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GOP's Paxton to Face Democrat Talarico in Battle for Texas Senate Seat; At least 1 Dead, 9 Missing After Chemical Tank Ruptures in Washington; Rescuers Find 5 People Trapped in Laos Cave, 2 Still Missing; Average Ticket for Game 4 of NBA Finals is Most Expensive on Record. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired May 27, 2026 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:00:00]

CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: They'll encourage you not to tell anybody else. Try to contact your loved one through another means.

So if you're on the phone, you could try texting them. If you've got another person in the house with the phone, try to call them, call someone who would know where they are. Try to confirm if they are, in fact, just at work like normal.

And ahead of something like this happening, it's a good idea to have a conversation with your family about a family code word. So that if something like this were ever to happen, you could ask for the code word, something that nobody else would know, and confirm if that person on the other end of the line really is your loved one in distress or a scammer. And John, this is increasingly, as I said, increasingly important because this is happening more and more.

Americans last year lost $893 million to AI-related scams. That is these voice cloning scams, but also things like phishing e-mails and romance scams. So really important to be on the lookout for something like this.

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: You got to be careful, you got to be careful and just think through everything you're doing now and what could be recorded and where. Thank you so much, Clare.

DUFFY: Thank you.

BERMAN: A brand new hour of CNN NEWS CENTRAL starts right now.

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, just minutes ago, President Trump weighing in on the victory in Texas last night, congratulating both candidates. But what does this mean for November and Democrats hope to try to flip the seat?

And we're tracking efforts in Washington State to find several people still missing after a deadly implosion at a paper and packaging plant, but dangerous chemicals are making that effort much more difficult.

Also caught on camera, a river demolishes a bridge and swallows an SUV. What we know about the people inside of that vehicle. I'm Sara Sidner with Kate Bolduan and John Berman. This is CNN NEWS

CENTRAL.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: President Trump up and Adam this morning, weighing in on his big victory in Texas. On social media, congratulating Ken Paxton, who Trump clearly helped secure a massive win. But Trump also is praising Senator John Cornyn today.

Saying that, you look right there, "John will remain my friend for a long time to come." Remember, he called John Cornyn disloyal a hot second ago. Paxton trounced John Cornyn though last night, winning nearly two thirds of the vote from Texas Republicans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEN PAXTON, (R) TEXAS SENATE NOMINEE: President Trump is the leader of our party and his endorsement is the most powerful force in politics. And I'm honored to have his support and I look forward to working with him in the Senate to deliver for Texas.

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): I've spent most of my time in the Senate building the Republican Party in Texas and in the U.S. Senate. And I've always supported the Republican ticket and I intend to do so again in this general election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: CNN's Arlette Saenz in Texas for us. You were watching it all play out late last night, Arlette. What does it look like today now?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kate, Texas is waking up to a big victory, not just for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, but also for President Donald Trump, who showed that his grip on the Republican Party remains incredibly firm. Paxton, in his remarks last night, really credited the president's endorsement for being a big boost to his campaign in this final stretch. And he defied many people's expectations, especially as you heard Senator John Cornyn and other top Republicans warning that they believed Paxton would be a liability for the GOP, not just in Texas, but on the national level as well, if he were to become the GOP nominee.

Now, Paxton last night said that it's time for the party to unite and he is prepared for an onslaught of attacks coming from the Democrats. He said he expects to be Democrats' number one target in this race. And one thing that he asked supporters to do last night was donate to his campaign.

That will be something to watch in the months going forward. Paxton had lagged Senator Cornyn throughout this contest in fundraising, and he is set to face off against a very strong fundraiser. Democratic nominee James Tallarico is one of the Democratic Party's biggest fundraisers this midterm cycle.

Just in the first three months of this year, he brought in more than $27 million. Compare that to Paxton, who raised $2.2 million in this final stretch. And a Tallarico campaign source this morning is telling me that he raised $600,000 in the first two hours after Paxton won.

So that will be a key item to watch as this general election matchup really starts to rev up. But Paxton's win here in Texas could have big implications for the national map and whether Republicans are able to hold onto this seat here and also hold onto the Senate majority.

