As Texas Republicans grow more nervous about their chances of keeping a U.S. Senate seat in November, they are now facing another political burden: members of the Bush family.

Former President George W. Bush’s daughter Barbara and his brother Neil have broken with their family’s political party in the high-stakes race to support Democratic nominee James Talarico, adding to Republican anxiety about the contest.

The Federal Election Commission’s most recent report on PAC donations lists Barbara Bush as donating $2,500 last month to Lone Star Rising, a political action committee in support of Talarico, who is facing Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the midterm elections. Her monetary support emphasizes larger fractures within the Republican Party, which had hoped for an overwhelming victory in the state. (Barbara Bush, who lives in Brooklyn, is registered to vote in New York.)

On Tuesday, in another Bush defection, the former president’s brother said on Facebook that he had cast his vote for Talarico in early voting.

“I have never posted a political message on Facebook not wanting to offend friends whose views may be very different than mine. I’m breaking that tradition because I voted early today, and I voted for James Talarico for the United States Senate,” Neil Bush wrote in a lengthy post. “My vote was motivated by two things: deep concern about Ken Paxton’s record and genuine admiration for the character and principles I see in James Talarico.”

Paxton was endorsed by President Donald Trump during the Texas GOP primary over incumbent Sen. John Corbyn. But he is facing a candidate who has intertwined his Christian faith with his campaign and whose focus on kitchen-table issues has resonated with voters facing econmic headwinds. The Democrat has a slight lead in polling, 48.8% to 46%.

Neil Bush, who calls himself a longtime Republican, said he has been “deeply troubled” by Paxton’s history as Texas attorney general. He cited Paxton’s decision to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election, for which he was investigated by the state, and his impeachment by his own party over misconduct allegations in 2023. Paxton was also indicted in 2015 on charges of securities fraud. His legal team reached a deal for him to take ethics classes, pay almost $270,000 in restitution and complete community service.

In his statement, Neil Bush also took aim at Trump for doing “enormous damage to the Republican Party.”

He said he was “enormously impressed” by Talarico.

“He speaks with respect, seeks common ground, and seems genuinely interested in bringing people together rather than driving them apart,” he said. “His faith appears to be a deeply rooted source of humility, compassion, and conviction rather than a political weapon.”

He added, “I still believe deeply in many traditional Republican principles. But character matters more than party affiliation. Our democracy depends on leaders who respect our institutions, tell the truth, accept accountability, and seek to unite rather than divide.”

Paxton has been a divisive figure within his party. His impeachment attorney, Dan Cogdell, and his former law enforcement director, David Maxwell, have also said they will vote for Talarico.

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A Texas-based LGBTQ+ advocacy organization says someone is impersonating the group through texts and mailers distributed across the state in what it describes as a political attack, just as early voting begins in Texas.

Texans across the state, including in the Panhandle and the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio metro areas, reported receiving text messages and physical brochures purporting to offer support and resources to transgender students and pointing them to information on how to seek legal emancipation from parents.

The brochure prominently identifies the Transgender Education Network of Texas, or TENT, as “an organization trusted by students,” and includes links to the trans advocacy group.

Parents and conservative activists posted images of the texts and brochures online, expressing outrage at what they characterized as divisive messaging.

TENT, however, says it did not send the materials. In a statement, the group described the messages and materials as an impersonation attempt.

I got the rage bait mail! pic.twitter.com/htqc9wUmRa

— Kaylee Ashlynn (@kaylee_ashlynn) October 19, 2026

“TENT did not author, authorize, approve, or distribute these materials. Any and all materials are not affiliated with our organization and are impersonations,” the advocacy group said in a statement to MS NOW on Tuesday, adding that “these instances will not shake our commitment to the dignity and humanity of trans youth, trans Texans, their families, and their loved ones. Trans Texans belong here in Texas, this is our home and we’re not going anywhere.”

The first text message was sent on Oct. 11 and included a link to a “Back to School” guide with a general resource page. TENT said the information at that link was “falsely promoted as guidance to find gender affirming care,” adding that the information had never existed on its own website. On Oct. 17, TENT became aware that physical brochures with its branding had been sent to households across the state after people began sharing images of them on social media.

TENT says it does not know who is behind the alleged impersonation, but the return label on the brochures features the name of a different group, called the Texas Transgender Student Union, a Wyoming-based entity. Data reported to Wyoming’s state secretary website shows that a business entity named “Texas Transgender Student Union LLC” was established in September.

