diff --git a/cosmos/runtime/ante/ante.go b/cosmos/runtime/ante/ante.go
index 05c4de043..252df979a 100644
--- a/cosmos/runtime/ante/ante.go
+++ b/cosmos/runtime/ante/ante.go
@@ -66,12 +66,15 @@ func (ah *Provider) AnteHandler() func(
 	return func(ctx sdk.Context, tx sdk.Tx, simulate bool) (sdk.Context, error) {
 		// If the transaction contains a single EVM transaction, use the EVM ante handler
 		if len(tx.GetMsgs()) == 1 {
-			if _, ok := tx.GetMsgs()[0].(*evmtypes.WrappedEthereumTransaction); ok {
+			if ethTx, ok := tx.GetMsgs()[0].(*evmtypes.WrappedEthereumTransaction); ok {
+				ctx.Logger().Info("running evm ante handler for eth tx", "hash", ethTx.Unwrap().Hash())
 				return ah.evmAnteHandler(ctx, tx, simulate)
 			} else if _, ok = tx.GetMsgs()[0].(*evmtypes.WrappedPayloadEnvelope); ok {
 				if ctx.ExecMode() != sdk.ExecModeCheck {
+					ctx.Logger().Info("running evm ante handler for payload tx")
 					return ctx, nil
 				}
+				ctx.Logger().Error("running evm ante handler for payload tx in check tx")
 				return ctx, errors.New("payload envelope is not supported in CheckTx")
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/cosmos/runtime/runtime.go b/cosmos/runtime/runtime.go
index 880ccaf84..b28c83976 100644
--- a/cosmos/runtime/runtime.go
+++ b/cosmos/runtime/runtime.go
@@ -177,8 +177,11 @@ func (p *Polaris) SetupServices(clientCtx client.Context) error {
 		clientCtx.TxConfig, evmtypes.WrapPayload))
 
 	// Initialize the txpool with a new transaction serializer.
-	p.WrappedTxPool.Init(p.logger, clientCtx, libtx.NewSerializer[*ethtypes.Transaction](
-		clientCtx.TxConfig, evmtypes.WrapTx))
+	p.WrappedTxPool.Init(
+		p.logger, clientCtx,
+		libtx.NewSerializer[*ethtypes.Transaction](clientCtx.TxConfig, evmtypes.WrapTx),
+		clientCtx.Client,
+	)
 
 	// Register services with Polaris.
 	p.RegisterLifecycles([]node.Lifecycle{
diff --git a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/ante.go b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/ante.go
index 18ea5905c..306116dce 100644
--- a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/ante.go
+++ b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/ante.go
@@ -44,19 +44,25 @@ func (m *Mempool) AnteHandle(
 	telemetry.IncrCounter(float32(1), MetricKeyCometPoolTxs)
 	msgs := tx.GetMsgs()
 
+	ctx.Logger().Info("AnteHandle Polaris Mempool", "msgs", len(msgs), "simulate", simulate)
+
 	// TODO: Record the time it takes to build a payload.
 
 	// We only want to eject transactions from comet on recheck.
 	if ctx.ExecMode() == sdk.ExecModeCheck || ctx.ExecMode() == sdk.ExecModeReCheck {
+		ctx.Logger().Info("AnteHandle in Check/Recheck tx")
 		if wet, ok := utils.GetAs[*types.WrappedEthereumTransaction](msgs[0]); ok {
 			ethTx := wet.Unwrap()
+			ctx.Logger().Info("AnteHandle for eth tx", "tx", ethTx.Hash(), "mode", ctx.ExecMode())
 			if shouldEject := m.shouldEjectFromCometMempool(
-				ctx.BlockTime().Unix(), ethTx,
+				ctx, ethTx,
 			); shouldEject {
+				ctx.Logger().Info("AnteHandle dropping tx from comet mempool", "tx", ethTx.Hash())
 				m.crc.DropRemoteTx(ethTx.Hash())
 				telemetry.IncrCounter(float32(1), MetricKeyAnteEjectedTxs)
 				return ctx, errors.New("eject from comet mempool")
 			}
+			ctx.Logger().Info("AnteHandle NOT dropping comet mempool", "tx", ethTx.Hash())
 		}
 	}
 	return next(ctx, tx, simulate)
@@ -64,28 +70,34 @@ func (m *Mempool) AnteHandle(
 
