Texas Talks

Veteran Texas politics reporter Brad Johnson joins the Texas Talks Podcast to break down the biggest policy fights shaping Texas in 2026. From water shortages and data centers to property tax relief, school vouchers, nuclear energy, and artificial intelligence, this wide-ranging conversation explains what actually passed in 2025—and what still lies ahead. The episode closes with a sharp analysis o...

Texas Christmas trees are more than a holiday tradition—they’re a growing agricultural industry reshaping rural economies across the state. In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Stan Reed, Executive Secretary of the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association, to explore how Texas farmers are expanding from traditional crops into Christmas tree farming, agritourism, and year...

Texas Hospital Association CEO John Hawkins joins Brad Swail to break down the toughest challenges facing health care in Texas — from rural hospital closures and workforce shortages to Medicare policy, uninsured rates, and the future of federal funding. Hawkins explains how geography, payer mix, population growth, and administrative burdens are reshaping the system, and outlines the state and fede...

Texas housing is shifting fast — and in this in-depth interview, Texas Realtors Vice President of Governmental Affairs Tray Bates breaks down the real forces driving prices, affordability, and policy debates across the state. We cover the post-COVID market cooldown, interest-rate shocks, short-term rentals, global capital flowing into Texas development, and the growing “missing middle” problem aff...

Texas Talks host Brad Swail sits down with Peyton Schumann — the Interim Executive Director of Government Relations for the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association — for a deep dive into the challenges and future of cattle ranching in Texas. They cover everything from rising beef prices and drought-driven herd declines to the complexities of beef imports, federal trade policy, and the thre...

Dr. Audrey Young, elected to the Texas State Board of Education in 2020, joins Texas Talks for an in-depth conversation about the real state of special education in Texas. Drawing from 31 years in public schools as a speech therapist, reading specialist, administrator, and executive director, Dr. Young clarifies how dyslexia policy is being reshaped, why the statewide special-education population...

Former Railroad Commission Chairman and current head of the Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance, Barry Smitherman , joins host Brad Swail to break down the next big chapter in Texas energy. From the state’s oil legacy to the rise of geothermal power , Smitherman explains how advances in drilling technology, abandoned oil wells, and dispatchable clean energy could redefine the grid. They discuss what...

In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail interviews Kelley Shannon , Executive Director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas . They discuss the state’s Public Information Act , government transparency, and why access to information is essential for accountability. Shannon explains how Texas laws were built after the Sharpstown scandal, how lawmakers have gradually weakened the...

Texas Talks host Brad Swail sits down with Reed Clay , President of the Texas Nuclear Alliance , to discuss how nuclear energy could reshape Texas’ power future. Clay explains why the state hasn’t built a new plant in over 30 years, the myths and politics that sidelined nuclear in the 1990s, and how AI data centers and small modular reactors (SMRs) are driving a modern nuclear renaissance. From Wi...

Economist Dr. Raymond Robertson joins host Brad Swail on Texas Talks to explain a surprising discovery: the United States actually imports plastic waste — and how tariffs, recycling incentives, and Texas-style solutions could change that. Robertson, Director of the Mosbacher Institute at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, breaks down how a simple deposit-refund system could clean up...

In this Texas Talks interview, Vulcan Technologies CEO Tanner Jones explains how his AI platform “maps the law” to simplify regulation, empower builders, and strengthen American competitiveness. From Virginia’s landmark use of AI in government to the potential for Texas to unleash new growth, Jones shares a bold vision for abundance, innovation, and smarter governance. Watch Full-Length Interviews...

In this episode of Texas Talks , Brad Swail sits down with Tom Butler, Vice Chair of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. They dive into Texas’s booming energy sector, the state’s role in powering the nation, and how licensing reforms are shaping a skilled workforce. Butler shares insights on balancing regulation with growth, the rise of AI and data centers, and why small nuclear powe...

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath joins the Texas Talks podcast to discuss the future of education in the Lone Star State. From literacy challenges and the impact of cell phones in classrooms, to the A–F accountability system and the new Bluebonnet curriculum, Morath shares his vision for improving student outcomes statewide. He also breaks down the Teacher Incentive Allotment program, whic...

