Texas Take

Texas Take

Who’s responsible for opening Texas schools during a pandemic?

Aug 6 • 52 min

Gov. Greg Abbott this week is trying to make it clear that local school boards, not his office, are responsible for the speed at which students across Texas return to the classroom as the coronavirus continues to ravage the state, nation, and the world.…

President Trump stumps for oil industry support in Texas, but Covid-19 steals the show

Jul 30 • 42 min

President Trump arrived in the emerging coronavirus hotspot of Midland-Odessa this week to fundraise and lend his support to the struggling Texas oil and gas industry. But his visit was overshadowed by the fact that two Republicans, Rep. Louie Gohmet and…

Beto says the Texas GOP is a “Death Cult,” Gov. Abbott pushes back

Jul 23 • 54 min

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke went right at Gov. Greg Abbott’s coronavirus response this week by saying the Texas GOP is a “death cult” and they “want you to do the dying.” Abbott shrugged that off by saying the Democrat is a politician who isn’t in office…

What’s it Take to Keep Texas Open? Wear a Mask

Jul 16 • 58 min

Gov. Greg Abbott is now stressing that if people would just wear masks in public, he will not have to impose restrictions once again on business and movement to control the spread of coronavirus. Meantime, runoff elections across the state have now set…

A showdown over the Texas GOP convention and Gov. Abbott plays the blame game

Jul 9 • 51 min

Texas Republicans clashed with the Democratic Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner, as his administration moved abruptly to shut down the party’s massive convention that health experts had warned would be a “super spreader event” during a pandemic. Plus…

The Consistent Inconsistency of Gov. Abbott’s Pandemic Response

Jul 3 • 51 min

Gov. Greg Abbott did a 180 on more than one major policy position this week: He’s now shut down bars again across the state and is requiring that the vast majority of Texans wear a mask when in public. Plus, Little Gov. Dan Patrick says he and the State…

Pushing the Pause Button on Reopening Texas

Jun 25 • 45 min

With cases of coronavirus spiking around the state, Gov. Greg Abbott this week is slowing down the reopening of businesses and even talking about potentially “ratcheting back” the openings that have already been allowed. Plus a right-wing group that has…

The Abbott COVID-19 guessing game

Jun 17 • 53 min

Gov. Greg Abbott is treating the response to COVID-19 like a guessing game for local officials and business owners trying to keep Texans safe during a pandemic. Plus, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and George P. Bush are fighting over the Alamo and Joe Biden is…

A huge spike in COVID hospitalizations and talk of reform after the death of George Floyd

Jun 11 • 41 min

A busy week in Texas politics with a huge spike in numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations, talk of reforms following the death of George Floyd, Republicans calling out their own for racism, and one powerful lawmaker putting legal pot into the mix as a way…

Texas says no thanks to military intervention amid protests

Jun 4 • 51 min

Despite President Trump’s threat to send the US military into states to deal with protesters in the wake of the murder of Houston native George Floyd, Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas will not request that kind of intervention. Meantime, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick…

Hitting the road during the pandemic

May 29 • 57 min

Jeremy traveled the Western United States over the last few days and has stories from the road about how different states and communities are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Meantime, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says mail in voting is a “scam” by Democrats…

The single worst day for COVID-19 cases in Texas - but open up the state, baby

May 20 • 46 min

Gov. Greg Abbott proceeded with allowing more Texas businesses to open this week even after the state recorded its worst day for COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began. Plus, Texas Democrats and Attorney General Ken Paxton are battling it out in the…

Is Gov. Abbott doing a “hell of a job” in this pandemic?

May 15 • 31 min

He’s not on the ballot this year, but Gov. Greg Abbott shifted into campaign mode this week in response to heat he took from his right flank last week for not moving quickly enough to open certain businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic. Plus: Surprise…

Is this a pandemic or a Texas GOP primary election?

