Baylor News
A breakdown of the contested races, candidates and key issues ahead of the upcoming primary election.
The come-and-go event offered free food and boba tea while students rotated between activity tables decorated in Spring Festival elements. Students participated in traditional games and learned about the meaning behind Lunar New Year customs and symbols.
International students at the annual Celebration of First Year Excellence said the university’s resources have helped them transition into life at Baylor while chasing academic success.
The 2026 midterms — widely seen as the first referendum on the Trump administration — kicked off Tuesday as Texas opened early voting for its March 3 primary, the first contest in what is projected to be the most expensive midterm cycle in American history.
Waco News
All five general election races in McLennan County have been won by Republicans with over 60% of the vote being earned by winners.
Waco’s two Texas House seats and one Texas Senate seat are each up for grabs this Election Day. While they agree on COVID-19 taking center stage, a wealth of other issues make each candidate stand out.
McLennan County voters will not only select their ideal presidential candidate Tuesday, but a representative for District 3 and two at-large seats on the Waco ISD school board. The election, originally scheduled for May of this year, was postponed due to COVID-19.
Economic development and infrastructure continue to be important issues for Waco City Council candidates.
State News
Trump encouraged voter turnout and touts policy victories, saying, “Pretend I’m on the ballot.” He also announced that if Republicans win the House and Senate, every adult U.S. citizen would receive a $5,000 dividend.
National
Politics
INTERNATIONAL
The Iran war is now in its 46th day. Iran responded by restricting access to Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil, and moving to toll vessels transiting the strait. Waco drivers are already feeling it. The local average hit $3.38 a gallon last week, up 21 cents in seven days and 75 cents year-over-year, according to AAA data.
Gas prices in Texas have surged more than 70 cents per gallon since the U.S. went to war with Iran three weeks ago. The near-total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has driven oil prices up more than 40%, pushing the national average to its highest point since 2023 and sending diesel past $5 for the first time in three years.
The largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East in decades unfolded as American and Israeli forces struck Iran Saturday, killing its supreme leader and triggering retaliatory strikes from the Gulf to Israel. The White House said the campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s military and toppling its government.
Dr. Joshua Alley, assistant professor of political science, said part of the Trump administration’s interest in Greenland has to do with America’s national security strategy.