 // shouldEject returns true if the transaction should be ejected from the CometBFT mempool.
 func (m *Mempool) shouldEjectFromCometMempool(
-	currentTime int64, tx *ethtypes.Transaction,
+	ctx sdk.Context, tx *ethtypes.Transaction,
 ) bool {
 	defer telemetry.MeasureSince(time.Now(), MetricKeyTimeShouldEject)
 	if tx == nil {
+		ctx.Logger().Info("shouldEjectFromCometMempool: tx is nil")
 		return false
 	}
 
 	// First check things that are stateless.
-	if m.validateStateless(tx, currentTime) {
+	if m.validateStateless(ctx, tx) {
+		ctx.Logger().Info("shouldEjectFromCometMempool: stateless failed", "tx", tx.Hash())
 		return true
 	}
 
 	// Then check for things that are stateful.
-	return m.validateStateful(tx)
+	return m.validateStateful(ctx, tx)
 }
 
 // validateStateless returns whether the tx of the given hash is stateless.
-func (m *Mempool) validateStateless(tx *ethtypes.Transaction, currentTime int64) bool {
+func (m *Mempool) validateStateless(ctx sdk.Context, tx *ethtypes.Transaction) bool {
 	txHash := tx.Hash()
+	currentTime := ctx.BlockTime().Unix()
+	ctx.Logger().Info("validateStateless", "txHash", txHash, "currentTime", currentTime)
+
 	// 1. If the transaction has been in the mempool for longer than the configured timeout.
 	// 2. If the transaction's gas params are less than or equal to the configured limit.
 	expired := currentTime-m.crc.TimeFirstSeen(txHash) > m.lifetime
+	ctx.Logger().Info("validateStateless", "currentTime", currentTime, "timeFirstSeen", m.crc.TimeFirstSeen(txHash), "expired", expired)
 	priceLeLimit := tx.GasPrice().Cmp(m.priceLimit) <= 0
 
 	if expired {
@@ -95,20 +107,22 @@ func (m *Mempool) validateStateless(tx *ethtypes.Transaction, currentTime int64)
 		telemetry.IncrCounter(float32(1), MetricKeyAnteShouldEjectPriceLimit)
 	}
 
+	ctx.Logger().Info("validateStateless", "expired", expired, "priceLeLimit", priceLeLimit)
+
 	return expired || priceLeLimit
 }
 
 // includedCanonicalChain returns whether the tx of the given hash is included in the canonical
 // Eth chain.
-func (m *Mempool) validateStateful(tx *ethtypes.Transaction) bool {
+func (m *Mempool) validateStateful(ctx sdk.Context, tx *ethtypes.Transaction) bool {
 	// // 1. If the transaction has been included in a block.
 	// signer := ethtypes.LatestSignerForChainID(m.chainConfig.ChainID)
 	// if _, err := ethtypes.Sender(signer, tx); err != nil {
 	// 	return true
 	// }
 
-	// tx.Nonce() <
 	included := m.chain.GetTransactionLookup(tx.Hash()) != nil
 	telemetry.IncrCounter(float32(1), MetricKeyAnteShouldEjectInclusion)
+	ctx.Logger().Info("validateStateful", "included", included)
 	return included
 }
diff --git a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/comet.go b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/comet.go
index c40809db9..9589f1eb5 100644
--- a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/comet.go
+++ b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/comet.go
@@ -59,9 +59,10 @@ func (crc *cometRemoteCache) IsRemoteTx(txHash common.Hash) bool {
 	return ok
 }
 
-// Record the time the tx was inserted from Comet successfully.
+// Record the first time the tx was inserted from Comet successfully.
 func (crc *cometRemoteCache) MarkRemoteSeen(txHash common.Hash) {
 	crc.timeInsertedMu.Lock()
+	// TODO: only insert a new timestamp if not already seen.
 	crc.timeInserted[txHash] = time.Now().Unix()
 	crc.timeInsertedMu.Unlock()
 }
diff --git a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/handler.go b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/handler.go
index 069003b68..a8b1cb299 100644
--- a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/handler.go
+++ b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/handler.go
@@ -21,10 +21,13 @@
 package txpool
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
+	coretypes "github.com/cometbft/cometbft/rpc/core/types"
+
 	"cosmossdk.io/log"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/telemetry"
@@ -40,7 +43,7 @@ import (
 // size of tx pool.
 const (
 	txChanSize = 4096
-	maxRetries = 5
+	maxRetries = 0
 	retryDelay = 50 * time.Millisecond
 	statPeriod = 60 * time.Second
 )
@@ -67,6 +70,16 @@ type TxBroadcaster interface {
 	BroadcastTxSync(txBytes []byte) (res *sdk.TxResponse, err error)
 }
 
