Texas Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee defeated longtime Rep. Al Green in a runoff that was defined by heavy outside spending and clashes over generational change.
The Tuesday result will likely end the long career of Green, a 78-year-old civil rights champion who was running for a 12th term in Washington. He entered the race in the newly drawn Houston-area 18th District after his own district was carved up in redistricting.
Menefee, a 38-year-old Harris County attorney and fellow member of the Congressional Black Caucus, was sworn into Congress earlier this year after winning a special election in January to serve out the remainder of the late Rep. Sylvester Turner’s term. He is expected to cruise to victory in November in the safely Democratic Houston district.
The race was also the latest sign of the power of the crypto lobby’s influence. A cryptocurrency super PAC poured $4 million into the race to back Menefee, turning the incumbent-on-incumbent showdown into the most expensive House runoff in Texas this cycle.
In the end, Green, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, couldn’t overcome the cash disadvantage despite his name recognition.
What is the premier conference in college football right now: the Big Ten or the SEC? After producing the last three College Football Playoff national champions — from three different schools — there is no denying the Big Ten has sat atop the college football world recently. But there is also a growing sentiment that the SEC is stronger in the middle and at the bottom, making it the deeper league overall. “There was a lot of pushback from the Big Ten on that this week,” FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt said on a recent episode of “The Joel Klatt Show,” discussing what he learned at the Big Ten spring meetings in Palos Verdes, California. “And really, the Big Ten is not wrong.” Klatt pointed out that the Big Ten is 4-0 against the SEC in the College Football Playoff over the past three years. The conference is also 5-2 against the SEC in non-CFP bowl games over the past two years. “There is an idea that the depth of the Big Ten is being undersold nationally, and a way to fight that would be a scheduling agreement with the SEC,” Klatt said. “They want to fight the narrative on the field.” Here’s a look at 10 future SEC-Big Ten college football matchups Klatt would love to see if the conferences ever agreed to a scheduling agreement: Klatt: Bielema-Beamer 2! Remember that Citrus Bowl at the end of the 2024 season, when there was some bad blood there, particularly with how the game ended? I want this again. There’s no doubt. This might not be the best possible matchup, but certainly the storylines would run deep. Klatt: Kirby [Smart] to face Dan Lanning in Autzen Stadium? Yes! I’m in on that. Lanning’s first game as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks was against Georgia, and that one was in Atlanta in 2022. Georgia beat them up, 49-3. I’d love to see Kirby go up and face his former assistant and defensive coordinator. Klatt: We heard a lot in the playoff a couple of years ago about Neyland North. Listen, Tennessee fans, to your credit, you guys showed up huge in that playoff game. There’s no doubt. There was more orange in the stands than I saw of any other color in my history calling college football games in Columbus at The Shoe. I want to see Ohio State go and return the favor. Klatt: Lane [Kiffin] back in LA? Yup, you bet! Lane has obviously been back to LA, but not in an official capacity since he was left on the tarmac as the head coach of the USC Trojans. Bring him back. I want that every day of the week. Every year. That would be phenomenal. Please give us this scheduling agreement because it would be great for fans and great for college football. Klatt: How about bringing back an old rival? Nebraska-Oklahoma used to be as good as any rivalry in college football, maybe second to only Michigan-Ohio State. Throughout the whole Big 8 days, and even in the Big 12, this was a marquee Thanksgiving weekend matchup. Bring back this one. Klatt: I’m just hitting all the classics, and USC-Texas is absolutely a classic that I want to see. Obviously, that Rose Bowl with [Matt] Leinart, [Reggie] Bush and Vince Young was maybe the greatest game we’ve seen in the history of college football. You get those colors on the field at the same time. It would just drip with nostalgia. We’d be thinking about that and Keith Jackson on the call. Klatt: Curt Cignetti going back to Alabama, where he got his start, in a big way, under [Nick] Saban as a recruiting coordinator. Plus, this would be a rematch of last year’s Rose Bowl. That would be a great one. Klatt: This one’s time sensitive. So, it wouldn’t happen, unless we could do it this year. But, how about Nico Iamaleava going back to Tennessee? How about Nico and [UCLA head coach] Bob Chesney going to face Josh Huepel and Tennessee back in Knoxville? I’m sure those fans would just welcome Nico back with open arms. Klatt: I would love to see the Urban [Meyer] Bowl. Urban won a championship with both of those schools. I think that one would be phenomenal. Kalen DeBoer had a lot of success at Washington, getting them right on the precipice of a championship, and then leaving for the bigger and greener pastures of the SEC and Alabama.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