BOLDUAN: I mean, look, Paxton overcame the fundraising disadvantage once before. Can he do it again?

[08:05:00]

What are you hearing from Tallarico so far about this win?

SAENZ: Well, Tallarico and Democrats have really moved very quickly to try to define Ken Paxton. One thing about Paxton is that he has faced a series of personal and political scandals here in the state of Texas, but he's survived them all so far.

But this morning, Tallarico's campaign very quickly put out a digital video where they're highlighting a lot of those past scandals that Tallarico has faced. And last night, quickly after Paxton won this GOP Senate runoff, Tallarico released this video saying that Paxton is corrupt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES TALARICO, (D) TEXAS SENATE NOMINEE: We the people can come together to defeat the most corrupt politician in America. We can defeat this entire corrupt system. We can start unrigging this economy.

We can start raising our pay, cutting our taxes, lowering our costs. We can finally get ahead.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: So those lines of attack are expected to play out throughout this general election matchup. For Paxton's part, he was very quick to try to paint Tallarico as too radical for Texas voters, even giving him a nickname, which was "Tala-freak-o." But this will be one of those races that we will be watching very closely heading into November as Democrats are feeling more bullish about their chances here in Texas after Paxton's win.

BOLDUAN: Arlette Saenz, Arlette, thank you so much. I really appreciate it -- Sara.

SIDNER: All right, right now in Washington, recovery efforts are set to continue after a chemical tank ruptured at a paper plant, leaving at least one worker dead. Nine other employees are missing after this accident. Officials say the ruptured tank contained a chemical mixture used in the papermaking process.

The local fire chief warned the public, while there is no active threat, the tank does remain unstable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT GOLDSTEIN, CHIEF, COWLITZ 2 FIRE AND RESCUE: The tank remains unstable, creating a dangerous situation for our personnel, which has created our additional planning. Crews are actively assessing the structural integrity of that tank and working on plans to stabilize that tank before additional recovery operations can safely proceed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: CNN's Nick Watt has the very latest for us on this incident. It's obviously very, very early in the morning as it is there in Los Angeles, but where do things stand at this moment with these nine people who are still missing?

NICK WATT, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Sara, they are waiting for the sun to rise and sunrise up there in Oregon, West Coast. We're talking about 20 minutes from now. They are limiting operations to daylight hours to try to keep first responders safe.

Right now, you've got the National Guard, you've got hazmat teams, you've got police departments, fire departments on scene. Now, the issue -- there are multiple issues here. One is that tank might collapse. That is first problem.

Second problem, this chemical, white liquor, that has caused the problems, that is still, they think there are probably maybe five to six swimming pools worth of that still inside that tank. And this is a very caustic substance.

It is a strong alkaline used basically to break down wood chips. So you can imagine what happens to a human body when that gets in contact. We're talking second, third degree burns.

Now, the other complicating factor, Sara, is that also a water main, a fire hydrant, was compromised on that scene. So you've got a lot of water. You've got about half a million gallons of this white liquor flowing around the scene.

And they're trying to contain it, but that makes the rescue recovery operation extremely complex, because they obviously do not want any more injuries. We've already had 10 people taken to the hospital. One person has died.

A firefighter was injured. We're told chemical burns treated and released. So that is what they're dealing with and will be dealing with when the sun comes up there in Oregon, and they try to find those nine people currently listed as unaccounted for.

This is a small town on the banks of the Columbia River that is obviously anxiously waiting any news of those unaccounted, and also praying and hoping that the recovery effort, that the first responders are going to be safe as they try -- listen, whether this is a rescue or a recovery operation will be clearer over the coming hours as they get back onto the site.

So this company, they make paper pulp. About 500 people employed there. Right now, as I say, we're waiting for the sun to rise for this operation to kick into high gear once more.

Nine unaccounted for -- Sara.

SIDNER: And thank you for giving us that context. This is a small town. So 500 people employ a lot of people.