May 8 • 43 min

Remember how Texas was going to go slow in reopening businesses? Well that’s over. Gov. Abbott this week said hair salons can open ahead of schedule after conservatives were outraged over the case of one salon owner who was briefly jailed in Dallas for…

Premature or right on schedule? Texas opens for business

May 1 • 33 min

Gov. Greg Abbott has lifted what he called a “stay at home” order and is allowing certain businesses all over the state to begin opening at limited capacity. How’s that going to go amid a global pandemic that’s killed more than 60,000 Americans? Plus Lt.…

The fight over face masks in Texas

Apr 24 • 37 min

The latest order from a local leader in Texas for residents to cover their faces amid the coronavirus pandemic has turned into a political firestorm. Plus, Gov. Greg Abbott says he isn’t ruling out a statewide order for Texans to wear masks to protect…

Texas Strike Force, Assemble!

Apr 18 • 40 min

Gov. Greg Abbott this week unveiled the Strike Force to Reopen Texas, aimed at restarting business in phases and returning the state to some sense of “normalcy” amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Meantime, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is back on the leash with rhetoric…

Patrick wants to restart business in May, Abbott says decisions are based on “data and doctors”

Apr 10 • 24 min

While Gov. Greg Abbott says his decisions are based on “data and doctors,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is telling GOP grassroots activists that the Texas economy could be restarted as soon as the first week in May. Plus, the battle over Texas’ abortion ban…

Patrick wants to restart business in May, Abbott says decisions are based on “data and doctors”

Apr 10 • 24 min

While Gov. Greg Abbott says his decisions are based on “data and doctors,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is telling GOP grassroots activists that the Texas economy could be restarted as soon as the first week in May. Plus, the battle over Texas’ abortion ban…

Bonus: ‘I’ve never missed a Holy Week’

Apr 7 • 15 min

We hope you have found the series of Coronavirus Chronicle bonus episodes informative and entertaining. Follow the show on . Click subscribe — it’s free — to receive fresh episodes daily. The Rev. Hannah Atkins Romero, rector of Trinity…

Bonus: Journalist, artist, historian: a photographer’s view of the pandemic

Apr 6 • 14 min

Today, we’re sharing an episode of “Coronavirus Chronicle” with Texas Take listeners. Previous episodes at available on . Houston Chronicle photojournalist Marie De Jesús illuminates the balancing act between keeping a safe distance and capturing the…

Bonus: Disaster expert Angela Blanchard on making the Covid crisis visible

Apr 4 • 21 min

Today, we’re sharing an episode of our new podcast “Coronavirus Chronicle” with Texas Take listeners. Listen to previous episodes . Houstonians know all about hurricanes: Wind speed, the dirty side, the European models. But what do we need to track…

Gov. Abbott says to stay home, sort of

Apr 3 • 28 min

Gov. Greg Abbott this week issued his strongest order yet in the battle against COVID-19, but stopped short of telling Texans to stay at home. The very next day, however, Abbott said Texans are required to stay home except for essential services. Plus…

Bonus: Jobs are gone, but the rent is still due

Apr 2 • 14 min

Today, we’re sharing an episode of our new podcast “Coronavirus Chronicle” with Texas Take listeners. Listen to previous episodes . As March turned into April and the Houston stay-at-home order was extended to the start of May, renters who found…

Editor Steve Riley: Crisis coverage and the virtual newsroom

Apr 1 • 13 min

Today, we’re sharing an episode of our new podcast “Coronavirus Chronicle” with Texas Take listeners. Listen to previous episodes . As Houston Chronicle executive editor Steve Riley said recently in a letter to readers: Quite suddenly, your lives have…

Dan Patrick’s Solution

Mar 27 • 32 min

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds around the globe, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick caught heat this week for suggesting senior citizens would be willing to sacrifice their lives in exchange for preserving the American economy. Meantime, Gov. Greg Abbott…

Shutting down a lot of Texas

Mar 19 • 35 min

While stressing it is not a shelter in place order, Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday ordered bars, restaurants, gyms, and schools to close for the next couple weeks. Drive-thru and takeout service is still available for now and grocery stores…

EDITORIAL: #StayHome

Mar 19 • 7 min

Listen to the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board’s impassioned plea to Houstonians coping with the coronavirus — “Stay home!” — as expressed by editorial board member Monica Rohr.