There’s no better time to have a breakout campaign than in a contract year. In the NFL, it’s certainly not uncommon for a contract year to lead to big-time results on the field for a player, either. And with that comes a big reward. Just ask Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce. After recording a career-high 1,003 receiving yards in the final year of his rookie deal, Pierce cashed in and landed him a four-year, $114 million deal with Indianapolis this spring. The deal was the largest ever for a free-agent wide receiver in league history, and it made him the 11th-highest-paid receiver in the league at the time of the deal. Next year, who could emerge in a Pierce-like way and land a massive contract of their own in the process? In descending order, here are the 10 contract-year players in 2026 I believe have the best chance of breaking out: A 2023 second-round pick, Matthew Bergeron has been the Atlanta Falcons’ starting left guard since his rookie season. But the addition of longtime offensive line coach Bill Callahan to new coach Kevin Stefanski’s staff could take his game to new heights. Callahan has long been regarded as one of the NFL’s top offensive line coaches, credited with developing the likes of Zack Martin and Tyron Smith. Ji’Ayier Brown, who has five interceptions since entering the league in 2023, has started 13 games and recorded six pass breakups in back-to-back seasons. Reinforcements on the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive front in 2026 (linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa returning from injury; bringing linebacker Dre Greenlaw back; trading for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa) will create more playmaking opportunities on the back end for Brown. Set to play on his fifth-year option in 2026, Kayvon Thibodeaux has been the subject of trade rumors this offseason. Whether he plays the upcoming season with the New York Giants or elsewhere, he’ll have plenty to prove in a season where long-term security could be on the line. The former No. 5 overall pick had a career-low 2.5 sacks in 2025. The rebuilding Miami Dolphins are built around star running back De’Von Achane and dual-threat quarterback Malik Willis on offense. There will be plenty of opportunities for Aaron Brewer to continue showing his athleticism in space, building off of an impressive 2025 season, when he was named a second-team All-Pro selection. A 2023 second-round pick, Brenton Strange’s numbers have improved every season of his career, including more than doubling his receiving yards per game last season (45.0) from 2024 (24.2). Another exponential leap could be in store in 2026, when he’ll be in his second season in coach Liam Coen’s offense and fourth year playing with quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Myles Murphy started to come on at the end of last season, recording three of his career-high 5.5 sacks in the final four weeks of the year. The additions of nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and edge rusher Boye Mafe should create favorable matchups for Murphy, a 2023 first-round pick, in 2026. Josh Downs had career lows in receptions (58) and receiving yards (556) last season, but he should become a much more significant part of the Colts’ offense with Michael Pittman Jr. getting traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. A former third-round pick, Downs is the second-best wide receiver on Indianapolis’ roster behind Pierce, who’s expected to miss all of the team’s offseason workouts following ankle surgery. The Green Bay Packers’ passing attack is always balanced, but Christian Watson has a prime opportunity to break out. He tied a team-high 61.1 receiving yards per game last season, and Romeo Doubs departed in free agency for the New England Patriots. Star tight end Tucker Kraft could miss the start of the season thanks to a torn ACL, which could make Watson the focal point of Green Bay’s passing game. Riq Woolen has plenty to prove on his one-year deal with the Eagles, given he lost his starting job with the Seattle Seahawks last season and saw his play overall marked by inconsistency since his Pro Bowl rookie season. The 2022 fifth-round pick has elite ball skills — he led the NFL with six interceptions in his rookie year — and he’ll have plenty of playmaking opportunities with opposing offenses looking to avoid targeting Quinyon Mitchell and nickelback Cooper DeJean. If Kyler Murray beats out 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy for the starting quarterback job, the former Arizona Cardinals quarterback will be positioned to thrive. He’ll have the best supporting cast of his career, highlighted by superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Head coach Kevin O’Connell is also well-regarded as a quarterback guru, helping Sam Darnold earn a three-year, $100.5 million deal when he was in a similar situation a few years ago.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
Clint Black’s long awaited memoir, Killin’ Time: My Life and Music, is finally out in the world, allowing fans to get a look behind the curtain through the stories of his journey from growing up outside of Houston to becoming one of the most iconic stars in country music.
