Texas Standard

As the trial date arrives, friends and family gather outside the courthouse in protest of the arrest of the Prairieland defendants and the ongoing criminal proceedings. But a lawyer's shirt turns the proceedings upside down.

Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa is promising an education overhaul, but what will that mean for state takeovers of failing school districts? We’ll talk with Michael Hardy who’s been looking into this for Texas Monthly. Also, with the political winds changing in Texas, some cities are changing policies on police cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Plus, a conversation […]

Nearly 1,300 bills were filed in the Texas House and Senate as lawmakers began preparing for the 2027 legislative session, with Democrats reviving a push to expand Medicaid. Investment group BlackRock went from being blacklisted to partnering with Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration. What does that mean now that Democrats are returning to statewide office? Part […]

After a historic Election Day last week, more history is set to be made in the Texas House of Representatives: Senfronia Thompson says she has the votes to become the first woman and first Black Texas House speaker. Texas Republicans’ loss of statewide power has prompted questions about fractures within a party that had dominated […]

Promising bipartisanship, Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa talks transitions and first steps for her administration. As she promised when she spoke with us before election day, Hinojosa is already taking steps to bring about change in Texas education. What does she plan to do, and what might limit the reach of her plans? We’ll take a closer […]

A bolt from the blue: Many Texans are still trying to absorb the implications of the midterms, but now a clearer picture is forming of what happened. It appears turnout made a big difference — not in terms of raw numbers, but where those Democratic gains happened. The Democrat who’s promising to take the politics […]

For more than three decades, Republicans ruled Texas politics. This morning, that era is over. Historic gains for Texas Democrats — a political earthquake has shaken the Lone Star State, sending shockwaves across the country: a new governor, a new U.S. senator, and a dramatic shift in the balance of political power. How did it happen? […]

It’s Election Day and all eyes are on Texas with several races polls are showing could come down to the wire. We’ll check in with our reporters across the state. We’ll also get some insight from one of our go-to political analysts about what to keep an eye on as results come in this evening. […]

The race for a U.S. Senate seat from Texas is the most talked-about ballot contest, but how much real-world impact can the winner actually have? Other stories on this day before the midterms: A much less talked-about contest for the keeper of the state’s accounts is also soon to be decided. Why have schools have […]

On this last day of early voting, one thing is for certain: Texas will have a new attorney general. We’ll have a look at who’s in the running and why it matters so much. Also, a closer look at the person who’s transformed that office: What brought Ken Paxton to the place he is today […]

Could control of the Lone Star State come down to turnout in smaller Texas cities? A look at dueling rallies in Lubbock and what they add up to. Other stories we’re tracking: One of the most powerful offices in Texas is up for grabs yet seemingly far from the media spotlight. What’s at stake in […]

The Prairieland defendants lawyer up as America reacts to the shooting – and the shooting of a prominent conservative activist. Meanwhile, Trump’s Justice Department prepares the first terrorism case against “antifa.” But is antifa even an organization? And where does it come from?

It’s been three decades since Texas had a Democratic governor — or a female one. We’ll have a conversation looking at what we can learn from when Ann Richards held the office. Texas leads the country in oil production. We also lead in wind energy. But how far away is Texas from a hydrogen-fueled economy? […]

With just a week to go before Election Day, a look at how the governor’s race will make history no matter who wins. Also, how the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders got a raise and formed a new union. And is there a conservative takeover of the University of Texas at Austin? A Texas Monthly article digs […]

An attempt to empower LGBTQ+ students or a bid to agitate Texas voters ahead of election day? A Republican district attorney in West Texas has opened a criminal investigation into pamphlets received by households across the state purporting to be from a transgender rights group. Also, a reporter uses Friday night lights to try and […]

On the eve of the midterms, Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa is running neck and neck with incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in many polls. Hinojosa joins us on today’s show to make her case. Also, a closer look Vikki Goodwin, the Democrat giving Dan Patrick a run for his money in the lieutenant governor’s race. Plus, a […]

Record voter registration numbers point to what appear to be new records set in early voting. What do they tell us about the midterms in Texas? Also, Meta blocks an Instagram account for a No Kings protest, stoking fears of online political shenanigans — or worse — from a major social media company. Omar Gallaga joins […]

The Prairieland 22 is a podcast from our partners at KERA News and NTX Now. We’re sharing these episodes Wednesday nights. Episode 1: “4th of July Party!” July 4, 2025. A protest, the shooting of a police officer, and a case the government cites as an example of a growing domestic terrorism threat: “Antifa.” Over […]

Democrat Bobby Pulido is leading a poll in Texas’ Congressional District 15 that had heavily favored Trump. The district’s Latinos may be leaning even further left. Some Texas school districts shifted toward a four-day school week during the pandemic. Now there may be legislation to discourage that. Texas is considering doing away with a program meant to […]

Early voting is underway. We’ll go over five things to watch for as Texans cast ballots in races that are too close to call. Is the state of Texas trying to sell a beloved beachfront state park to Elon Musk? Plus, how school cafeterias are coping amid rising costs and cuts to federal food assistance. And why out-of-state […]

The border is secure, but there’s a border emergency. Why the difference between two GOP narratives? We’ll have a closer look. The first in-person votes are being cast in the Texas midterms today as early voting kicks off. The Standard’s Michael Marks joins us with a look at the race for agriculture commissioner, and how one […]

A border wall cutting through Big Bend is on hold, but something connected to the wall still has many locals unsettled. This week saw a debate between candidates hoping to represent what is geographically the biggest congressional district in Texas, and the stakes for both parties are high. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies tells us […]

The last time a Democrat served as Texas governor was decades ago. Is that about to change? For years, politics-watchers have all but dismissed the prospect of a Democrat being elected governor in deep-red Texas. But polls suggest the closest gubernatorial race in recent memory between incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott and challenger Gina Hinojosa. Two veteran […]

A new poll from the Texas Politics Project suggests the Republican winning streak in the Lone Star State faces its toughest test yet. It’s cotton picking season in Texas. Scientists studying wild cotton and its ancestral origins hope older genetic traits could eventually strengthen the varieties farmers plant today. And: One of the most durable […]

What’s next for Camp Mystic as a judge rules wrongful death lawsuits filed by parents can move forward. Republican Monica De La Cruz is seeking a third term in Texas’ 15th Congressional District, where Democrat Bobby Pulido, a Tejano singer and first-time candidate, is challenging her. The South Texas race will test whether recent Republican […]