Texas Take

As Texas Democrats gathered in El Paso for their state convention, Republicans were quick to seize on the appearance of a drag queen on the same stage where women's reproductive rights were actually front and center. Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Colin Allred are now starting to trade jabs in their race for US Senate. And a lawmaker compares his quest to topple the Texas House speaker to the heroes at D-...

"Bleach blonde bad built butch body!" It's now the phrase heard 'round the world after Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas, smacked Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green around on Capitol Hill this past week. We'll get into it. Plus, we'll update you on the Republican Party of Texas Convention in San Antonio this weekend. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronic...

Gov. Abbott made national headlines this week for pardoning a man convicted in the brutal murder of a protester during a Black Lives Matter demonstration. Jeremy has the scoop on why Abbott is setting this precedent. Plus: A Texas Congresswoman gets into a fight with a colleague over "fake eyelashes." Yes, they are being just as productive in Washington as you think. Join the conversation with Sco...

Even after he held school funding hostage last year in a failed bid to pass a school voucher program, Gov. Abbott is blaming Texas school districts for their local budget shortfalls. We'll explain. Plus, Congressman Henry Cuellar faces federal charges of bribery, money laundering, and more. What does his reaction so far say about the state of our politics today? Join the conversation with Scott Br...

The Texas runoff elections are now getting especially bitter and, frankly, tedious as we now have a little less than a month before election day. Speaker Phelan is fighting for his political life and the Texas House's inner workings are being debated by candidates from DFW to Beaumont-Port Arthur. Plus the GOP challenger to Congressman Tony Gonzales is on defense after telling a joke that he says...

Gov. Greg Abbott is getting praise from the right and condemnation from the left - of course, exactly what he wants - after he appears to have set the stage for a standoff between pro-Palestinian protesters and state police at the University of Texas at Austin. Plus, Sen. Ted Cruz makes quite an about face on billions in aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Join the conversation with Scott Brad...

The political environment has become so toxic that even when Republicans and Democrats work together to accomplish something, they still don't really want to be seen together. We'll explain. Plus, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick seems to be trying to get ahead of Gov. Greg Abbott's potential property tax proposals for the 2025 session of the Texas Legislature. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, edito...

Abortion policy is front and center as former President Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz argue it's an issue that should be handled differently in different states and Democrats point to Texas as the most extreme example of what happens when it's done that way. Plus, Greg Abbott takes New York City by storm acting as an unofficial surrogate for the Trump campaign. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock,...

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton this week was able to avoid a trial in his decade-long felony securities fraud case. How did that possibly happen? Plus, we set the record straight now that pro-school voucher groups are trying to refute our reporting on how Gov. Abbott and allied organizations were able to defeat fellow Republicans in the Texas GOP primary. Join the conversation with Scott Braddo...

Texas' new immigration crackdown is now being enforced as legal challenges to it this week gave legal whiplash to Republicans and Democrats alike. Plus, a speaker's race begins in Austin before the primary runoff elections have even been completed. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace.  Learn more about your a...

Gov. Greg Abbott significantly moved the Texas House in his direction on school vouchers during this week's GOP primary election. But the fight is far from over. "On to the playoffs!" said Abbott's chief political strategist, referring to the runoff elections including Speaker Dade Phelan's fight for political survival. Plus, Texas' abortion restrictions took center stage at President Biden's Stat...

Sen. Ted Cruz recently dared President Joe Biden to head to the Texas border and what do you know? Mr. Biden was in Brownsville this week to go toe-to-toe with former President Donald Trump, who was in Eagle Pass on the same day. Plus, the Texas primary is nearly here and Republican candidates have taken off the gloves. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Ho...

In his fight for reelection, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan this past week said "this is a war" and was joined at a Port Arthur rally by one of the biggest names in this state's GOP politics for backup: Gov. Rick Perry, who took a swipe at Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. We were on the scene. Plus, Jeremy's got exclusive one-on-one interviews with the top Democrats running for a chance to take on Sen. Ted...

Gov. Abbott is weaponizing his newfound celebrity status on border issues to go after Texas House Republicans who didn't vote with him 100 percent of the time last year. Plus, some Democrats are knifing each other in an increasingly nasty primary in North Texas. The show this week was recorded live before hundreds gathered from around the state at the Texas REALTORS® Winter Meeting. Join the conve...

What a difference a week makes. After a fairly quiet opening of the campaign season, Gov. Greg Abbott is ramping up his offensive on the ground, targeting Texas House members who voted to kill his priority school voucher proposal. Plus, the Democrats running for US Senate from Texas clash in their first and likely only debate. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report,...

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton faces new questions and a Republican push to reopen his impeachment proceedings after his latest attempt to avoid answering questions under oath. Plus, Republicans are whipping people into a frenzy over the border while Democrats hope abortion rights can be a winning issue in the 2024 election. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report...

This week, the Department of Justice released its long awaited report on the shooting in Uvalde. Families of the victims are upset about the lack of police competence, of course, but beyond that they want to know why Texas still allows teenagers to purchase assault rifles. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace....

A winter storm moving through Texas this weekend brings back memories of the deadly cold in February of 2021, though there are key differences this time. Plus, Gov. Greg Abbott is roundly criticized for suggesting the only reason his administration is not shooting migrants along the Rio Grande is the feds would press murder charges. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum R...

A new year begins with immigration and abortion in the spotlight as the campaign season heats up ahead of Texas' March primary leading toward the general election in the fall. Scott and Jeremy are ready to dig into it all as the show approaches what will be its 8th anniversary as the number one politics podcast in the Great State. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Rep...

The newest abortion battle shows just how far Texas is willing to go in enforcing some of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the nation. Plus, there might be new hope for an immigration and border security package in Washington. But we hear that all too often, don't we? Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace. ...

Now that his nonstop push for a school voucher program has crashed at the Legislature, it appears Gov. Abbott is ready to move onto campaign against Republicans who voted against his top priority. Plus, the first Latina to be confirmed for one of the most powerful courts in America grew up as the daughter of migrant workers in West Texas. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Qu...

The Texas Legislature and Gov. Abbott are in a place they've rarely, if ever, been: Lawmakers are telling Abbott "no" to one of his major policy proposals. Now his retribution tour on school vouchers can begin as long as he doesn't call them immediately into another pointless special session. Plus, Jeremy reports from events with Donald Trump in South Texas and VP Kamala Harris in Houston. Join th...

The border crackdown in Texas is passing the Legislature right as Gov. Greg Abbott prepares to host former President Trump in The Valley this weekend. Plus, a crisis is temporarily averted in Washington while a GOP Congressman from Texas asks what his own party has done in DC this year. Hint: Not much. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle po...

You can't make this stuff up: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's longtime conservative point man on border security broke with Texas Senate leadership this week to vote against the way Patrick and Gov. Greg Abbott want to crack down on immigration. You have to hear his compelling argument. Plus, the voucher bill advances at the Texas Capitol while public education supporters push back as hard as ever. Join th...

The dysfunction at the Texas Capitol has become so intense that a Republican Legislature might not be able to send a "border security" bill to a Republican Governor. The governor's school voucher legislation is dead for now. Plus, Jeremy reports from Donald Trump's rally in Houston. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jerem...