The address associated with the Texas Transgender Student Union is linked to Northwest Registered Agent, a privately held company that helps form and and register businesses and that receives official correspondence on their behalf.

A spokesperson for Northwest Registered Agent would not confirm whether the Texas Transgender Student Union is its client, but said in an email that it had “no way of knowing” its clients’ intent when they form a new company using its services.

“One of our main jobs is receiving state and legal notices for our clients and forwarding them promptly,” the spokesperson said, adding that the company’s service is limited to allowing agencies to contact its clients’ businesses, even if they do not have a physical office location. “That’s where our involvement ends, though.”

“Northwest Registered Agent has no knowledge of, or involvement in, any of our clients’ business operations,” the spokesperson said.

Legal representatives for TENT have identified a company they believe owns the phone numbers from which the impersonating mass text messages were sent — Peerless Network Inc., operating as a part of Infobip Inc. — and have sent a cease-and-desist letter, obtained by MS NOW. The letter demands the organizations identify who is responsible for the messages, suspend the numbers associated with the messages and refuse to transmit any further messages that refer to TENT or its materials.

“Because the Messages reference nothing but TENT’s domain, a reasonable recipient will conclude that TENT sent them, and that TENT is texting strangers about sensitive subjects without their consent. That impression is false, and it is already causing irreparable damage to our client’s reputation,” the letter reads.

Representatives for Peerless Network and Infobip did not respond to MS NOW’s request for comment. TENT did not note in its letter how it identified these companies as potential impersonators.

As a result of the mass text messages and brochures, TENT said, its staff’s addresses and information had been circulated to people across the state.

“Our address was doxxed, and photos of our staff were included in the malicious mailing materials. Online, a graphic is being circulated with images of two of our senior staff along with our board chair,” the group said.

TENT said the mailers sent to Texas households also included dates for the group’s upcoming “Trans Texas Takeover” tour, which the organization has since suspended “due to increased safety threats and risks.”

Texas state Rep. Jeff Leach has also sent a formal request to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is the Republican Senate nominee as well, asking his office to investigate the alleged impersonation. Paxton did not immediately respond to MS NOW’s request for comment on the request.

The texts and mailers surfaced just as early voting kicked off in the state. Republican candidates, including Paxton, have made transgender issues a central line of attack against Democrats. Republican-aligned TV ads have targeted Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico over his position on gender-affirming care for minors.

A University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs poll released Monday found Talarico leading over Paxton by 2 points. Early voting in Texas began Oct. 19.

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Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Minogue said that if he is elected in November, he will serve without a lieutenant governor after his running mate was arrested on suspicion of driving drunk.

Shawn Oliver suspended his campaign for lieutenant governor after he was involved in a car crash on Saturday and charged with operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, marked lanes violation and speeding. He pleaded not guilty on Monday.

“Several states, including Maine and New Hampshire, operate without a lieutenant governor,” Minogue’s campaign said in a statement Monday. “Massachusetts law already sets the order of succession if the governor is out of office.” He added that “leaving the position unfilled will save taxpayers well over $300,000 in salary and security costs.”

In announcing the suspension of his campaign, Oliver, a New Bedford city councilor, said the upcoming election was “too important to be overshadowed by personal matters.”

“I want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported me throughout this journey and ask that my family’s privacy be respected during this difficult time,” he wrote in a statement.

Despite suspending his campaign, Oliver will still have his name appear on the ballot. He has not yet commented on whether he plans to turn down the position if elected.

Mingoue’s campaign encouraged voters to still plan to select the Minogue-Oliver ticket “because the ballots have already been printed and cannot be changed. Any marks or deletions will invalidate the vote for Minogue,” clarifying that Oliver would not serve as Minogue’s lieutenant governor if elected.

Hours after Oliver’s arrest, Minogue said that he was “extremely disappointed” and that there is “no excuse for driving under the influence.”

“Shawn is lucky to be alive and lucky that no one innocent was hurt,” Minogue said in a statement Sunday, adding that he asked Oliver to suspend his campaign immediately and that he would formally ask for his resignation if he is elected.

“Shawn is a father and grandfather, and he needs to put his family first,” Minogue said. “He needs to do the work to ensure this never happens again. If he needs help with that, I will help him.”