Cancel culture goes viral

Mar 12 • 35 min

Cancellations of events big and small, from SXSW to Rodeo Houston, are coming fast and furious as business and government work to keep the coronavirus from spreading. Plus, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says he doesn’t care what the numbers looked like in the…

The moderates strike back

Mar 4 • 40 min

Super Tuesday turned out to be an underwhelming result for Bernie Sanders as Joe Biden’s campaign sprung back to life following his resounding win in South Carolina. Scott Braddock, Jeremy Wallace, Erica Grieder, and Jasper Scherer break down…

South Carolina changes everything ahead of Super Tuesday

Mar 1 • 31 min

A resounding victory for Joe Biden in South Carolina this weekend has potentially reshaped the race for the Democratic nomination heading into Super Tuesday when voters in Texas and about a dozen other states head to the polls. Jeremy Wallace and…

Is 2020 the year of the millennial in Texas?

Feb 20 • 27 min

As the presidential nominating contest heats up, many Texas Democrats are watching and waiting to see how the Nevada caucuses and the South Carolina primary play out before casting their votes. Jeremy has the numbers. Plus Andrea takes a deep…

It’s go time in Texas with early voting starting next week

Feb 14 • 39 min

The rubber meets the road in the 2020 election this week as early voting starts on Tuesday. Mike Bloomberg was in Houston alongside Mayor Sylvester Turner working to turn out the black community for the former New York mayor in his bid…

Special Edition - Live Election Preview

Feb 10 • 45 min

On Sunday, Scott and Jeremy appeared before Texas REALTORS® in Austin during their winter meeting, where the group is celebrating its centennial. This special edition of the show digs deep into the political lay of the land following the Iowa…

The Blue Spine of Texas Grows as Democrats Head to New Hampshire

Feb 7 • 36 min

With Iowa in the history books but not completely settled, Democrats head to the Granite State to battle it out in the nation’s first primary. Scott was in Iowa this week and has the latest. Meantime, Jeremy and Andrea fills us in on what’s happening…

The Texas GOP debates acceptance of gay Republicans

Jan 31 • 42 min

The Republican Party of Texas this weekend is considering whether accept gay members of their party as an officially recognized partner in trying to win elections. It’s a fascinating look at the inner workings of the majority party in this state….

Gov. Abbott hopes new Texans won’t mess up the place

Jan 23 • 33 min

Gov. Greg Abbott warns people moving to Texas from New York, Illinois, and other Democratic states against bringing Democratic policies with them. “Don’t blow it,” he said. Plus 16 million people are now registered to vote in this state and President…

Getting Nasty Now. Must be Primary Season in Texas

Jan 17 • 42 min

The special election for a Texas House seat in Fort Bend County has gotten downright nasty. Scott was there this week and has the story. Jeremy tells us about the record number of people running for Congress in the Houston area. And Allie has the…

Investigating Iranian Cyber-attacks in Texas

Jan 9 • 36 min

As tensions flare with Iran, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says Iranian cyber attacks are attempted against state government systems as often as 10,000 a minute. Meantime, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller says the FBI is investigating an…

Castro Out

Jan 3 • 45 min

Former San Antonio Mayor and HUD Secretary Julian Castro dropped his bid for the presidency this week. Jeremy’s been covering the campaign and has the scoop. Meantime, a church shooting in the Fort Worth area has thrust the gun debate back into the…

Trump Impeached

Dec 19, 2019 • 47 min

Texans weigh in on both sides of the impeachment of President Donald John Trump, with Sen. Ted Cruz taking the lead and accusing Speaker Nancy Pelosi of making threats in in the process. Meantime, Scott and Jeremy weigh on their top stories of 2019:…

Who’s President Trump’s biggest defender now? The guy he’s called “Lyin’ Ted Cruz”

Dec 12, 2019 • 32 min

As impeachment moves forward in Washington Sen. Ted Cruz has now emerged as perhaps President Donald Trump’s biggest defender. Candidates have now lined up for Congress, Texas House, and other offices across the state, with a record number of…

A GOP Flameout in Fort Bend and Impeachment Drives Texas Donations to Trump

Dec 6, 2019 • 40 min

The political career of a Republican lawmaker came to a swift end in the Texas suburbs this week after he made racially offensive comments about Asian Americans. Houston Chronicle reporter Andrea Zelinski has the scoop. Speaking of scoops, Chronicle…

