Week 21: The Loyalty Purge

On Wednesday, May 20, 2026, six states held primaries and the connecting pattern was the same in every one: the Republican Party is being reorganized around loyalty to Trump, and that reorganization is beginning to carry a measurable cost in November. - Kentucky: Thomas Massie lost the most expensive House primary in U.S. history, a $34 million race driven by two separate money operations — Trump's political machine and AIPAC — while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth campaigned in the district during an active Iran military operation. - Texas: Trump endorsed AG Ken Paxton over Senator John Cornyn, who votes with Trump 99 percent of the time, over a 2023 grievance — putting a constitutional Senate seat at real risk in November. - Georgia: Democrats pulled 53 percent of primary ballots to Republicans' 45 percent, part of a sustained turnout surge showing up across every state that has voted this cycle. The episode closes with two concrete local action items, including a look at Article I, Section 6's speech and debate clause and what it means for limited government and constitutional deliberation. New episodes every Saturday.