Minogue faces off against Democratic Gov. Maura Healey in the Nov. 3 general election. A recent Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll showed Healey leading the race by 25 percentage points.

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Christiane Amanpour announced Monday that she will leave CNN in June after more than 43 years at the news network.

“After many months of thought and a few sleepless nights, I have decided to separate from CNN, my partner of 43 fantastic years!” the network’s award-winning chief international anchor said in a statement. She did not say why she was stepping down.

Amanpour hosts the network’s flagship global affairs interview program, “Amanpour.” She has interviewed numerous world leaders, including former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. She was set to interview former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in New York in 2022 before he abruptly canceled after Amanpour refused to wear a head scarf, in support of women’s rights.

Beginning in January, Amanpour will reduce hosting her show to once a week. Its final episode will air in May. Amanpour’s decision comes amid major shake-ups at the network’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, which was recently acquired by Skydance, the company run by billionaire David Ellison. Skydance is financially backed by Ellison’s father, Larry, the co-founder of Oracle and a major Trump donor.

“From my very first big exciting assignment covering the First Gulf War, to the horrors of the Bosnian War, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Iran and all the points in between, it’s the teams and the camaraderie that counted so much,” Amanpour told CNN. “As we together battled to seek the facts, the evidence and the humanity, so that CNN could always broadcast the truth about the world and to the world, without fear nor favor.”

CNN Chair Mark Thompson called Amanpour “one of the most trusted and beloved journalists anywhere.”

“Christiane has thought carefully about this decision, and she and I have been discussing it for some months,” Thompson wrote in a memo to the staff Monday morning, according to CNN. “Like so many CNNers who will hear the news today, I’m very sorry to see her go, but I’ve come to accept that this is the right time for her, both personally and professionally.”

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Former President Barack Obama issued a rare statement Sunday rebuking the Trump administration for targeting the president’s political enemies, namely for launching a federal investigation into Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.

“It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say,” Obama said in a lengthy statement shared on social media. “But that’s exactly what the Trump Administration is doing to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.”

The remarks come after federal agents raided Omar’s Washington D.C., home last week, confiscating her laptop, cellphone and passport, as well as other notebooks and documents related to her and her family’s immigration.

“To understand why this is so appalling, it’s important to know the facts. Congresswoman Omar came to this country with her father when she was 12 years old,” Obama said, noting that both she and her father became naturalized citizens five years after arriving from Somalia.

In diatribes against Democrats, President Donald Trump has repeatedly singled out Omar, whom Obama described as “one of the Trump Administration’s fiercest critics.”

Trump has called Omar “garbage” and broadly condemned Somalis. Vice President JD Vance has also joined in, at one point claiming in March, without evidence, that Omar “definitely committed immigration fraud against the United States of America.”

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said last week that her office is investigating potential improprieties related to Omar’s financial disclosures, but the search warrant that authorized agents to seize Omar’s belongings listed potential violations related to immigration, not finances.

Lawyers for Omar have demanded the immediate return of all of her property.

Omar has not been charged with a crime and has denied wrongdoing, accusing the Trump administration of “political intimidation.”

“Federal agents have raided her home, confiscated personal records, and seized her phone — all to try and uncover a nonexistent smoking gun from 20 years ago that will somehow make their case,” Obama wrote on Sunday. “Think about that. The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president.”

The search came just weeks ahead of the pivotal midterm elections. Obama weighed in as he prepared to take his star power to Michigan next weekend to campaign for Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and gubernatorial nominee Jocelyn Benson.

The former president added that “the fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views. Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same.”

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President Donald Trump’s approval rating has hit a record low as his party faces a reckoning with voters just 16 days before Election Day, new polls show.

A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey released Sunday shows 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s job performance, with 66% disapproving and 52% strongly disapproving. That represents a drop of four percentage points from July and eight points from this time last year — an all-time low in this polling.

As MS NOW’s Elections & Analytics team has noted, Trump’s approval rating has hovered below 40% for months in most surveys, signaling a politically perilous environment for Republicans.

Democrats’ fortunes are rising in the final stretch to the Nov. 3 midterm elections as they seek to regain control of Congress.

The poll, conducted Oct. 9-13, shows 52% of likely voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate in their congressional district while 44% said they would choose a Republican. That’s a 5-point gain from the same poll conducted in July.

An NBC News Decision Desk poll released Sunday also puts Democrats ahead.

