Texas Monthly

In this, the final installment of William Broyles and Stephen Harrigan’s serialized novel, Quin, Annie, Van Helsing, Erzsebet, and, of course, Dracula battle in a darkened wood.

Much blood is shed. https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/the-bowie-knife-that-killed-dracula-chapter-20/

The Texas GOP Now Has a Place for Candidates Once Too Far Right to Get Elected John Cornyn forced a runoff against Ken Paxton, but the Tim Dunn wing of the party had an otherwise stellar night.

An anti-Furry pastor. A gun-toting Youtuber. An Islamophobic Twitter troll. The guy who secretly bought Jeffrey Epstein's New Mexico ranch. Ken Paxton. A quick look at the Texas primary, in which the once-fringe far right further proved that they are the new GOP mainstream:

Word Wrangler: March 6, 2026 Song titles by the Burleson native and forever American Idol.

In today's word wrangler, search for song titles by Burleson native and forever American Idol, Kelly Clarkson. ✨ https://www.texasmonthly.com/games/word-wrangler-march-6-2026/

The Bowie Knife That Killed Dracula The character who kills Dracula at the end of Bram Stoker’s classic novel is Quincey Morris, a Texan who does the job with a bowie knife. Our serialized novel tells his story—and that of his famous bl...

Readers: Beware! 🩸🗡️

The last chapter of William Broyles and Stephen Harrigan's serialized novel, 'The Bowie Knife That Killed Dracula,' drops TOMORROW. Catch up, and stay tuned. . . if you dare. https://www.texasmonthly.com/interactive/the-bowie-knife-that-killed-dracula/

One Man’s Quest for the End of the World Started on a Ranch in Texas A Texas businessman believes he was divinely chosen to help usher in the Second Coming of Christ—by finding unblemished red heifers and getting them to Israel.

“There is something going on here, way more than just meets the eye," says Ty Davenport, one rancher who got swept up in Texas businessman Byron Stinson’s quest. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/red-heifer-prophecy-texas-ranch-byron-stinson/

“This One Hurts”: An Austin Restaurant’s Patrons Say Goodbye The Italian restaurant that was a staple of bustling South Congress Avenue closed last weekend in grand fashion.

The Italian restaurant that was a staple of bustling South Congress Avenue closed last weekend in grand fashion. https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/last-night-at-vespaio-austin/

A Daughter Keeps the Flame Going at Her Father’s Historic Barbecue Joint After Gerald Birkelbach died, many customers thought his City Meat Market, in Giddings, had closed for good. But his daughter, Brooke Kovar, stepped up to the pit.

After Gerald Birkelbach died, many customers thought his City Meat Market, in Giddings, had closed for good.

But his daughter, Brooke Kovar, stepped up to the pit. https://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/city-meat-market-giddings-new-ownership/

The Billionaire Behind Kind Bars Now Thinks He Can Save Democracy 'Shark Tank' star Daniel Lubetzky became a billionaire after selling Kind bars. Is anyone buying his attempts to end political polarization?

Shark Tank star Daniel Lubetzky made a fortune selling his snack-food company.

Is anyone buying his attempts to end political polarization? https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/daniel-lubetzky-kind-bars-shark-tank/

Can a South Texas Democrat Keep Surviving the Red Wave? Last night, Rio Grande Valley Democrat Vicente Gonzalez demolished his progressive opponent. In November he goes up against a Trump-endorsed challenger.

As South Texas went conservative, Vicente Gonzalez won enough Trump voters to keep his job.

He says his party needs to learn from his victory. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/democrat-vicente-gonzalez-on-winning-trump-voters/

The Texas GOP Now Has a Place for Candidates Once Too Far Right to Get Elected John Cornyn forced a runoff against Ken Paxton, but the Tim Dunn wing of the party had an otherwise stellar night.

Candidates once too right-wing to win have found that the new Republican Party has a place for them. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/texas-primary-results-state-gop-drifting-rightward/

We're Also Sick of the Question “Will Texas Turn Blue?” Yet Here We Go Again. In some ways, we've been here before. In others, this is uncharted territory. Here's what last night's primary results could mean for November.

In some ways, we’ve been here before. In others, this is uncharted territory.

Here’s what last night’s primary results could mean for November: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/texas-primary-results-takeaways/

East Texas Has Never Seen a Taco Joint Quite Like This Inside a wine-and-beer bar in Longview, Ki’ Mexico ETX dishes up tacos filled with New York strip steak and shrimp marinated in chipotle sauce.

Election coverage continues but hunger is forever. Take a break. Perhaps by reading this @texasmonthly.bsky.social story of a one-of-a-kind taqueria. www.texasmonthly.com/food/ki-mexi...

One Last Night at a 27-Year-Old Austin Neighborhood Haunt Before It Closed for Good Patrons said goodbye over the weekend to the Italian restaurant that was a staple of bustling South Congress Avenue.

"Even as our lives changed—parents dying, kids leaving—and even as the neighborhood got more upscale and the small art galleries and shops were priced out, we could walk the two blocks and feel at home," writes Michael Hall. https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/last-night-at-vespaio-austin/

John Cornyn Spent Tens of Millions to Keep His Seat. He'll Have to Do It Again. The longtime senator and scandal-plagued attorney general will face each other once again in the a May runoff election.