President Trump Comes to Texas, Dan Patrick Hangs with Kanye West

Nov 22, 2019 • 32 min

President Trump made yet another trip to Texas this week, this time to tour the Apple campus in Austin to put a focus on the economy. But he ended up talking about the impeachment proceedings anyway. Plus Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick spent time with…

Texans on Both Sides in the Impeachment Hearings

Nov 14, 2019 • 38 min

Republicans and Democrats in Congress played key roles in public impeachment hearings as they began to unfold in Washington this week. We break it down for you. Plus, a Texas lawmaker is caught with cocaine at the Austin airport and, one last time,…

What Keeps Dan Patrick Up at Night? Answer: Michelle Obama Running for President

Nov 6, 2019 • 33 min

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick this week said that what he thinks would make the Democrats competitive against President Trump would be Michelle Obama entering the race for the White House. Meantime Democrats under performed in a suburban Houston race for Texas…

Finding Nuance in the Era of Trump? Good Luck

Oct 31, 2019 • 33 min

Texans in Congress went on the record this week voting for or against procedures for the impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, stands out from his GOP colleagues as a member of the party looking for…

The Speaker of the Texas House falls

Oct 24, 2019 • 32 min

After months of scandal that boiled over last week with the release of secretly-recorded audio, Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen announced this week he will not seek reelection in 2020. Meantime, the Texans running for the White House really need…

Trump says Texas got rich off Hurricane Harvey, Speaker Bonnen faces his own storm

Oct 18, 2019 • 55 min

President Trump rallied his supporters in Dallas this week and took a swipe at Texans in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, joking about leaders in this state still calling him for money two years later. Meantime, the Texas House Republicans rebuffed the…

Texas GOP blowback to President Trump

Oct 10, 2019 • 40 min

President Trump’s abrupt decision to pull US troops from Northern Syria has drawn sharp criticism from some Texas Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Dan Crenshaw. Also, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke plans a counter rally as President Trump…

Down to the wire for Texans running for president

Oct 2, 2019 • 44 min

Fundraising and polling is more critical than ever for former Rep. Beto O’Rourke and former Secretary Julian Castro as they try to avoid being cut from the field of Democratic presidential hopefuls. Meantime, new polling shows very…

Ep157: Movement toward impeachment forces Texas politicians to choose sides

Sep 27, 2019 • 45 min

Now that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has hit the gas toward impeaching President Donald Trump, every Democrat in Congress from Texas has come out in favor of moving forward with the inquiry. But Republicans including Sen. John Conryn say some of the…

All-out civil war in the Texas GOP?

Sep 20, 2019 • 54 min

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s feud with hard line conservatives on the issue of guns has put into sharp focus the deep divisions in the Texas GOP. You can add that to the fact that grassroots conservatives are debating whether Republican House Speaker Dennis…

Historic Debate in Houston

Sep 11, 2019 • 41 min

On the eve of an historic debate in Houston, we break down how the Texas candidates may approach it and look back on the fact that 1987 was the only other time Democratic presidential hopefuls debated in Houston - and Joe Biden was on stage. Meantime,…

A special session on gun violence? Not so fast

Sep 5, 2019 • 34 min

In the wake of shootings in El Paso and Odessa, Democrats across Texas demanded Gov. Greg Abbott call a special session on gun violence. But he was quick to say no and instead issue eight executive orders. Meantime, Rep. Dan Crenshaw got into a social…

Mistakes were made, Gov. Abbott says

Aug 31, 2019 • 48 min

In a rare conciliatory moment, Gov. Greg Abbott this week admitted that “mistakes were made” in the days before the El Paso shooting when his campaign sent an anti-immigrant fundraising letter to supporters. Critics said it was similar in tone to the…

Ep152: A Republican at the center of the Speaker scandal breaks his silence

Aug 22, 2019 • 43 min

After weeks of silence, former Texas House GOP Caucus Chairman Dustin Burrows on Thursday spoke out about the allegations that he and Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen offered media credentials to a political operative in exchange for targeting GOP…

The Texas House Speaker Under Investigation

Aug 16, 2019 • 59 min

As a scandal grows surrounding Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, a committee of lawmakers this week voted to ask the Texas Rangers to investigate the meeting between Bonnen and Empower Texans spokesman Michael Quinn Sullivan. Plus the State of…