[08:10:00]

It's almost certain most people know each other in that community. You've got these nine human beings who they just don't know what their status is at this hour. A lot of worry in that town.

Thank you so much, Nick Watt, for your reporting there from Los Angeles for us -- John.

BERMAN: All right, we do have some breaking news. Five people trapped 1,000 feet into a flooded cave for a week. They have been found alive. Now the challenge is how to get them out.

And one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country, a ferry coming back from Alcatraz crashes into a pier.

And the Knicks, they have not been to the NBA finals since the last millennium. But if you want to see them in person now, you probably needed to have been saving money since then.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BERMAN: All right, the breaking news we're just getting in. Rescuers say five of seven people trapped in a flooded cave in Laos have been found alive. New video shows the moment they were found.

The villagers had been trapped underground for a week after flash flooding. Two people are still missing. CNN's Will Ripley has been following all these breaking developments and joins us now.

Will, bring us up to speed.

WILL RIPLEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, so you're seeing there was taken on a GoPro by two rescuers who had to pass through 1,000 feet of submerged underground mining shafts flooded with pitch black water. It took them about a week to reach this area where these five people, they're still searching for two others, have been alive for the last week. They're breathing in an air pocket. Apparently, there was just enough air circulating through some other small shafts that they were able to breathe, even though the entrance, the exit to the cave is entirely flooded.

And rescuers have had to use very specialized equipment. They've had to scan with radar to figure out this is where they needed to go to find these men who've been missing since they went to the mine to look for some gold and didn't find any gold, but they did find themselves in a big trouble, that's for sure. Let's take a look at the moment when the rescuers realized that they had found these people alive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know who to shoot at. Hey, hold on, hold on, hang on. Oh, no.

Oh! Oh, perfect, man. Oh! Thank you, man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RIPLEY: The man on the right side of the screen giving him that big hug there is a Finnish cave recovery expert who actually helped rescue an entire soccer team from a cave in Thailand back in 2018. His name is Mikko Paasi, and he gave us a statement. We've been in touch with him over the past several hours.

He said, "The task so far has been far from easy and everybody involved has done amazing work. Thank you to all the teams involved. This is only a brief relief as the five survivors are still in the terminal chamber, all healthy and in good spirits, but the extraction is still ahead and it ain't going to be easy."

There's still a lot of danger that these rescuers have to face, not to mention the fact that it's rainy season in this area in central Laos and storms are popping up every day, sometimes with very little notice. They can cause flash flooding in the cave. And then if we can just play the video again, John, to get into these areas.

Mikko is about 5'11". He said he actually had to take off his gear, exhale fully and wiggle his way through just to reach certain areas to get to these men. So getting them out safely is going to be a huge challenge, not to mention they're still working to verify the status of the other two who are still missing.

So some very good news, but still some tough times ahead as this rescue operation continues. But again, they're going to send in food, they're going to send in water. They've even set up internet inside parts of the cave.

So some of these people who are trapped might even be able to talk to their families at some point. It's extraordinary how technology has played a role in finding these men and hopefully getting them to safety in the coming days, John.

BERMAN: So this is miraculous, Will, and this video is stunning and terrifying all at the same time. I just cannot believe the spaces that they had to go through to get that 1,000 feet to those people trapped inside, and let's hope they're able to get them all out safely. Thank you so much for bringing us this news and talking us through these new images we're getting, Will, really appreciate it.

SIDNER: I have so much respect for miners and for the rescuers going in there. I'm literally getting freaked out watching this.

BERMAN: Well, that's the thing, as I'm looking at it, it's a combination of joy and fear. I cringe, but then I'm like smiling, but cringe? No, it's like terrifying.

SIDNER: Oh, that video right there. Oh God, I can't, I can't even think about it. All right, thank you, John Berman.

We are standing by this morning to hear new details about the results of President Trump's physical. He said everything, quote, checked out perfectly.

And as Knick's fever takes over New York City, let's spin the camera around and show a little bit about what that's about.

Come on, spin us around. Let's show, look what Big Lou has. Every morning we wake up to this because he is a real true fan.