John Cornyn and Ken Paxton will face each other once again in a May runoff election. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/paxton-cornyn-senate-primary-results/

After a Tragic Scandal, Tony Gonzales Is Heading to a Runoff against the “AK Guy” The Republican Congressman refused to step down when he was accused of an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide.

Republican congressman Tony Gonzales, who represents a wide swath of West Texas, will face off against gun influencer and edgelord Brandon Herrera in a May runoff election.

John Cornyn Spent Tens of Millions to Keep His Seat. He'll Have to Do It Again. The longtime senator and scandal-plagued attorney general will face each other once again in the a May runoff election.

John Cornyn spent tens of millions to prevent a loss to Ken Paxton.

He’ll have to do it again. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/paxton-cornyn-senate-primary-results/

Inside the Fiery Texas Senate Primaries, Where Personality Is on the Ballot Tuesday’s showdown has been years in the making—and it might not be over anytime soon.

"Overall, Cornyn is taking Tip O’Neill’s wisdom to its absurd end and trying to ensure that all politics is hyperlocal. If the main issue of the campaign is Paxton’s bedroom, the incumbent wins; if it’s, say, immigration, he won’t."

Texas’s Biggest Right-Wing Donor Has Abandoned Ken Paxton Tim Dunn was the attorney general’s biggest supporter. The U.S. Senate run has changed things.

And of course, the Ken Paxton of it all. Will the embattled, Biblically-divorcing attorney general’s myriad scandals be too much for voters? Can Paxton defeat a John Cornyn, a Texas institution, without the backing of his longtime benefactor, far-right billionaire Tim Dunn?

Inside the Texas GOP’s Anti-Muslim Campaigning With national prospects looking bleak for Republicans heading into the midterms, the party has dusted off an old bogeyman.

In the Attorney General race, three candidates - Chip Roy, “MAGA Mayes” Middleton and Aaron Reitz - have spent most of the campaign trying to outflank each other from the right in what they say is a societal war against Islam.

The Under-the-Radar Texas Election Far-Right Billionaires Are Watching In the battle between the traditional business wing of the Texas GOP and far-right billionaires, the billionaires are winning.

Will Don Huffines survive recent scandals over his secret purchase of Jeffrey Epstein’s New Mexico ranch? TBD. Is this the wildest Texas Comptroller race of all time? Probably.

What Does the Railroad Commision Have to Do With “Radical Islam”? Everything, One Candidate Says Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French, known for his incendiary online presence, recently tendered his resignation to seek a position on the regulatory body that oversees the oil-and-gas industry.

Will Bo French's hardline, anti-Muslim campaign be enough to win a spot on the Texas Railroad Commission? Or will voters decide that fighting “radical Islamists” does not have that much to do with regulating the oil and gas industry?

East Texas Has Never Seen a Taco Joint Quite Like This Inside a wine-and-beer bar in Longview, Ki’ Mexico ETX dishes up tacos filled with New York strip steak and shrimp marinated in chipotle sauce.

Inside a wine-and-beer bar in Longview, Ki’ Mexico ETX dishes up tacos filled with New York strip steak and shrimp marinated in chipotle sauce. 🌮 https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/ki-mexico-etx-tacos-longview/

One Man’s Quest for the End of the World Started on a Ranch in Texas A Texas businessman believes he was divinely chosen to help usher in the Second Coming of Christ—by finding unblemished red heifers and getting them to Israel.

A Texas businessman believes he was divinely chosen to help usher in the Second Coming of Christ—by finding unblemished red heifers and getting them to Israel. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/red-heifer-prophecy-texas-ranch-byron-stinson/

Inside the Fiery Texas Senate Primaries, Where Personality Is on the Ballot Tuesday’s showdown has been years in the making—and it might not be over anytime soon.

Today's showdown has been years in the making—and it might not be over anytime soon. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/inside-texas-senate-primaries/

How a Once Niche Issue Became Central to a Competitive Texas Primary As Colin Allred and Julie Johnson battle over the redrawn Thirty-Third Congressional District, stock trading by members of Congress has become a point of contention.

As Colin Allred and Julie Johnson battle over the redrawn Thirty-Third Congressional District, stock trading by members of Congress has become a point of contention. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/allred-johnson-congress-primary-stock-trading-tension/

The Ballad of Briscoe Cain, the MAGA Legislator Whose Dreams Were Squashed by Trump Briscoe Cain could only exist in the Texas Legislature. He was tragically tempted to run for U.S. Congress.

“I have instructed a large language model trained on sixty years of the most florid and overwrought Texas political writing (which is to say, my brain) to produce a guide to the man and his times.” This is peak @hooks.bsky.social in the best way possible www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

.@texasmonthly.bsky.social's best new restaurants list is out.
@paulaforbes.bsky.social nailed the finer details and overarching themes. And Restaurant of the Year! Huzzah. Go forth to read and eat, mi gente. www.texasmonthly.com/food/best-ne...

Texas’s Best New Restaurants in 2026 These ten spots have one thing in common: audacity.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN may i present the best new restaurants in texas

The Hines fountain provides a thoughtful complement to the Galleria, Houston’s temple of excess. https://www.texasmonthly.com/travel/gerald-hines-waterwall-park-galleria-fountain/

Jefferson Fisher started recording advice videos from the cab of his pickup in 2022.

Now he’s got more than 10 million followers hanging on his every word. https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/jefferson-fisher-advice-videos-politics-family-tough-conversations/