The Supreme Court is due to hear yet another case this year on the future of ObamaCare, but looks like the coronavirus pandemic has caused the Texas elected officials behind the case to no longer want anything to do with it.

And who can blame them? It is one thing to oppose a health care law you don’t like, but it is another thing entirely to strike down a health care system during a health care crisis.

Let’s remember the setting here. The Supreme Court kicked off March by announcing their decision to hear the ObamaCare case, called Texas v. California, later this year, perhaps as early as October during the height of the presidential race. The case turns on “severability,” meaning whether the entire law should be struck down now that one part of it is no longer operational.

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This was meant to be an epic political battle, featuring two heavyweight powerhouses, California and Texas, each represented by their aggressive attorneys General.

In California, the Attorney General Xavier Becerra Xavier BecerraOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump casts doubt on climate change science during briefing on wildfires | Biden attacks Trump's climate record amid Western wildfires, lays out his plan | 20 states sue EPA over methane emissions standards rollback 20 states sue EPA over methane emissions standards rollback Investigation underway after bags of mail found dumped in Los Angeles-area parking lot MORE has enthusiastically defended ObamaCare and with good reason: the state has embraced many provisions of ObamaCare. Becerra’s legal and policy strategy in support of ObamaCare works just as well as a political strategy. Becerra’s predecessor as Attorney General, Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisNational postal mail handlers union endorses Biden The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden asks if public can trust vaccine from Trump ahead of Election Day | Oklahoma health officials raised red flags before Trump rally Jim Carrey to play Biden on 'Saturday Night Live' MORE, fought hard to defend ObamaCare, and voters rewarded her with a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton just as enthusiastically embraced his role as the ObamaCare antagonist. Maybe his policy was not as logical as California’s, given that Texas has also enacted ObamaCare, and millions of Texans have come to rely upon it. But Paxton’s strategy was quite logical politically. Paxton’s predecessor as Texas AG, Greg Abbott, led the fight against ObamaCare, and voters rewarded him by electing him, governor.

Then coronavirus happened.

Last Monday was the 10th anniversary of the law, and it gave politicians across the spectrum a chance to weigh in. President Trump Donald John TrumpBarr criticizes DOJ in speech declaring all agency power 'is invested in the attorney general' Military leaders asked about using heat ray on protesters outside White House: report Powell warns failure to reach COVID-19 deal could 'scar and damage' economy MORE called for the Court to kill ObamaCare, and AG Becerra just as quickly called for the court to save it.

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It was time for Paxton’s star turn — his crusade was reaching the gates of Jerusalem. What did Paxton do? He attacked Planned Parenthood over abortion. He attacked big-city mayors over gun rights and he attacked price-gougers taking advantage of consumers.

AG Paxton went silent, however, on the issue of ObamaCare. Instead, other proponents in the case responded by sending out a tame press release criticizing Biden. The attorney general of Louisiana was quoted saying, “Joe Biden Joe BidenThe Memo: Warning signs flash for Trump on debates Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden National postal mail handlers union endorses Biden MORE is attempting to play politics right in the middle of a pandemic,” and the Attorney General of Georgia was quoted saying, “It’s shameful that the former VP of the United States would play crass politics during a national crisis.”

Consider what this means: Paxton is now asking the Supreme Court to strike down ObamaCare — when he himself is apparently unwilling to engage the public directly and denounce the program. And who can blame him for running? The national Coronavirus crisis has changed everything about government and health care in just a month. Look at the policy work the Supreme Court is now being asked to do in Texas v. California:

Allow insurers to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions — like Covid19

Strip millions of Americans of health insurance — during an epidemic

Throw Medicaid further into crisis — when it is already in crisis

Strike down a law that is popular among the public and relied upon by the states.

So, Texas is asking a lot in this case. And — one more bitter irony — they are asking if it based on a legal theory that has been widely ridiculed. Vox pointed out that, “The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board labeled this lawsuit the “Texas ObamaCare Blunder.” Yuval Levin, a prominent conservative policy wonk, wrote in National Review that the Texas lawsuit “doesn’t even merit being called silly. It’s ridiculous.”

The Supreme Court kicked off the month of March by agreeing to Texas AG Ken Paxton’s request that they rule on the legality of ObamaCare. We are leaving March with our nation caught up in a health care crisis — and with Paxton no longer willing or able to continue his crusade against ObamaCare. Call California vs. Texas the epic political battle that wasn’t.

Shum Preston is a political consultant, former senior advisor to Attorney General Kamala Harris, and the founder of @TheAgeOfAGs, which tracks the policies and politics of the state attorney general.