This fan right here is crazy, but there are others that are even more insane. We'll show you.

[08:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SIDNER: I know you know this, but we just think that we should mention it. The Knicks heading to the NBA finals for the first time in nearly 30 years. But if you actually want to go to the game, you want to see them in person, it's going to cost you big. Tickets for the finals are already shattering records before their opponent is even set.

CNN's Matt Egan is joining me now with probably one of the most important economic stories of our lifetime.

MATT EGAN, CNN SENIOR REPORTER: I love it, Sara. Well, look, the Knicks, I mean, obviously they are on fire right now. Maybe the only thing hotter than the team are the tickets to go see them in the finals at Madison Square Garden.

SIDNER: I'm scared.

EGAN: These prices are absolutely insane. So let's just say you don't care where you sit. You just want to get into the building.

SIDNER: Nosebleeds, let's go.

EGAN: Nosebleeds. Cheapest seats are now listed for $3,500 a piece on TickPick. That is almost eight times the price of the same game in last year's NBA Finals in Oklahoma City. Just incredible.

[08:25:00]

In fact, for $3,500, you could have gone to all seven games of last year's NBA Finals and still had $200 left over for food and drinks. Amazing, right? Now that's just to get in.

Let's say the average ticket, the average ticket price for the NBA Finals, we're talking about $4,500 at Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks on track to be the most expensive NBA Finals game on record.

Now I went outside the garden. I talked to some Knicks fans about these sky high prices. They are nuts. And I talked to one fan who told me he went to last round and he spent $500 a ticket to go see his Knicks.

Listen to his reaction when I told him the ticket prices for this round.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAY CUENCA, KNICKS FAN: Damn, that's crazy.

EGAN: To get in the door.

CUENCA: Yes, that's madness. I'm definitely not going to go. As much as I love the Knicks, I can't afford those prices.

SUZETTE MEADE, KNICKS FAN: I think it's a once in a lifetime experience and sometimes you got to do a little bit more in order to make that happen. So I would consider it. I think that these days, entertainment, sports, all of that, it really, it comes with a premium experience and premium experiences come at premium price tags.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EGAN (on camera): Now, speaking of premium experiences, let's say you want to sit near Celebrity Row at the garden. There are a pair of seats near courtside for game six at the NBA Finals. They're listing for a quarter of a million dollars a piece.

Incredible, right? We're talking about, that's basically triple the median household income here in New York City. So look, why is this happening?

I mean, as you mentioned at the top, the Knicks, they haven't been in the NBA Finals in a very long time. The last time they were there, their current star point guard, Jalen Brunson, he was a toddler. The Sopranos had just wrapped up their first season. Napster had just launched.

So it's been a bit, for a lot of people, this is literally their only time in their lifetime to see the Knicks. Now, is it worth it with these prices? I have no idea, but Sara, I don't know. Maybe we can get our bosses to approve a little bit of an experiment, just strictly for reporting purposes. You and I can go and we'll see if it's worth it.

SIDNER: Yes, hold on, let me call David Zaslav real quick here. What up, David?

EGAN: Shoot him a text.

SIDNER: Shoot me a couple of tickets. I know you got them. All right, let's see if that works.

You, that's insane -- Kate!

BOLDUAN: It's not as good as your hand cell phone, Sara.

EGAN: Works every time.

BOLDUAN: It's not connecting. I don't know, no one's picking up.

BOLDUAN: What happens here? I don't -- yes, no thank you.

SIDNER: That is insane, but you know what? It will be full. Guaranteed, it will be absolutely packed to the brim. It is such a great experience, Madison. Square Gardeners and you will like it.

EGAN: And I'll be watching at home.

SIDNER: Me too, I'll be outside. I'll be outside looking at stuff on the screens. All right -- Kate.

BOLDUAN: I will not take it over here now. OK. Thank you guys.

The Texas Senate matchup is officially set with President Trump saying this morning -- what President Trump is saying this morning to the incumbent Republican that he just did his level best to defeat and did.

And a car falls off a bridge. Oh my God. And gets washed away in the river. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[08:30:00]