+type TxSearcher interface {
+	TxSearch(
+		ctx context.Context,
+		query string,
+		prove bool,
+		page, perPage *int,
+		orderBy string,
+	) (*coretypes.ResultTxSearch, error)
+}
+
 // Subscription represents a subscription to the txpool.
 type Subscription interface {
 	event.Subscription
@@ -85,6 +98,7 @@ type handler struct {
 	logger     log.Logger
 	clientCtx  TxBroadcaster
 	serializer TxSerializer
+	searcher   TxSearcher
 	crc        CometRemoteCache
 
 	// Ethereum
@@ -100,13 +114,14 @@ type handler struct {
 
 // newHandler creates a new handler.
 func newHandler(
-	clientCtx TxBroadcaster, txPool TxSubProvider, serializer TxSerializer,
+	clientCtx TxBroadcaster, txSearcher TxSearcher, txPool TxSubProvider, serializer TxSerializer,
 	crc CometRemoteCache, logger log.Logger,
 ) *handler {
 	h := &handler{
 		logger:     logger,
 		clientCtx:  clientCtx,
 		serializer: serializer,
+		searcher:   txSearcher,
 		crc:        crc,
 		txPool:     txPool,
 		txsCh:      make(chan core.NewTxsEvent, txChanSize),
@@ -122,7 +137,7 @@ func (h *handler) Start() error {
 		return errors.New("handler already started")
 	}
 	go h.mainLoop()
-	go h.failedLoop() // Start the retry policy
+	// go h.failedLoop() // Start the retry policy
 	go h.statLoop()
 	return nil
 }
@@ -172,6 +187,7 @@ func (h *handler) failedLoop() {
 				h.logger.Error("failed to broadcast transaction after max retries", "tx", maxRetries)
 				continue
 			}
+			h.logger.Info("retrying failed tx", "tx", failed.tx.Hash(), "retries", failed.retries)
 			telemetry.IncrCounter(float32(1), MetricKeyBroadcastRetry)
 			h.broadcastTransaction(failed.tx, failed.retries-1)
 		}
@@ -225,11 +241,12 @@ func (h *handler) broadcastTransactions(txs ethtypes.Transactions) {
 	numBroadcasted := 0
 	for _, signedEthTx := range txs {
 		if !h.crc.IsRemoteTx(signedEthTx.Hash()) {
+			h.logger.Info("broadcasting local eth tx", "hash", signedEthTx.Hash().Hex())
 			h.broadcastTransaction(signedEthTx, maxRetries)
 			numBroadcasted++
 		}
 	}
-	h.logger.Debug(
+	h.logger.Info(
 		"broadcasting transactions", "num_received", len(txs), "num_broadcasted", numBroadcasted,
 	)
 }
@@ -242,6 +259,8 @@ func (h *handler) broadcastTransaction(tx *ethtypes.Transaction, retries int) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	h.logger.Info("broadcasting to comet", "ethTx", tx.Hash(), "sdkTx", txBytes)
+
 	// Send the transaction to the CometBFT mempool, which will gossip it to peers via
 	// CometBFT's p2p layer.
 	rsp, err := h.clientCtx.BroadcastTxSync(txBytes)
@@ -254,6 +273,7 @@ func (h *handler) broadcastTransaction(tx *ethtypes.Transaction, retries int) {
 	// If rsp == 1, likely the txn is already in a block, and thus the broadcast failing is actually
 	// the desired behaviour.
 	if rsp == nil || rsp.Code == 0 || rsp.Code == 1 {
+		h.logger.Info("broadcasting to comet", "hash", tx.Hash(), "rsp", rsp, "code", rsp.Code)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -261,8 +281,7 @@ func (h *handler) broadcastTransaction(tx *ethtypes.Transaction, retries int) {
 	case sdkerrors.ErrMempoolIsFull.ABCICode():
 		h.logger.Error("failed to broadcast: comet-bft mempool is full", "tx_hash", tx.Hash())
 		telemetry.IncrCounter(float32(1), MetricKeyMempoolFull)
-	case
-		sdkerrors.ErrTxInMempoolCache.ABCICode():
+	case sdkerrors.ErrTxInMempoolCache.ABCICode():
 		return
 	default:
 		h.logger.Error("failed to broadcast transaction",
@@ -270,5 +289,7 @@ func (h *handler) broadcastTransaction(tx *ethtypes.Transaction, retries int) {
 		telemetry.IncrCounter(float32(1), MetricKeyBroadcastFailure)
 	}
 
