President Trump brought his rally to San Antonio this week to back Senate candidate Ken Paxton, but the event was interrupted at least six times by protesters, some of whom were escorted out by police. Trump dismissed them as “really bad-looking people” and kept going.

The notable absence was Governor Greg Abbott, who spent the day at a hospital dedication 330 miles away. It was Trump’s third Texas trip in a month, which makes the governor’s schedule worth a second look for anyone following this race. Trump spent much of his remarks attacking Democrat James Talarico and never addressed the leaked Paxton recording that has shadowed the campaign.

Here’s why this matters to us in Waxahachie: Texas is the largest reliably Republican state in the country. If this Senate seat is genuinely competitive, thanks in part to Talarico’s fundraising, that’s a signal about the national mood heading into the midterms. Control of the Senate could hinge on it. So what do you think: is this race actually in play, or are the polls just noisy this time of year? Let us know.