Ep150: Fallout from the mass shooting in El Paso

Aug 9, 2019 • 39 min

This week the political ramifications were apparent but progress toward solutions was not after the mass shooting in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in particular was reaching for reasons including blaming graphic video games and social…

Ep149: Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen faces his first scandal

Aug 2, 2019 • 33 min

As he faces accusations of potential bribery and politically targeting members of his own party, Republican Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen has demanded that an audio recording be released of a meeting he had with the spokesman for a group called…

Ep148: Another Texas Republican surrenders in the suburbs

Jul 26, 2019 • 39 min

In perhaps a sign of things to come, another Texas Republican officeholder from the suburbs has announced he’s not running for re-election. Meantime, Democrats are ruffling some feathers in Austin by telling corporate lobbyists the minority party is…

GOP builds a fortress against Democrats vying for Texas House seats

Jul 19, 2019 • 32 min

Since the end of the legislative session, top Texas Republican officeholders have raised an eye popping $18 million as they promise their supporters they can keep Democrats from taking over the Texas House of Representatives in 2020. Houston Chronicle…

Ep 146: Houston will be the center of the political universe again

Jul 12, 2019 • 35 min

Houston has been chosen as the site of the third Democratic presidential debate coming up in September just. And there are more Democrats running for Congress in Texas than at any time in a generation. No wonder the Republican Party of Texas is…

O’Rourke and Castro Clash in First Democratic Debate

Jun 27, 2019 • 46 min

As the Democratic presidential debates got underway this week, the Texans in the race clashed before a national audience creating fresh buzz for former HUD Secretary Julian Castro. He laid into former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who barely cast a…

Beto Slams Biden; Castro Appears on Fox News

Jun 13, 2019 • 40 min

The Texas Democrats in the race for the White House are trying to stand out from the huge field of candidates by slamming former VP Joe Biden and by appearing on Fox News Channel. Meantime, some are asking whether Texas Democrats are acting as…

Was Gov. Abbott Directly Involved in the Voter Purge?

Jun 6, 2019 • 26 min

New emails shed some light on whether Gov. Greg Abbott was directly involved in the botched voter purge rolled out earlier this year. San Antonio Express-News reporter Allie Morris joined us with details and explained what questions remain….

A Grand Bargain as the Session Comes to an End

May 24, 2019 • 42 min

The 2019 session of the Texas Legislature is coming to an end this weekend as the House and Senate plan to vote on a grand bargain for public education funding and property tax “relief.” Meantime, Beto O’Rourke now says it’s time to start impeachment…

Saving Chik-fil-A, Space Pirates, and a White Flag of Surrender

May 17, 2019 • 27 min

After a legislative session that had been focused like a laser on property tax relief and school finances, suddenly the “Save Chik-fil-A” bill, a “voter suppression” measure, abortion bills and more are on the move at the Texas…

The Sales Tax Plan Falls Apart

May 9, 2019 • 48 min

The Texas Senate this week voted to make it harder for communities to get rid of Confederate statues and other monuments, but will this become law? Plus the tax plan that Gov. Greg Abbott guaranteed just last week would pass is now dead. For a…

Gov. Abbott Doubles Down on Sales Tax Increase

May 3, 2019 • 37 min

Gov. Greg Abbott this week promised that when this legislature completes its work, property owners in this state will see lower tax bills than they received this year. Even some conservatives said it might be his “read my lips” moment….

Houston takes center stage in race for the White House

Apr 25, 2019 • 42 min

This week, eight of the Democrats running for president made their pitch in Houston at Texas Southern University. Jeremy was there. In Austin, the debate over taking a softer stance on marijuana heated up as the Texas House delved into the issue….

