The Hound | Mar. 5

Hi there,

It’s Thursday. On Tuesday, the first ballots of the 2026 midterm election were cast in Texas and North Carolina. In the Texas Senate race, State Rep. James Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary. Meanwhile incumbent Sen. John Cornyn was drawn into a May runoff election with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. In North Carolina, Rep. Valerie Foushee looks like she managed to hold off a challenge from Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, but the race is headed to a recount. Back in Washington, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem continued her testimony to the Senate and failed to explain why her Department paid a $143 million no-bid contract to an eight-day-old company led by a South Dakota political operative she has ties to.

When a public official uses the visibility and resources of their office to elevate a private business, it raises obvious concerns about conflicts of interest and the misuse of public power for personal or political gain. This is not routine political messaging—it is a potential corruption story. When media outlets fail to follow the money, scrutinize the relationships involved, and ask who benefits, they allow blatant conflicts of interest to fade into the background instead of receiving the accountability they deserve.

🖊️ Add your name to call on major news organizations to cover this scandal with the seriousness it demands—investigating the financial ties behind the campaign, questioning how public platforms were used to promote private interests, and explaining the ethical stakes to the public. Democracy depends on journalism that exposes corruption clearly and relentlessly, no matter who is involved.

Read about this, and more, with today’s stories:

Noem Can’t Explain Why She Hired 8-Day-Old Company for Ad Campaign (The New Republic)

A split Senate votes against measure to constrain Trump's authorities in Iran (NPR)

Montana Republican Steve Daines drops Senate re-election bid minutes before deadline (The Guardian)

Talarico defeats Crockett in Democratic Senate primary in Texas (The 19th News)

The “Zohran Mamdani of North Carolina” Took on an Incumbent Democrat in This Primary Race. Now It’s Likely Headed for a Recount. (Mother Jones)

With 100 days to go, World Cup faces challenges with Iran war and Mexico cartel violence (PBS)

EPA’s Endangerment Finding Repeal Stands on Shaky Foundations (The American Prospect)

Judge Rejects Trump Administration’s Plan to End NYC Congestion Pricing (Inside Climate News)

The sea is higher than we thought and millions more are at risk, study finds (AP News)

Until next time,

Harry from The Hound

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