Texas Tribune TribCast

In this week's episode, Matthew and Eleanor talk with politics reporter Jasper Scherer about education funding, the effort ban THC and how conservative priorities are sailing through the legislative session in Texas this year.

Big shakeups at the top of Texas’ major universities, and major legislative changes on the way to boot. Three current and former Tribune higher ed reporters overwhelm Eleanor with information. 

Urban affairs reporter Josh Fechter, and Emily Dove join the pod to talk about how the legislature is moving the needle on housing costs, zoning restrictions and property taxes.

As we embark on the month of May, the gang recaps the big topics so far - vouchers, water, immigration and THC, among others - and the work left to be done.

What the hell is happening at the Texas Lottery? Local lottery expert/Texas Tribune night reporter Ayden Runnels takes us inside.

It’s the insurgents versus the incumbents in the biggest Senate showdown in years. We dig into the details. 

With schools being a top issue this legislative session, we zoom in on one important constituency: teachers. How will the proposed pay raises affect them? What has the impact of hiring more uncertified teachers in recent years? And how are they feeling overall about their jobs? 

Legislators will attempt to clarify the abortion bans, while also further cracking down on pills. And, the first post-Dobbs arrest! 

Current status of marijuana laws and the fight to regulate - or ban - THC products

What does the space industry want from the Texas Legisature?

It’s the five year anniversary of COVID, and Texas is facing measles, avian flu and increased vaccine hesitancy. What have we learned?

Things are about to significantly speed up under the dome, but there have been no shortage of fireworks so far. We’ll recap what’s already happened and what’s to come. We’ll also bid adieu to James. 

In this week's episode, Matthew speaks with University of Texas at Austin professor Sherri Greenberg about attempts by state lawmakers to protect Texans from the dangers of artificial intelligence and the blowback it's creating by some Republicans and people in the tech industry.

On this week's episode, we talk about the one-year anniversary of the Panhandle wildfires and how prepared Texas is for various natural disasters. 

On this week’s episode, the gang digs into the hot issue of the session: school vouchers, featuring public education reporter Jaden Edison

How the federal government is running with Texas’ playbook on immigration

Looking at Abbott's state of the state speech and his role in the legislative session.

On this week's episode, we recap the week's news and interview an expert on the state's need for water infrastructure investment. 

On this week’s episode, the crew talks Trump’s inauguration, the Texans in the new administration and what it’ll all mean for Texas.

On this week’s episode, the team dissects the first day of the legislative session and the vote for the next speaker of the House.

The Texas Tribune’s politics podcast returns with a look at the race for House speaker, the future of school vouchers and other major legislative issues this year.

After a year-plus hiatus, The Texas Tribune's political podcast is back forthe 2025 legislative session.

The Texas Tribune put this podcast on hiatus in August 2023 due to staffing changes in the newsroom. The TribCast was The Texas Tribune's weekly political podcast, hosted by Matthew Watkins and featuring a rotating cast of editors, reporters and other guests.

In this week’s episode, we discuss the changes at Houston ISD after a state takeover in June.

In this week’s episode, we discuss two cases at Texas A&M University that raised questions of academic freedom — and the fallout that ensued.