Kamala Harris endorses Jasmine Crockett in Texas Democratic Senate primary

Former Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday endorsed U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in Texas' Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, a notable stamp of approval from a major establishment figure as Crockett fights fears that she's seen as too controversial to win a general election.

Harris recorded a robocall with her endorsement, a spokesperson for Crockett's campaign confirmed Friday.

Crockett is running for the Democratic nomination Tuesday against state Rep. James Talarico, who is emphasizing his crossover appeal to Republicans in a state where the GOP dominates.

Crockett has built a national profile as a fierce rhetorical brawler on Capitol Hill and has energized some voters hungry for leaders willing to take on President Donald Trump and his allies on the right.

Tuesday's primary in Texas is the nation’s first big contest of the 2026 midterm elections.

Harris' endorsement came on the same day Trump visited Corpus Christi, Texas. With just days to go before the primary, he has not publicly backed incumbent Sen. John Cornyn or any of the challengers presenting themselves as stronger allies of Trump.

The Texas seat is a long shot for Democrats but some party members hope the stars align in the November general election.

The Harris endorsement was first reported by the Texas Tribune.

Primary candidate for U.S. Senate Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks to reporters and supporters before voting early in the primary election, in Dallas, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

DURHAM, N.Y. (AP) — Shoppers in upstate New York earlier this month turned up a rare find while perusing a local antique store this month: tucked next to a cookie jar made in the shape of a chicken was a live owl resting peacefully on a shelf.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation said Friday that the incident happened on Feb. 21 in the hamlet of East Durham, about 127 miles (204 kilometers) north of Manhattan.

The agency said customers at The Market Place had spotted “something extremely lifelike” on one of the shelves and alerted store staff.

Environmental conservation police officers arrived to find a brown-and-white owl perched on a shelf with its eyes firmly shut.

The department said officers gently cradled the sleeping owl to remove it from the store, and then released it into a wooded area, where it flew into a nearby tree.

The bird, an eastern screech owl, is nocturnal and typically nests in tree cavities.

It is not immediately clear how it got inside the store. An email was sent to the store's owners on Friday.

In this photo provided by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, an owl sleeps on a shelf next to a cookie jar shaped like a chicken at The Market Place antique store in East Durham, N.Y., on Feb. 21, 2026 (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation via AP)