+	h.logger.Info("failed to broadcast transaction", "tx_hash", tx.Hash(), "retries", retries)
+
 	h.failedTxs <- &failedTx{tx: tx, retries: retries}
 }
diff --git a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/handler_test.go b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/handler_test.go
index a99202a26..460ff5299 100644
--- a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/handler_test.go
+++ b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/handler_test.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ var _ = Describe("", func() {
 		subprovider = mocks.NewTxSubProvider(t)
 		subprovider.On("SubscribeTransactions", mock.Anything, mock.Anything).Return(subscription)
 		serializer = mocks.NewTxSerializer(t)
-		h = newHandler(broadcaster, subprovider, serializer, newCometRemoteCache(), log.NewTestLogger(t))
+		h = newHandler(broadcaster, nil, subprovider, serializer, newCometRemoteCache(), log.NewTestLogger(t))
 		err := h.Start()
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 		for !h.Running() {
diff --git a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/mempool.go b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/mempool.go
index ecf582eb1..63f08321a 100644
--- a/cosmos/runtime/txpool/mempool.go
+++ b/cosmos/runtime/txpool/mempool.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"math/big"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"cosmossdk.io/log"
 
@@ -92,8 +93,9 @@ func (m *Mempool) Init(
 	logger log.Logger,
 	txBroadcaster TxBroadcaster,
 	txSerializer TxSerializer,
+	txSearcher TxSearcher,
 ) {
-	m.handler = newHandler(txBroadcaster, m.TxPool, txSerializer, m.crc, logger)
+	m.handler = newHandler(txBroadcaster, txSearcher, m.TxPool, txSerializer, m.crc, logger)
 }
 
 // Start starts the Mempool TxHandler.
@@ -111,12 +113,14 @@ func (m *Mempool) Insert(ctx context.Context, sdkTx sdk.Tx) error {
 	sCtx := sdk.UnwrapSDKContext(ctx)
 	msgs := sdkTx.GetMsgs()
 	if len(msgs) != 1 {
+		sCtx.Logger().Error("mempool insert: only one message is supported")
 		return errors.New("only one message is supported")
 	}
 
 	wet, ok := utils.GetAs[*types.WrappedEthereumTransaction](msgs[0])
 	if !ok {
 		// We have to return nil for non-ethereum transactions as to not fail check-tx.
+		sCtx.Logger().Info("mempool insert: not an ethereum transaction")
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -130,14 +134,20 @@ func (m *Mempool) Insert(ctx context.Context, sdkTx sdk.Tx) error {
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
 		// Handle case where a node broadcasts to itself, we don't want it to fail CheckTx.
 		if errors.Is(errs[0], ethtxpool.ErrAlreadyKnown) &&
+			// TODO: checking for CheckTx/ReCheck here is not necessary (only ever called in CheckTx)
 			(sCtx.ExecMode() == sdk.ExecModeCheck || sCtx.ExecMode() == sdk.ExecModeReCheck) {
 			telemetry.IncrCounter(float32(1), MetricKeyMempoolKnownTxs)
+			sCtx.Logger().Info("mempool insert: tx already in mempool", "mode", sCtx.ExecMode())
 			return nil
 		}
 		return errs[0]
 	}
 
 	// Add the eth tx to the remote cache.
+	sCtx.Logger().Info(
+		"mempool insert: marking remote seen", "tx", ethTx.Hash(), "time", time.Now().Unix(),
+		"is(already)RemoteTx", m.crc.IsRemoteTx(ethTx.Hash()),
+	)
 	m.crc.MarkRemoteSeen(ethTx.Hash())
 
 	return nil