Among registered voters, 55% favor Democrats, with 44% preferring Republicans. MS NOW’s polling data with partner FiftyPlusOne shows Democrats with a 9-point edge on the generic ballot.

The NBC survey shows 71% of U.S. adults say the country is on the “wrong track” — a resounding rebuke of Trump and the Republican Party two weeks before the midterms as GOP candidates face stiff competition on their home red turfs.

The findings underscore widespread dissatisfaction with the president’s unilateral decision to take the U.S. to war with Iran and its costly effects on the economy, including the steep price of gasoline and diesel. The poll shows that 67% of respondents identified gas prices as a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem.

“Those disapproval ratings are just a reflection of the pain people are feeling on the ground when, you know, they see this administration enter into this $50 billion war that is deeply unpopular and misguided,” South Carolina Senate Democratic candidate Annie Andrews said Sunday on MS NOW’s “The Weekend” when asked about recent polling in her state showing Trump’s unpopularity.

Andrews, who is facing Republican Sen. Darline Graham, said shrimpers and fishermen in the Low Country “are barely making ends meet because they’re being crushed by these diesel prices.”

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Pope Leo XIV resumed public appearances on Sunday, leading prayers at the Vatican just five days after undergoing lung cancer surgery and one day after leaving the hospital.

“I would like to thank all those who have prayed for me in recent days. I have truly sensed your support. Thank you!,” Leo said from a balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

The Catholic leader, 71, announced his planned surgery last week to remove a “small, localized” nodular lesion on his right lung. During the 90-minute operation, doctors confirmed he had lung cancer but said the operation to remove a lower lobe of his lung was successful, according to the Vatican.

“This experience has made me feel particularly close to all those who are living with illness or infirmity,” Leo said. “Now that I have overcome this delicate phase, as you know, I will gradually resume my activities, always with God’s help and your prayers.”

The surgery and cancer diagnosis marked Leo’s first major medical episode of his papacy. It is yet unclear whether the pope will require additional treatment.

His planned trip to Latin America next month, which includes visits to Uruguay, Peru and Argentina, remains unchanged as “there are no clinical reasons why this visit should not take place,” Professor Stefano Margaritora, the physician who operated on the pope’s lung, told Vatican News.

“The Holy Father has put his heart and soul into his recovery, as the most motivated people do after this kind of operation,” Margaritora said. “As a result, he needed very little assistance from us. His determination to recover quickly has been effective in every respect. It was truly commendable.”

Leo was elected last year following the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis. Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, Illinois, is the church’s first American pope.

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Three children and one adult were killed Thursday in a shooting at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon. The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old male, was shot dead by an armed bystander, police said.

The Deschutes County Dispatch said it received a 911 call at 12:59 p.m., local time, from a person in a vehicle reporting they had been shot at multiple times by a person with a long gun. That report was followed by multiple 911 calls reporting that a person had entered a building at Silver Rail Elementary School and opened fire. The preliminary investigation indicates the shooter forced their way into the school by firing at locked doors, according to authorities.

Police officers arrived on the scene at 1:02 p.m. and, seconds later, officers reported that the suspect had been shot and killed. The suspect was shot by a community member who saw the suspect enter the school and confronted him, according to authorities. Several police and first responders arrived on scene.

Authorities have not named the victims, shooter or bystander. The victims were children ages 5, 8 and 11 and a teacher, police said. The figures are preliminary, and authorities cautioned that the death toll could change as the investigation continues.

Two people, including a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher, were taken to nearby St. Charles Bend Hospital and remain in critical condition.

The shooter was a Bend resident, the city’s police chief, Mike Kantz, said at a press conference Thursday evening.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek praised the first responders and community member who intervened to stop the shooter, calling the tragedy heartbreaking.

“This is a horrible day,” Kotek said during a news conference Thursday evening. “No parent should have to have this kind of day, and no community should have to live through this kind of day.”

“To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life: Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden,” she added, “and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you, as well.”

Police set up a reunification site for parents and caregivers at nearby Journey Church. The Oregon Department of Emergency Management is coordinating the response across multiple state agencies. FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday that the agency was on the scene and assisting local partners. “We will make every resource they need available,” Patel said on X.

All Bend-La Pine Schools are closed Friday, and all school activities have been canceled, according to the school district. Silver Rail Elementary School enrolls between 400 and 450 students, with an estimated 40 faculty members, according to police.