Ep137: Dan Patrick’s do-over on the border

Apr 18, 2019 • 42 min

With more and more people in the Texas Capitol community hoping Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will receive a plum appointment in the Trump Administration, the Texas Senate’s presiding officer faced off with Democrats in dueling press conferences about the…

Trump vs Castro in Texas

Apr 12, 2019 • 50 min

With Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick at his side, President Donald Trump took a brief tour of Texas as former San Antonio Mayor and HUD Secretary Julian Castro rallied his troops in his bid for the White House. Plus, a plan to raise sales taxes in exchange for…

Amid School Finance Debate, Texas Republicans Come Under Fire for Being “Too Liberal”

Apr 4, 2019 • 52 min

Now that the Texas House has approved a major school finance overhaul, what happens next? Meantime some self-described conservatives are attacking GOP leadership including Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick as “too liberal.” Really? Oh, and…

Beto’s kickoff; priorities moving through the legislature

Mar 29, 2019 • 50 min

After months of talk from Republican leadership in Austin about how they’re all on the same page when it comes to property taxes and school finance, those issues are finally moving through the process. But now it seems there’s a rush to pass something…

A New Dan Patrick?

Mar 22, 2019 • 33 min

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has begun to strike a very different tone in his governing style and in speeches. Why’s that? Plus, Beto O’Rourke raised a mountain of money as he kicked off his campaign and support for a ban on red light cameras seems to be…

Beto O’Rourke is Running For President

Mar 14, 2019 • 37 min

Beto O’Rourke jumped into the race for President of the United States on Thursday, and President Trump can’t help it, he’s already making fun of the former Texas Congressman. Plus, speaking of presidential politicking, why did Houston miss out on the…

Marijuana bill gains momentum, school finance plan rolls out and should Texas nix daylight saving time?

Mar 8, 2019 • 42 min

Will Texas “decriminalize” marijuana? There’s a legitimate question as to whether the proposals will cross the finish line and become law this year. Plus; nearly a dozen presidential contenders make their way to Austin for SXSW. The Texas…

Beto rules out Senate run; Texas House gets its shot at property taxes

Feb 28, 2019 • 51 min

Another busy week in Texas politics — from Beto O’Rourke’s possible race for the White House to a marathon hearing at the state capitol over your property taxes. Plus an update on Texas Secretary of State David Whitley’s attempt to keep his…

Can Texas Lawmakers Really Avoid Red Meat? Plus, it Turns Out Beto Spent More Time on Oprah’s Couch

Feb 21, 2019 • 33 min

An abortion bill is in the mix along with taxes and school finance. More on Beto’s couch time with Oprah.

Trump vs Beto, and the Secretary of State apologizes

Feb 14, 2019 • 35 min

President Donald Trump and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke held dueling rallies in El Paso trading jabs over the idea of more physical barriers along the international boundary with Mexico. After the rallies, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said that not only was…

The property tax throwdown begins, plus Beto O’Rourke on Oprah’s couch

Feb 7, 2019 • 61 min

Frustrations boiled over during a marathon hearing on property taxes in the Texas Senate when Chairman Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, clashed with local officials. Gov. Greg Abbott laid out his priorities, including property tax “reform” and school…

Abbott unveils a tax plan, secretary of state rolls back a voter list, and Cornyn gets a head start on re-election

Feb 1, 2019 • 48 min

Abbott unveils a tax plan, secretary of state rolls back a voter list, and Cornyn gets a head start on re-election Texas Secretary of State David Whitley continues to take heat for the way his office rolled out a list of suspected noncitizens on the…

The Shutdown Showdown and a Meltdown in the Texas Senate

Jan 24, 2019 • 51 min

The debate over the federal government shutdown in Washington has become emotional with senators shouting at each other on the Senate floor and Sen. Ted Cruz taking the brunt of the criticism from those who argue he has trivialized shutdowns in the…

Castro is in, Beto is in a funk, and Abbott promises the moon this session

Jan 17, 2019 • 27 min

Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick were inaugurated this week as they begin their second terms as the top elected officeholders in Texas. Each made a solid commitment to funding public education while the House and Senate offered their initial…

Dan Patrick skips beginning of legislative session to help Trump sell wall

Jan 11, 2019 • 41 min

Sparking rumors that he is joining the Trump administration, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick skipped town on the first day of the legislative session this week to join the president in the White House. Patrick denied reports that he is seeking a role in…

Ep122: As 2018 comes to a close, is Texas politically different?

