Mission: Texas

Kate and Alex sit down with Congresswoman Julie Johnson on Texas’s filing deadline day — the moment when the political map was shifting in real time. As Jasmine Crockett entered the Senate race, Colin Allred abandoned his Senate candidacy and jumped into TX-33, instantly becoming Julie's primary challenger.  Julie talks candidly about why women are not benchwarmers, why this race matters, and...

Texas is one of the most deeply churched states in America— 67% of adults here identify as Christian. So understanding how to navigate the entrenched evangelical culture that shapes so much of Texas politics is at the heart of today’s episode. Kate and Alex sit down with Brian Recker —writer, creator, and former evangelical pastor—whose book Hell Bent is reshaping the national conversation about t...

This Thanksgiving, we’re serving up a special episode of Mission: Texas with former State Rep. John Turner , the Texas Democrat who flipped a long-held Republican House seat in 2018. Whether you’re on a holiday road trip, cooking dinner, or running in a Turkey Trot, this is your political pep talk for 2026 and beyond. John shares how he went from a successful law career at a law firm to deciding a...

Note: This episode was recorded before the recent court decision on redistricting . State Rep. Mihaela Plesa (HD 70 – Collin County) joins Mission: Texas to break down how gerrymandering, mid-decade redistricting, and low turnout are keeping Texas red—and what it really takes to win in a suburban swing district north of Dallas. Mihaela shares her journey as the daughter of immigrants and a bilingu...

On a Friday night, three parents sit down to talk about the future of Texas politics — and the one county that could change everything. Allison Campolo , Chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party, joins Mission: Texas to explain why Tarrant — the last major urban county in Texas still voting Republican — might be the key to finally flipping the state. The episode opens on a hopeful note: how Ta...

Are Texas Democrats waiting for another superhero candidate — or finally ready to assemble a winning team? But what we do know - Thanos is coming, and Texas Democrats need to act fast.  In this episode of Mission: Texas , Kate and Alex sit down with strategist and former deputy  executive director of the Texas Democratic Party, Cliff Walker , the self-titled Nick Fury of Texas politics....

What if every vote came with a price tag? 💸 Political fundraiser Alex Andrade joins Mission: Texas to break down the shocking math behind campaign money — from Beto O’Rourke’s $77 million race to why Democrats might be spending big in all the wrong places. Hosts Kate Rumsey and Alex Clark unpack how much a single vote really costs, why fundraising talent is so scarce in Texas, and how smarter inv...

This week on Mission: Texas , we sit down with Texas State Senator Nathan Johnson — now a candidate for Attorney General — to talk about flipping Texas, rebuilding hope, and why the long game matters. We cover what really drove the 2018 wins, how Democrats can re-energize discouraged activists, and the practical math of turning anger and hope into actual turnout. Senator Johnson breaks down statew...

On the same day Taylor Swift drops The Life of a Showgirl, we’re bringing you The Life of a Candidate. In this ladies-only episode of Mission: Texas , host Kate Rumsey sits down with Kristian Carranza , a San Antonio organizer and candidate for Texas House District 118, to talk about the real backstage life of running for office — the heartbreak, the hope, and the hustle. Kristian opens up about l...

Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder joins Mission: Texas hosts Kate Rumsey and Alex Clark to talk about rebuilding the Texas Democratic Party from the ground up and what it will take to flip Texas by 2032 . Scudder shares his plan for strengthening grassroots infrastructure, filling precinct and county chair vacancies, launching Spanish-language communications, investing in data and voter...

In this episode of Mission: Texas, we dive into the seismic electoral shifts set to change the political landscape by 2032. With new congressional seats projected for Texas and Florida, the balance of power in the Electoral College is tipping. Discover why winning traditional blue states might not be enough and how this shift demands new strategies for securing the White House. Strap in for a deep...