“Today, families in Bend are living through every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of the anti-gun violence group Moms Demand Action. “No parent should have to wonder whether the school drop-off will be the last time they see their child.”

Marc Santia contributed to this report.

This story has been updated to include additional information about the suspected shooter and the bystander who allegedly killed him.

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Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi was worshipping at a Hindu temple in suburban Chicago over the weekend when a 19-year-old man allegedly attempted to carry out a mass shooting, the Illinois Democrat said Thursday.

Illinois State Police said they arrested Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine on Sunday, hours after authorities received a tip that he was planning to attack people of Indian descent at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora. Paporakis’ co-workers at Taco Bell called 911 on Sunday after he told them he went to the temple to carry out the attack but his gun jammed and that he planned to try again, prosecutors said.

“I am horrified that a white supremacist attempted to carry out a mass shooting targeting Indian Americans at the Hindu temple in Aurora where my family worships,” Krishnamoorthi said in a statement. “My family and I were there when the attack was attempted last Sunday.”

“The threat of such violence shows how dangerous anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy have become, and we cannot wait until innocent people are killed to take these threats seriously,” he continued. “Every American deserves to live and worship without fear, and we must stand together against hatred in all its forms.”

Investigators recovered a rifle, multiple loaded rifle magazines, body armor and hundreds of rounds of rifle ammunition from Paporakis’ home, according to authorities. They also said they found an eight-page document in which Paporakis describes himself as a “sociopathic white supremacist Neo Nazi” and espouses racist views against South Asian communities, particularly those of Indian descent, as well as other nonwhite people, including Black and Jewish people.

Paporakis has been charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a weapon, which are both felonies. A judge on Wednesday ordered Paporakis to remain in custody pending trial, with his next court hearing scheduled for Oct. 30.

Several South Asian lawmakers expressed concern about the planned attack and support for Krishnamoorthi.

“I am incredibly grateful that local law enforcement thwarted this attempted mass shooting by a white supremacist and that the worshipers at this temple are safe,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said Thursday. “Attacks on South Asians have been on the rise, online and by leaders in our own government. This hate, racism, and violence are absolutely unacceptable, are traumatizing our communities, and must end.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who is Hindu, said in a video shared Thursday that he is “angered” by the attempted mass shooting at the temple.

“His evil is only surpassed by his ignorance,” Khanna said of the suspect. “Hinduism, ironically, is a faith that believes in nonviolence. This kind of hate crime has no place in our society.”

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Senate Democrats announced Wednesday that they have recruited and trained more than 100 congressional staff members for a new election observer program as President Donald Trump continues his efforts to undermine confidence in elections ahead of the midterms.

The first-of-its kind Senate program, announced in June and led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., is intended to deploy staffers across nine states to polling locations and sites where ballots are counted and elections are canvassed and certified. There, staffers will observe, document and report back to the Senate any apparent attempts to interfere with voting, including any threats made against election workers and attempts to distribute misinformation.

This Democratic-led deployment of Senate election observers comes amid a broader push by the the Trump administration and Republicans to reshape election rules ahead of the midterms, including efforts to remove people from voter rolls whom the government deems ineligible and to restrict mail-in and absentee voting. Trump has also repeatedly promoted false claims about widespread voter fraud and pushed to deploy federal law enforcement at voting sites.

Trump has also recently broken with a decadeslong tradition and declined to invite international observers to witness its federal elections for this midterm, a move met with fierce criticism from congressional Democrats. The Department of Justice, which deploys personnel from its Civil Rights Division to monitor polling places, says it will increase its presence during the midterm elections. Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Civil Rights Division, announced in August that the department plans to deploy 1,000 of its own election monitors to polling sites across the country, calling it “the largest monitoring effort in @theJusticeDept history!”

In a statement announcing the program, Schumer said Democrats refuse to let Trump meddle in the election.

“Donald Trump is trying to steal the election, but Democrats and the American people won’t let him,” the senator said. “Our elections are free and secure, but we cannot take that for granted. I am grateful for the Senate staff members who are raising their hand to help build trust in our upcoming election and protect the sanctity of our democracy.”

Padilla also said in the announcement that Trump “has made clear that he wants to ‘take over the voting’ in state-run elections,” and characterized it as election interference that is “unconstitutional and illegal and Congress will be watching.”

“Every eligible American deserves to cast a ballot free from intimidation, and every vote deserves to be counted fairly,” Padilla said.

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