While reflecting on the process of seeing this project come to life, the Texas native admitted to Country Now that it took a bit of convincing before he was ready to unleash his memories and life experiences in this brand-new way. He “never thought” he would or could write a book, but his wife, Lisa Hartman Black spent years telling him that he needed to do it.
Photo Courtesy of Clint Black
The final point of motivation came with the realization that his only daughter, Lily Pearl Black, was turning 25 in 2026. Black explains he wanted to have a collection of stories, not only for the world to read, but also his daughter so that she could learn even more about her dad.
“It was fun to know she was reading it,” he shared.
When the moment finally came for him to take a chance on himself and write the memoir, with some guidance from his co-writer, Craig Shelburne, and editor, by Maddie Pillari with HarperCollins Publishing, Black found that it wasn’t so difficult to put pen to paper. In fact, by the end of the process, he had overwritten about his early struggles, his rise in the spotlight, and building a family amid it all.
Plus, he gets candid about the challenges that came with it, including legal battles, industry pressures, and health scares, like the recent cervical spine injury that threatened his ability to sing.All of these stories come together under the title fittingly named after his groundbreaking debut album, which was released in 1989. t a
“I wrote more than the book needed and I had some feedback from Craig Shelburne and from my editor, Maddie. And I knew I was going to have a great editor at Harper Collins and that I would benefit from their experience. And so I just put more in there than needed,” Black noted. “I just had more than I needed and then relied on Maddie and Craig to help point out areas that needed work. And that was really it.”
Luckily, his collaborators gave him the freedom to decide which stories were worth keeping and which weren’t as important to share.
“There were some things that I would say, ‘I feel strongly about this.’ And my editor would encourage me that, ‘if you really feel strongly about something, don’t listen to me.’ But I listened to her a lot.”
Of course, new memories are made every day so knowing when to put the pen down and decide that the memory was finally complete took some time. However Blacks’ experience with making 14 studio albums throughout his career has given him the tools to know when to call a project finished and move on.
“There are things that I think of now that I feel like, that would’ve been good to put in the book. We’re always telling stories. We’re on the road, on the bus talking. Somebody new joins the tour and will you tell a story or two, and then I think of something that would’ve been good to put in there. But I’m pretty good at moving on. I have had to do it with albums for so many years…so with the book, it wasn’t that hard.”
One of the most important things that readers will learn about Clint Black through Killin’ Time: My Life and Music, is why he is the person he is and all the efforts he made to get to this point in his life.
“I realized that growing up with three older brothers, trying to keep up with them, doing the door-to-door salesman thing for four years, selling newspaper subscriptions, being rejected 99.9% of the time, that really set me up and gave me that fight to keep from drowning that you read about in the beginning, it set me up for all those years in the bars where I was not succeeding, but I was on route. I was on my way there. I just didn’t know how close or how far away it was.”
Black continued, “When you’re in that place, it’s easy to lose hope and become discouraged and give up. I was never even close to that, but I was questioning my tactics. I was questioning how I was going about it, what kind of job I have.T his job singing doesn’t allow for time and energy or money to go and make demos. And so I went through a lot of that.”
Just like anyone else, he went through hardship and faced doubt, not knowing if he was on the right path, but 22 No. 1 singles, nearly two dozen gold and platinum awards (U.S. and Canada), and countless awards later, it’s safe to say that all of Black’s hard work has paid off.
Photo Courtesy of Clint Black
Fans can also see many of those milestone moments and artifacts from Black’s career journey on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s new exhibition, Clint Black: The Hard Way on Purpose. The exhibit opened on April 22 and is set to run through August 2027.
Plus, the second led of his 2026 continues with dates throughout November.
