Texas Talks

Texas State Senator Sarah Eckhardt joins Brad Swail to discuss the July 4th floods, the urgent need for coordinated disaster response, and why climate resilience should be a legislative priority. They break down the political dynamics behind Governor Abbott’s special session, including the controversial THC industry crackdown and looming redistricting debates. Eckhardt also shares insights on hous...

Veteran Texas lawmaker Donna Howard (D-Austin) joins host Brad Swail for an unfiltered conversation on the Texas Talks podcast. Representing House District 48 since 2006, Rep. Howard opens up about her decades of legislative experience, the political transformation of Austin, the state’s unsustainable budget tactics, and her deep concerns over school vouchers and underfunded public education. She...

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Brian Phillips, Chief Communications Officer of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, for a deep dive into the 89th Texas Legislature. They unpack the long battle for school choice, the hard truths about skyrocketing property taxes, and the foundation's push to empower parents and protect children. Phillips also previews what's ahead for...

John Hryhorchuk of Texas 2036 returns to unpack the biggest wins of the 89th Texas Legislature—from the groundbreaking $20B water investment to a sweeping school finance bill that redefines public education. In this deep dive, we explore how pragmatic, long-term planning is shaping Texas’s future in water, housing, and workforce readiness. What passed, what didn’t, and what it all means for Texans...

Tom Burnett, former NCAA March Madness chair and longtime Division I conference commissioner, joins Texas Talks to discuss the evolving world of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) in college sports. As the founder of Lone Star NIL and CEO of Southwest Sports Partners, Burnett dives into how Texas legislation is reshaping college athletics, the transfer portal's unintended consequences, and the vital...

Texas State Rep. Lacey Hull joins host Brad Swail to discuss major legislative wins from the 89th Texas Legislative Session. From championing food transparency and health education with HB 25 to expanding rights for sexual assault victims and protecting parental choice in healthcare, Hull shares the stories behind the bills and the challenges of facing off against powerful lobbies. Watch Full-Leng...

On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail interviews Texas State Representative John Lujan of House District 118. A former firefighter and Bexar County sheriff’s deputy, Lujan shares his personal journey into public service, his passion for education and faith-based community work, and the real-world impact of Texas border policy. Rep. Lujan offers insights on the need for practical, biparti...

In this episode of the Texas Talks podcast, host Brad Swail sits down with Texas State Representative Gary Gates of House District 28. Known for his endurance as an Ironman triathlete and his leadership as Chairman of the Land and Resource Management Committee, Rep. Gates dives into two major legislative initiatives: expanding vocational education for high school students and reforming Housing Fin...

Senator Paul Bettencourt returns to Texas Talks for a wide-ranging conversation on the most significant legislative moves shaping Texas today. From a record-breaking property tax relief package to launching the largest education savings account program, Bettencourt dives into the priorities driving the 2025 legislative session. Host Brad Swail explores school choice, support for special needs educ...

Brad Swail sits down with Texas State Representative Briscoe Cain (HD-128) for a wide-ranging and candid conversation on some of the most pressing legislative issues in the Lone Star State. Rep. Cain discusses the landmark push for universal school choice through Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs), the controversial "District of Austin" bill, and his strong stance against taxpayer-funded lobbying...

Ashley Spence, founder of the DNA Justice Project and author of Silent Witness, shares her harrowing story of surviving a brutal assault—and how a DNA match seven years later finally brought her attacker to justice. In this powerful episode of Texas Talks, Ashley explains how current laws on DNA collection are saving lives and why rapid DNA technology could revolutionize the criminal justice syste...

In this conversation, we’re joined by Chris Williston, President & CEO of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT), representing over 2,000 banks and branches across 700 Texas communities. 🔍 In This Episode: - The vital role of community banks in rural Texas towns - Why swipe fee legislation (SB 2026 & HB 4124) could hurt small banks and benefit big-box retailers - How alternative curr...

