Second Reading Podcast

Jim Henson and Josh Blank look the state of play in the final days of the special session, and discuss how to assess the overall performance of the 88th Legislature.

Jim Henson and Joshua Blank look at results from the off-year election in Texas and the U.S., and ponder legislative politics as yet another special session gets underway.

Jim Henson and Joshua Blank look at Texans’ views of vouchers as the legislature remains at an impasse on the issue, and discuss what the latest UT/Texas Politics Project Poll reveals about views of Ken Paxton as his securities fraud trial begins in Houston.

 The UT/Texas Politics Project polling team – Jim Henson, Daron Shaw, and Josh Blank – discuss results related to the 2024 election in Texas from the just-released October UT/Texas Politics Project Poll.

Jim Henson and Josh Blank discuss how intraparty fights among Republicans in the US Congress and the Texas Legislature reveals the multiple axes of conflict in the GOP, and the shifting ideological terrain of the party both nationally and in Texas.

Jim Henson and Joshua Blank discuss how Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s special session agenda taps into the GOP primary electorate, and look at the latest hostilities between Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker of the House Dade Phelan.

Jim and Josh look at the internecine politics of the Texas GOP and the calculations of the Big Three with the legislature set to begin the long-awaited “voucher session” – and consider the GOP meltdown in the US House as context for the #txlege.

Jim Henson and Joshua Blank talk about Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s signal on Fox News that he would add border security to his impending call for another special session of the legislature.

Jim Henson & Josh Blank look at the multiple factors that shaped the decision of (most) Republicans in the Texas Senate’s to reject the House’s impeachment charges against Ken Paxton – and the fallout.

Jim Henson, Joshua Blank & Daron Shaw talk over results from the latest UT/Texas Politics Project Poll related to the 2024 election.

Jim and Josh try to figure out what we might have learned from the first week of Ken Paxton’s trial in the Texas Senate, and look at interesting results on Texas’ border buoys and public education.

Jim & Josh discuss results from a new UT/Texas Politics Project Poll that finds Republican still divided or withholding judgment with suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton’s trial is set to begin.

Jim and Josh look at Texas polling data suggesting most Texans hadn’t heard enough about Ken Paxton’s legal problems to consider his reelection evidence of forgiveness.

Jim Henson and Josh Blank discuss the politics of Greg Abbott’s latest testing of the boundaries of support for his border policies, and look at the impact in Texas, or lack thereof, of the latest Trump indictments.

Jim Henson talks with Lauren McGaughy of the Dallas Morning News about the latest developments in the trials of Ken Paxton.

Jim and Josh take a close look Texans’ reviews of the legislature’s action on policies in the state and the generally mediocre reviews of the 88th Legislature (so far). 

Daron Shaw and Joshua Blank join Jim Henson for a conversation about Texans’ largely lackluster reviews of the Texas legislature session in the just-released June UT/Texas Politics Project Poll.

Jim and Josh discuss the impact (or lack thereof) of Republican legal issues on politics and public opinion in Texas.

Jim and Josh discuss Texas Republicans’ curious failure to agree on a plan for delivering a central campaign promise as Dan Patrick pushes back hard against the Governor and the Texas House.

Jim and Josh talk about Gov. Greg Abbott’s quick call for a special session and the politics of Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment and his looming trial in the senate.

 Jim and Josh look at where key legislation stands as the 88th Texas Legislature enters the final week. 

Jim Henson & Josh Blank look at the dynamics of disagreement among Texas Republicans as the 88th Texas Legislature enters its final weeks.

Jim and Josh look at what the latest UT/Texas Politics Project Poll tells us about the surprising movement of a gun bill in the legislature, & Gov. Abbott’s latest moves on the border.

This week, Jim and Josh are joined by Daron Shaw to discuss the results of the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, and what it tells us about politics and policy in the Texas legislature, and Collin Allred’s entrance in the 2024 U.S. Senate Race.

This week, Jim and Josh discuss recent polling data on Texans use and views of media and social media.