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Kevin Harvick recalled a time in the 2010s when young NASCAR drivers with aspirations of the Truck Series and beyond had to make a decision. Compete for Chevrolet and Kevin Harvick Incorporated, or drive with Toyota and Kyle Busch Motorsports. There was no playing both sides. Drivers had to choose a direction. Fans in the grandstands picked a side and were distinctly divided. “You had to pick a path,” Harvick said on the latest episode of “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour.” “You were either going KBM and Toyota or you were going KHI and Chevrolet… That is just not how it worked.” Harvick relished that competition. In fact, he helped Busch breed his team, and create the foundation for a decade-long rivalry. That contention brought out the best in both racers, and ultimately brought them closer together. After Busch, 41, suddenly passed away last Thursday, Harvick remembers him, and their relationship fondly, reminiscing with stories on “Happy Hour.” On the racetrack, Harvick and Busch were always foes. The levels of distaste, however, fluctuated. They were involved in what Harvick referred to as a “heavy war,” stemming from a wreck during a 2005 race in Dover, Delaware. But when Busch wanted to go down the route of starting his own racing team, Harvick put his differences to the side. Busch called Harvick, asking: “Can you tell me how you run your team?” Harvick “bridged the gap,” welcoming Busch into his race shop, sharing his budgets, giving him “everything he had.” In true antagonist fashion, Harvick said, Busch “stole” some of his employees, hiring them to his new team. And thus, Kyle Busch Motorsports was born, and a new rivalry burgeoned. Busch and Harvick pushed each other, making the other a better “driver, owner, and teammate,” Harvick said. “Probably the best thing that happened in my career,” Harvick said, “was I had a competitor that wouldn’t back down like Kyle did.” Ultimately, they raced one another 933 times in NASCAR’s top series. They learned to respect one another, and even let their guard down off the track. “We sat on those two sides and competed, but you know, off the racetrack, we had fun,” Harvick said. “We had a good time, and good conversations. It took a long time to get to the point of being cordial, but it definitely got to that point at the end.”Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
The Alaska State Capitol is seen on May 18, 2026. (Photo by Claire Stremple/Alaska Beacon)
Legislators are being held after school this month and the state is paying for the extra time because the governor did not do his homework.
If that seems backward, you’re right.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered lawmakers to stay late after the regular legislative session ended because he insists that they approve major big-time relief from property taxes for the owners of the proposed, possible, maybe someday Alaska North Slope natural gas pipeline and export project.
The governor believes the multi-multibillion-dollar project will go ahead if the state House and Senate approve a tax relief package during a special legislative session. That’s all it needs, he keeps telling Alaskans. Cut the property taxes and all the parts will fit together and construction can start.
He talks as if building and paying for the most expensive oil or gas project ever in the history of North America is as simple as snapping together an Erector Set, Lincoln Logs or Lego model.
Dunleavy’s instructions booklet includes his salesman’s vision of the finished project, telling Alaska’s population center around Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough that residents and businesses will enjoy affordable natural gas for heat and electricity for decades to come.
If it were that easy, the pipeline would have been built a long time ago. There is a lot more to do than just writing off most of the property taxes — such as developing realistic construction cost estimates and schedules, contracting customers to buy the gas and obtaining committed pledges of investment and financing totaling tens of billions of dollars.
It’s hard to see how a couple billion dollars that the governor believes is all the project can afford to pay in lieu of property taxes over 30 years can make or break a venture that could take in $300 billion in gross revenues over that same period.
Getting the gas project would be good for Alaska’s economy, no question about it, but getting there takes homework. And that’s where the governor skipped class.
It’s not like the project came as a surprise to anyone who completed the assigned reading. The state has been looking at what it could do to make the pipeline happen for a long time, most recently during Dunleavy’s six years as a state senator and all eight years of his two terms in the governor’s office.
What changed last year was that a private developer named Glenfarne Group, out of New York City, stepped up to take over management and 75% ownership of the venture from the state agency that had been unsuccessful in its efforts the past decade.
And what changed over the winter was talk of needing to escape the cost of full property taxes on the project.
But what didn’t change was the governor’s laid-back approach to work. He waited until the legislative session was half over before he introduced the tax relief bill he had promised months earlier. And even when he did turn in his work, it was inadequate on facts, numbers, analysis and disclosure.
It was the kind of homework that a teacher would mark “incomplete.” Which is what the Legislature did.
Now the governor wants lawmakers to work overtime to finish his assignment. And he figures to blame legislators if the gas project does not go ahead.
Dunleavy would have a better chance at passing the class — or passing a bill — if he would just admit he slept through the lecture on gas pipeline economics and accept the blame for a late and incomplete paper.
![<a href="https://countrynow.com/clint-black-shares-why-he-was-finally-ready-to-tell-his-life-story-in-killin-time-my-life-and-music-memoir-exclusive/" target="_blank">Clint Black Shares Why He Was Finally Ready to Tell His Life Story in ‘Killin’ Time: My Life and Music’ Memoir [Exclusive]</a>](https://countrynow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2-35-1024x683.jpg)
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