Why is Texas importing trash from China and Mexico? In this episode of the Texas Talks podcast, Brad Swail sits down with Dr. Raymond Robertson—international economist at Texas A&M and Director of the Mosbacher Institute—to unpack a surprising trade reality: Texas doesn’t recycle enough to meet its own demand for recycled materials. They discuss what economics is really about (hint: it’s human beh...

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Texas State Senator Molly Cook, a sixth-generation Texan, registered nurse, and first-time elected official representing Senate District 15 in Houston. Senator Cook brings her real-world experience from the emergency room straight into the legislature — and she’s not wasting any time. They dig into her "Nurse First Agenda," a bold, hol...

Travis McCormick is the founder of the Make Texans Healthy Again movement, which aims to tackle the alarming rise in chronic diseases, poor nutrition, and preventable health challenges across Texas. https://www.maketexanshealthyagain.com/ https://x.com/Travis15mcc Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks   Follow us on social media X: @Texas_Dispatch Instagram: thetexasdis...

James Quintero is the Policy Director for the Taxpayer Protection Project of the Texas Public Policy Foundation. James joins the show to discuss property taxes in Texas, proposals to reign them in, M&O taxes paying for bond debt, and much more. https://www.texaspolicy.com/ https://x.com/JamesQuinteroTX Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks   Follow us on social media X:...

Graham Dugoni is the CEO and Founder of Over Yondr, a company that produces pouches and other tools to alleviate the intrusion of personal technology to create vital, distraction-free experiences that enrich people’s lives. https://www.overyondr.com/ Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks   Follow us on social media X: @Texas_Dispatch Instagram: thetexasdispatch LinkedIn...

Annie Spilman is a Texas Lobbyist and representative for the Texas Business Association. She joins the show to discuss unions in Texas, the government collecting union dues, and much more. https://www.txbusinesscoalition.com/ https://x.com/tbc_com https://www.facebook.com/TexasBusinessCoalition Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks   Follow us on social media X: @Texas_...

Representative Caroline Fairly of Texas House District 87 is not only the youngest member of the Texas House as well as the first Gen Z representative. She joins the show to discuss banning electronic devices in schools, protecting people from deepfake sexually explicit visual material, and much more. https://x.com/FairlyForTexas https://www.fairlyfortexas.com/ Watch Full-Length Interviews: https:...

Ryan Walters is a former Oklahoma public school teacher and the current Superintendent of Public Instruction in Oklahoma. Ryan discusses how Oklahoma handles school choice, school finance, teacher pay, union dues, and more. ryanwaltersforoklahoma.com https://x.com/RyanWaltersSupt Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks   Follow us on social media X: @Texas_Dispatch Instag...

Tony McDonald is a conservative civil rights attorney and 1st amendment litigator. He joins the show to discuss the Texas Ethic Commission generally, as well as the Michael Quinn Sullivan v TEC case that he is trying to push to the Supreme Court. https://x.com/TweetTonyMac https://tonymcdonald.com/ Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks   Follow us on social media X: @Te...

Wayne Christian is a politician and financial planner who has served as a member of the Railroad Commission of Texas since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Christian formerly served in the Texas House of Representatives for the 9th district, which included Jasper, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby counties in East Texas. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@Te...

Ellen Troxclair is an American small business owner and politician who is a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 19. A member of the Republican Party, Troxclair was the youngest woman ever elected to the Austin City Council, where she served the 8th district from 2015 to 2019. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks   Follow us on social media X: @Tex...

Mayes Middleton is an American businessman and politician serving as a member of the Texas Senate for the 11th district. Previously, he served as a Texas House of Representatives for district 23. A member of the Republican Party, Middleton has been in the Texas legislature since January 8, 2019. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks   Follow us on social media X: @Texas...

Terri Behling is Director of Communications at Haven for Hope, an organization that addresses the root causes of homelessness by offering programming tailored to the specific needs of the individual. Their unique approach is person-centered, trauma-informed and recovery-oriented. The goal is to meet individuals where they are and support them as they move toward self-sufficiency. https://www.haven...