What We Know About Trump and Rubio's Texas Trip for Paxton

President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio travel together to Texas on Tuesday for back-to-back campaign stops — first in Corpus Christi, then Lubbock — to support Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton as he faces a challenge from Democrat James Talarico, according to the Guardian's live midterms coverage.

Why are Trump and Rubio appearing together on the trail?

A sitting secretary of state joining a domestic campaign swing is an unusual step for the office, the Guardian notes. Rubio has been described as a chief architect of Trump's foreign policy, and his presence alongside the president in Corpus Christi and Lubbock signals how closely the administration is tying a recent foreign-policy move to its closing midterm message in Texas.

What is the Venezuelan oil tanker about?

According to officials familiar with the plans cited by the Guardian, Trump and Rubio intend to showcase an oil tanker carrying Venezuelan crude bound for Texas refineries during the visit. Trump has repeatedly promoted an oil agreement his administration struck with the new, US-backed Venezuelan leadership after the ouster of former leader Nicolás Maduro earlier this year, framing it as a financial windfall for the United States.

Who is Paxton running against, and what's at stake?

Paxton is running for the US Senate seat in Texas against Democrat James Talarico, whom the Guardian describes as mounting a strong challenge. The Corpus Christi and Lubbock rallies arrive as the midterm campaign enters its final week, giving the visit outsized weight in a race Republicans are working to shore up.

What else is happening in the midterms this week?

The Texas trip is one piece of a busier campaign day. In Michigan, Vice President JD Vance was asked by reporters on the tarmac about Trump's remarks branding Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed a "jihadist." Vance, who has sparred with El-Sayed on the trail, took what the Guardian calls "a somewhat softer tone" but did not disavow Trump's comment.

Separately, former FBI director James Comey told reporters, "I'm still innocent," after Trump called him a "dirty cop," per the same live blog. The Guardian also reports strong early turnout in Israel's election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political future in the balance — a development unfolding alongside, but separate from, the US midterm cycle.

What should voters watch for before Election Day?

• Whether Rubio continues joining domestic campaign events in the final stretch, a break from typical precedent for the role.
• How the Venezuelan oil tanker visual plays with Texas refinery communities and voters focused on energy jobs.
• Whether Vance's response to the "jihadist" remark affects the Michigan Senate race against Abdul El-Sayed.
• Any shift in the Paxton-Talarico contest after Trump's Corpus Christi and Lubbock rallies.

The Guardian's live blog is updating through the day; readers can track the full thread here.