1996 until his loss in 2018, won his primary race against Renee Swann in the Waco-based 17th District, 100 miles south. He is also expected to win in November.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In Austin, lawyer Mike Siegel won the Democratic primary to face off against Rep. Michael McCaul (R) in the 10th District, setting up a repeat of 2018's close election. The district, which stretches from Austin to Houston, was gerrymandered for Republicans but the area is trending more liberal. In the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs, Candace Valenzuela won the Democratic primary to fight Republican former Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne for the open 24th District seat.
Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls won the Republican primary in the Houston-area 2nd District and will face former foreign service officer Sri Kulkarni, who lost to outgoing Rep. Pete Olson (R) in 2018. The Republican primary in the 23rd District, represented by retiring Rep. Will Hurd (R), is too close to call between Tony Gonzales, backed by Trump, and Raul Reyes, supported by Sen. Ted Cruz (R). The winner will face Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones, who almost unseated Hurd in 2018.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Nasa’s new dark matter mapUnder the Radar High-resolution images may help scientists understand the ‘gravitational scaffolding into which everything else falls and is built into galaxies’
-
Is the US about to lose its measles elimination status?Today's Big Question Cases are skyrocketing
-
‘No one is exempt from responsibility, and especially not elite sport circuits’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Rep. Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquidSpeed Read This ‘small agitator isn’t going to intimidate me from doing my work’
-
Democrats pledge Noem impeachment if not firedSpeed Read Trump is publicly defending the Homeland Security secretary
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
-
Trump says US ‘in charge’ of Venezuela after Maduro grabSpeed Read The American president claims the US will ‘run’ Venezuela for an unspecified amount of time, contradicting a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
