KSEV Mornings · October 29, 2026 · Hour 2
Ken Paxton at a Texas diner on Fox, the reported criminal investigation into Alaska’s Senate ballot, a California court fight over counting votes, a Whataburger debate and your calls.
Ken Paxton walking into a Texas diner on Fox News (“Texas is not gonna vote for a socialist”) capped Thursday’s second hour of KSEV Mornings. Craig Coglianese also played Fox’s report on a criminal investigation into a ballot controversy in Sen. Dan Sullivan’s Alaska race and a California court clip on counting a non-citizen’s ballot, took calls on Medicare for All, fraud and government spending, and opened the hour by asking Houston to defend Whataburger.
The Whataburger debate
Craig started the hour complaining about Taco Bell prices, then asked producer Russell for the best burger in Houston. Russell picked Sam’s Deli Diner on Kirkwood for a sit-down burger and Whataburger for the drive-through. Craig wasn’t sold: “You guys build Whataburger up so much that I think it can’t live up to it.”
“I’m being very un-Texan right now, very un-Houston,” he said, and asked listeners to call in and defend it. “Every time I’ve been to Whataburger, I’ve eaten it, I’ve been like, this is fine.” Buc-ee’s, he said, is the Texas spot that really is special. Later in the hour he admitted he’d Googled whether anyone else thinks Whataburger is overrated, but said, “I’m not going that far.”
Trump and the White House lights
Craig played President Trump at a rally describing getting home late from Mississippi: “My wife thinks I’m crazy.” Trump described driving up to the White House with its new exterior lighting. Craig called it “very human” and said it’s the kind of moment that “won’t get covered anywhere.”
Mayes Middleton and EJ Antoni on Friday
Mayes Middleton joins the show Friday at 8 a.m., and EJ Antoni of the Heritage Foundation at 8:15. Craig said stepping into Ken Paxton’s shoes as attorney general will be hard, but Middleton has “a significant shot at being the exact same type of attorney general who goes after all the things that other people in other states are afraid to go after.”
The Alaska ballot investigation
Fox News reported, citing two sources, an “aggressive criminal investigation into a ballot controversy in Alaska,” with grand jury subpoenas expected. The New York Times reported that aides to Democratic Senate nominee Mary Peltola were part of an effort to recruit spoiler candidates against Sen. Dan Sullivan, including a man with virtually the same name who made it onto the ballot. The Peltola campaign has denied involvement, and the Justice Department declined to comment.
Craig’s reaction: “This is the thing where you thought your uncle was crazy and he’s actually the sanest person in the room.”
A California court fight over counting votes
Craig played a clip from a California court case in which a lawyer was asked whether, if a non-citizen votes and it isn’t stopped now, that ballot will be counted. “That’s absolutely correct,” the lawyer answered. Craig said it shows why Republican control of the Senate, and its influence on the courts, matters: “This is a pretty great example of someone heavily disagreeing with you and me and everybody.”
The media and the Trump White House
Craig played a former Trump White House press aide telling Newsmax the media made her job “very difficult.” He compared it to coaching kids’ sports, where piling on after a mistake only makes the next one more likely, and said some media figures “say it with a smile” when they describe Trump as unpopular. “I do think Trump might get a lot of candidates over the hump,” Craig said.
Callers on Medicare for All and Steve Toth
Bart called in about Medicare for All, saying Canadians come to the emergency room in Rochester, N.Y., because they wait years for care at home. Craig said when everything is one payer system, “the whole system crumbles even more than it’s already broken.” Bart said candidates in his area don’t advertise, and Craig praised Steve Toth, the Republican running in the 2nd Congressional District: “He’s one of those people who says what he thinks, behaves the way he thinks.”
Alan called to say the administration is attacking spending by going after fraud. Craig agreed, saying the administration doesn’t get enough public credit for the fraud it’s uncovering, and that much of that work has been assigned to Vice President JD Vance.
Ken Paxton: “Texas is not gonna vote for a socialist”
Craig played Fox News at a Texas diner where Ken Paxton walked in to cheers. Asked why the Senate race is a toss-up, Paxton said, “Midterm elections are always tough for the party in power,” then added, “Look, we’re gonna win this race. Texas is not gonna vote for a socialist.” Craig pointed to the share of James Talarico’s donations coming from California: “Don’t California my Texas, keep my Texas Texas.”
Callers on fraud, Social Security and military waste
Mike said fraud alone won’t close the deficit and the country has to slow the growth of entitlements, including Social Security, and hold down defense spending. Craig said veterans have told him about waste in the military, like a Seabee friend in Desert Storm who was told to throw out equipment he could have fixed, but he doesn’t love cutting defense “because of what that says to the world.” Fraud, he said, “is a great place to start.” Carlos closed the show on government pensions, and Craig agreed: “Less government spending in general is usually gonna wind up being a good thing for all of us.”
Hear Craig and Wayne live weekdays from 7–9 AM Central on AM 700 KSEV, The Voice of Texas. Visit the KSEV Mornings show page for live-listening controls and more episodes. Listen live weekdays 7-9 AM CT on the KSEV app.
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