Slate: “Last week, a couple of letters from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton started circulating. These letters, aimed at Child Protective Services, encouraged Texans to do something no other state does: view medical treatment for trans kids as abusive. These documents aren’t legally binding—in fact, after they got released, district attorneys representing five of Texas’s biggest counties all said they had no plans to enforce this directive. It’s hard to ignore the political context of this decision: There are some very vocal conservative voters who have been asking Texas officials to crack down on the medicalization of trans kids, especially the use of puberty blockers. It’s a hot-button issue for the right that’s evolved from bathrooms, to sports, to kids—and how they should be treated not just in public but also in private, at home with their families. Abbott and Paxton are up for reelection, and Tuesday is primary day. Both the governor and the attorney general are Republicans, and they face primary challenges from candidates to their right. Abbott is favored to prevail in his race, but Paxton has a shakier path to reelection. On Tuesday’s episode of What Next, I spoke with Katelyn Burns, an MSNBC columnist who was the first-ever openly trans Capitol Hill reporter, about the intent of the Abbott and Paxton’s letters and what their ultimate impact may be. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.”