FBI Houston agents arrested Andrew David Sikes in Montgomery County for allegedly making a death threat to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, intending to impede and intimidate him in his official duties.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19 Monday.

A Venezuelan judge recently found six oil executives guilty of corruption charges in a case that began in November 2017. Family members of the former Citgo executives were stunned by the verdict and vowed to continue fighting for the men’s release. In the letter, Zambrano appeared optimistic the trial would show none of the men did anything wrong. (KPRC)Forseth said a single judge rendered verdict and punishment at the conclusion of a trial where access was tightly controlled. We continue to pray for them and their families and hope for a resolution that will lead to their prompt release.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and his Democratic challenger, MJ Hegar, will debate on Oct. 9. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. and Eddie Gaspar/The Texas TribuneU.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and his Democratic challenger, MJ Hegar, are set for their first debate, though Hegar wants more and Cornyn has said he is open to additional debates. Nexstar Broadcasting announced Tuesday morning that it would host the first debate Oct. 9 in Austin and broadcast it live on 15 stations across the state. Hegar, though, used the announcement of the first debate to say she wants three total, each "televised statewide." Cornyn said in an interview this month that he would debate Hegar "at least once, and I'm happy to do more." "Senator Cornyn has agreed to debate MJ Hegar, and we look forward to considering other opportunities," the spokesperson, Travis Considine, said.

Senator John Cornyns office Tuesday with the aim of getting him to support the HEROES Act, a proposal led by Democrats in Congress. The provisions in the HEROES Act are the same $600 weekly unemployment assistance. Since the CARES Act expired in July with final disbursements on July 25, the HEROES Act would extend that provision though January 2021 and longer for others, depending on their circumstances. Republicans supported the HEALS Act which, unlike the HEROES Act, proposes a lesser payment to unemployed workers. Sen. Cornyn supported the additional federal unemployment benefits in the CARES Act and supported its extension in the HEALS Act.

Eddie Gaspar/The Texas TribuneThe Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced Tuesday that it will spend at least $1 million to help MJ Hegar in her challenge to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. The announcement comes after the DSCC commissioned a poll that found Cornyn and Hegar in a tight race. The DSCC said its polling, conducted late last month, found Cornyn barely leading Hegar among likely voters, 43% to 42%, with 15% undecided. The DSCC investment is much-needed financial aid for Hegar, who entered the general election with a large cash-on-hand deficit against Cornyn. She had less than $1 million in reserves at the end of June, while Cornyn had $14.5 million.

MJ Hegar was holding a single-digit lead over Royce West on Tuesday night in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate, according to unofficial results. Hegar is the former Air Force helicopter pilot endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, while West is the longtime state senator from Dallas. West sharply questioned Hegar's allegiance to the Democratic Party, while she implied West, a wealthy lawyer, has enriched himself in office. West also aired TV ads in the runoff's closing days, but Hegar's side maintained a staggering advantage on the air. By one count published Tuesday morning, Hegar's campaign and its allies outspent West $102 to $1 on TV and radio advertising.

HOUSTON Texas will hold its 2020 primary runoff election on July 14. Air Force veteran MJ Hegar and Texas State Sen. Royce West, both Democrats, are squaring off for their partys ticket in November against incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn. Heres what to know about the candidates and their stance on the big issues:HealthcareMJ HegarWants to create a public option to make Medicare available for all those who want itBelieves every child should have healthcare coverageWants to protect the progress made by the Affordable Care Act while making improvementsWill stand up for Texans against special interests who put profits over peopleBelieves Big Pharma interests must be held accountable for their part in the opioid epidemicRoyce WestBelieves healthcare is a basic human right, not a privilege reserved for only those who can afford itBelieves the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was a monumental step for the American healthcare system, but it didnt go far enoughWants to ensure that everyone who wants to enroll in the ACA can do so, without forcing others to forfeit their employer-sponsored insuranceWants to continue educating people on the importance of mental health and include those services with basic healthcare packagesSays he will fight to ensure every Texan receives the affordable care we all deserveEducationMJ HegarBelieves every child should have access to an affordable and quality educationWants teachers, educators, and school staff to be paid salaries worthy of the critical service they provide to societyWants to put an end to the government profiting off loans by lowering interest rates on student debtWants to ensure all higher education from apprenticeship programs to vocational training to degree programs is more affordable for current and future studentsWants to encourage support for and investment in vocational programsRoyce WestWants to ensure funding follows low-income studentsWants a statewide pay increase for teachersWants to offer debt relief programs for college graduatesWants to invest in community colleges, offering free tuition for low-income studentsWants to make the path from a community college into a 4-year institution easier to navigate for studentsWomens rightsMJ HegarSupports federal law codifying Roe v. WadeBelieves politicians should not legislate a womans most intimate decisionsSupports organizations that are providing communities with needed womens health care servicesIs opposed to efforts to shutter clinics that provide critical care to women all over Texas, especially in rural areasWants to provide support for women and families by increasing access to sex education, affordable over-the-counter contraception, and cost-effective childcareRoyce WestBelieves a woman has the right to make decisions about her bodyBelieves any issue involving a womans healthcare is between her and her doctorDedicated to continuing this fight for womens reproductive freedom in WashingtonPlans to take this fight from the Texas State Senate floor to the United States Senate floorImmigrationMJ HegarWants to permanently end child separationWants to ensure asylum seekers are not treated as criminals and their claims are properly processedWants to secure the border with effective procedures and technologiesWants to build a path to citizenship for undocumented residents that prioritizes security and reflects core values as AmericansRoyce WestBelieves children do not belong in cages, and families must stay togetherWants to immediately address the humanitarian crisis going on at the borderBelieves the border needs more resources, like judges who can expedite hearings for asylum seekersWants to take a proactive approach and work with Mexico and Central America in order to stop citizens from fleeing their homesWants to solve the humanitarian crisis at the border, while also investing in technology and infrastructure to keep them secureGun violenceMJ HegarWants to pass common-sense gun safety legislation to require background checks on every single gun sale, including closing the gun show loopholeWants to stop the sale of assault weapons to the publicWants to pass red flag laws limiting access to firearms for domestic abusers including closing the boyfriend loophole and those who would commit acts of domestic terrorismWants to fully fund the CDC to reverse ban on gun violence researchWants for state and local officials to end open carryRoyce West