The first votes of the 2026 midterm elections will soon be cast in Texas, and the Senate primary race is shaping up to be messy for both Democrats and Republicans. The two blue candidates, U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett and state Representative James Talarico are each facing blowback for comments they made about race and identity. There’s also an intraparty fracture between the GOP’s establishment and insurgent wings exposing itself in the race between incumbent Senator John Cornyn and his challenger, Texas Attorney General and Trump ally Ken Paxton. We’ll unpack how unsettled party fault lines on both sides could impact the general election.

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan package called the Housing for the 21st Century Act. Back in October, the Senate passed its own legislation called the ROAD to Housing Act. Both aim to boost housing supply and make buying more affordable for Americans. We’ll break down the policies and the politics.

The Winter Olympics are underway in Italy and some American athletes are feeling complicated about representing the United States. After 27-year-old skier Hunter Hess expressed his “mixed emotions,” President Trump responded by calling him “a real loser.” That insult is common in Trump's playbook when talking to political foes. We’ll talk about whether that playbook is still effective, especially when Olympians are the target.

Producer: Robin Estrin

Host: David Greene

Guests:

Elizabeth Bruenig, staff writer, The Atlantic - @ebruenig
Will Swaim, host of National Review’s “Radio Free California;” president at the California Policy Center - @willswaim

February 13, 2026

Left, Right & Center