Dec 20, 2018 • 45 min

The ascendancy of Texas Democrats in 2018 - knocking off Republicans in legislative races and making statewide races more competitive than they’ve been in decades - will no doubt set the tone for 2019 Legislature. At this time two years ago,…

Ep121: Castro moves toward a run for the White House and Beto gets the biggest celebrity dollars

Dec 14, 2018 • 32 min

Now that much of the national conversation about politics has moved to the 2020 race for the White House, former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro is inching toward entering the race. Join the conversation featuring , editor of The Quorum Report, Texas…

Ep120: Bush 41 Laid to Rest in Texas

Dec 7, 2018 • 41 min

The nation paused this week to pay tribute to former President George Herbert Walker Bush, who was laid to rest at his presidential library on the campus at Texas A&M University in College Station. Meantime, the Republican Party of Texas was…

Ep119: Paxton Sues San Antonio Over Sanctuary Cities Law and Beto Has a Change of Heart

Nov 30, 2018 • 41 min

exas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday announced his office is suing the City of San Antonio over alleged violations of the state’s ban on so-called “sanctuary cities.” The move comes ahead of the next legislative session when lawmakers are…

Ep118: A new presumptive Texas House Speaker and an outbreak of decency

Nov 16, 2018 • 37 min

The race for Texas House Speaker was declared over this week by Rep. Dennis Bonnen, who provided a list of 109 pledges to his candidacy. He only needed 76 votes of House members to get the job, but Republicans and Democrats came together in a unique…

Ep117: The election is over, but what does it all mean?

Nov 8, 2018 • 33 min

The historic 2018 Texas election is in the books and even though some of the dust has yet to settle — the vote counting continues in a few races — there is plenty to be said for what it all means. The race between Sen. Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke was…

Ep116: What’s Scarier? Halloween or the campaigns?

Nov 1, 2018 • 27 min

President Trump this week ratcheted up his rhetoric on illegal immigration, threatening to send as many as 15,000 troops to the US-Mexico border in response to a caravan of people traveling north from Central America. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has fully…

Ep115: Trump comes to Texas as Senate race surpasses $100M milestone

Oct 26, 2018 • 32 min

President Donald Trump arrived in Houston this week to a warm welcome at a rally in support of Sen. Ted Cruz as Texas’ junior senator fends off a spirited and well-funded challenge by Rep. Beto O’Rourke. Plus, Ryan Poppe has an in-depth report on…

Ep114: Is a vote for Cruz a vote for Trump?

Oct 18, 2018 • 32 min

Sen. Ted Cruz is getting backup from President Trump on Monday when he comes to Houston to rally for the senator fending off a challenge from Democratic Rep. Beto O’Rourke. Trump’s theme at campaign rallies around the nation has been that a vote for…

Ep113: Critics say “Come on, Ted.” And the polls show he’s coming on.

Oct 11, 2018 • 33 min

Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Beto O’Rourke are making their final arguments to voters across the Great State in the home stretch of the U.S. Senate campaign. Richard Linklater, the renowned Austin filmmaker, has now directed TV ads for an anti-Cruz PAC in…

Ep112: Cruz Teams With Donald Trump Jr, O’Rourke Teams with Willie Nelson

Oct 4, 2018 • 40 min

The star power is now coming out in the Texas US Senate race as Sen. Ted Cruz and challenger Rep. Beto O’Rourke look to offer voters a dramatic contrast. Sen. Cruz welcomed First Son Donald Trump Jr. to Wichita Falls, O’Rourke welcomed Texas icon…

Ep111: It’s Round Two for Ted and Beto

Sep 27, 2018 • 40 min

Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Beto O’Rourke are set to clash in their second debate this weekend in Houston. On the show, we break down the first debate in Dallas and offer a preview of how the Senate candidates may throw down in Houston Sunday night. …

Ep 110: Willie Nelson doesn’t care what you think of his politics

Sep 20, 2018 • 44 min

Willie Nelson took a lot of heat this week for his upcoming concert to fundraiser for Democratic Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke, but he doesn’t seem to care. Meantime, O’Rourke’s trailing Sen. Ted Cruz in one new poll this week and leading him in…

Ep 109: The Mission to Rescue Ted Cruz

Sep 14, 2018 • 39 min

Republicans are sounding the alarm that Sen. Ted Cruz could be in real danger of losing his reelection bid to Rep. Beto O’Rourke. That’s why Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick reportedly went to the White House earlier this year to ask that President Trump come…