In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Mary Lynn Pruneda , Director of Education & Workforce Policy at Texas 2036 and former education policy advisor to Gov. Greg Abbott. They dive into the controversies and complexities of Texas public education —from the end of the STAAR test to the new three-test system, literacy challenges, teacher pay, and the long-term workforce impa...

In this episode of Texas Talks , Brad Swail sits down with Kelsey Streufert, Chief Public Affairs Officer at the Texas Restaurant Association, to discuss the future of Texas dining. From Covid recovery to supply chain disruptions, property tax hikes, immigration, tariffs, and credit card swipe fees, restaurants are facing relentless challenges. Kelsey breaks down how new legislation like SB 1008 i...

In this Texas Talks interview, Senator Tan Parker of District 12 joins Brad Swail to discuss his decades-long fight against human trafficking, including the passage of Senate Bill 11 to protect victims and prosecute traffickers. Parker also breaks down disaster relief efforts following the July 4th floods, new legislation to safeguard Texas children, and the state’s leadership in AI innovation and...

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Representative Gary VanDeaver (TX House District 1) to discuss the future of rural healthcare, the ongoing opioid crisis, and the heated debate over hemp-derived THC in Texas. VanDeaver, a retired educator and cattle rancher, shares his perspective on hospital closures, telemedicine, physician shortages, and policy battles shaping publ...

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with State Representative Cody Vasut (HD-25) for an in-depth conversation about the most pressing issues facing Texas lawmakers. Vasut, Chair of the Redistricting Committee, breaks down the quorum standoff at the Capitol, why redistricting has become a national story, and how Texas maps compare to Democratic-led states. The discussion also...

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Texas State Demographer Dr. Lloyd Potter to explore the trends shaping Texas’s future. From population growth and migration patterns to slowing birth rates, infrastructure demands, and water security, Dr. Potter explains the demographic forces influencing policy, the economy, and everyday life in the Lone Star State. They also discuss...

In this installment of Texas Talks Presents: Hemp in Texas, host Brad Swail speaks with Scott Gates—Law enforcement veteran, farmer, hemp industry advocate, and co-founder of Texas Hemp Growers—about the business, science, and politics shaping hemp’s future in the Lone Star State. From soil health to small-town economies, Gates lays out how hemp isn’t just an agricultural product—it’s a path towar...

In next installment of Texas Talks Presents: Hemp in Texas, host Brad Swail sits down with Sarah Stogner, the elected District Attorney for Texas’ 143rd Judicial District. Known for her unfiltered honesty and fierce independence, Stogner makes the legal case against SB5—the controversial bill to ban hemp-derived THC. She argues that the real threat to Texans isn’t hemp, but selective prosecution,...

In the first episode of our special three-part series, Texas Talks Presents: Hemp in Texas, host Brad Swail sits down with Navy combat veteran, bestselling author, and advocate Janae Sergio to discuss the urgent mental health crisis facing veterans—and the life-saving role hemp-derived products can play. From exposing the failures of the VA system to challenging the Texas legislature’s proposed he...

In this episode of Texas Talks, Brad Swail sits down with Dr. Mark P. Jones—Rice University professor and political analyst—to break down the inner workings of Texas politics. They dive into Elon Musk’s influence on the Texas Legislature, the balance of wealth and political power, the evolution of conservative dominance in the state, and what Javier Milei’s drastic reforms in Argentina teach us ab...

Political scientist Dr. Mark Jones joins Texas Talks to analyze the ideological shifts defining modern Texas politics. From his background in Latin American studies to his influential rankings of the Texas Legislature, Jones breaks down how the GOP has reshaped itself around Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, why Elon Musk’s political power has waned, and whether regulatory reform is just smoke and...

Cynthia Cabrera, Chief Strategy Officer at Hometown Hero and leading hemp advocate, joins Brad Swail to expose the political battle threatening Texas’ hemp industry. From false claims about regulation to pressure from Big Alcohol and law enforcement, Cabrera lays out why the proposed SB3 and SB5 bills would devastate small businesses and veteran access to legal THC products. This is a raw, unfilte...