Texas Take

Howdy Texas Take listeners, please enjoy this bonus episode by Lisa Gray and her team at City Cast Houston. This episode was originally published June 6, 2022. Fear not, Scott and Jeremy will be back next week. At 17, Keri Blakinger was a top-level ice skater. But after her skating career fell apart, so did she. She ended up living on the streets shooting and selling heroin. In 2010, she was buste...

As the campaigns and the summer heat up, Gov. Greg Abbott faces accusations of abandoning the people in Uvalde following the worst school shooting in Texas history. Plus, Beto O'Rourke is on the campaign trail in places not particularly hospitable to Democrats. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace, reporting t...

We now have several polls showing a tightening race for governor between Greg Abbott and Beto O'Rourke. But what the polls say about Texans' attitudes across a host of issues might be more telling than anything. Plus, the mayor of Uvalde insists the state is trying to cover up what really happened during the massacre at Robb Elementary School. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of T...

If anyone thought the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v Wade was the last word in the abortion fight, they were very wrong. Texas lawmakers are already plotting ways to try to keep women from traveling to other states to seek abortions. Meantime, a tragedy in San Antonio reignites the immigration and border security debate in Austin and DC. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of...

Breaking news on Friday as the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade and Texas abortion clinics halted services. Plus, Sen. John Cornyn is nearly booed off the stage at the Republican Party of Texas Convention as he pushes through the most significant gun safety legislation in a generation. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political wri...

About a month after the Uvalde massacre, both the cops and politicians are under heavy scrutiny for their indecision and delay in reacting on the day of the shooting as well as a policy response in the halls of power. Join us for another special edition of the show with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace.  Support the show: https://of...

As politicians with the biggest platforms debate gun policy in Texas and America, the smallest voices can be heard now saying they're afraid to even go back to school following the shooting in Uvalde. Join us for a special edition of the show with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace.   Support the show: https://offers.houstonchronicle....

Day after day, new information emerges about the massacre in Uvalde and much of it completely contradicts what had previously been understood about the rampage. How can we sort that out plus address the issues now raised about gun control and school safety? Join us for another special edition of the show with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jerem...

Grief and agony after 19 children and 2 teachers were gunned down in Uvalde, Texas, sending shockwaves around this nation and the world. Gov. Greg Abbott and his challenger Beto O'Rourke came face to face in the aftermath and the debate seems to have shifted, for the moment, away from the usual talking points from both sides. Join us for a special edition of the show with Scott Braddock, editor of...

Another electricity grid scare in Texas as the Abbott Administration plays a potentially deadly game of hide-the-ball with energy conservation requests in May. Plus, have the words of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Sen. Ted Cruz, and others pushed some young and impressionable people to commit acts of violence against people of color? Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report,...

Gov. Greg Abbott this week went further than any Texas governor ever has in promoting a school voucher program, potentially upending the state's politics. Plus, the fight over abortion rights is playing out in the race for governor as well as a key South Texas race for Congress. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wa...

Abortion rights are front and center once again in Texas as it appears the United States Supreme Court is poised to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade decision. Plus, Sen. Cruz predicts Republicans are going to sweep elections this year in South Texas, when he really means parts of The Valley. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political wri...

As Gov. Greg Abbott ramps up "border security" spending even more, there are growing questions about the increasing number of military deaths along the Rio Grande. Plus, Rep. Chip Roy calls Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a "communist witch" and a Texas death row inmate's life is spared at the last minute. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle...

Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O'Rourke traded jabs this week in the race for governor over Abbott's shutdown of the Texas-Mexico border. Plus, a right-wing activist in Houston was indicted over an election fraud conspiracy theory and some in the Texas GOP started to ramp up pressure on state leaders to embrace a school voucher program. At least not yet, anyway. Join the conversation with Scott Braddoc...

Gov. Greg Abbott this week announced he'd be busing migrants from the Texas border to Washington, DC. But later his office let us all know it would be on a voluntary basis. Liberals and some conservatives alike blasted it as a "bullshit stunt." Meantime, we're sorry to tell you it's not likely that Beto O'Rourke and Abbott are actually tied in the race for governor. At least not yet, anyway. Join...

After trashing renewable energy during last year's deadly winter storm, Gov. Greg Abbott this week did something of an about face on the value of renewable energy sources in Texas. Plus, Sen. John Cornyn signals Republicans are not done with their fight in opposition to gay marriage. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jere...

Sen. Ted Cruz sought the spotlight during the confirmation hearings for President Biden's pick for the Supreme Court, Judge Katanji Brown Jackson. Plus, we revisit this question: Is Beto O'Rourke too mean this time around in his campaign against Gov. Greg Abbott or is he being just mean enough? Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political...

Gov. Greg Abbott continues to slam President Joe Biden over the deadly flow of fentanyl across the border even though, as Jeremy notes, both the feds and the state are having some success cracking down on it. Plus the State of Texas goes after families with transgender children as alleged "child abusers" while the state acknowledges horrific child abuse in state-funded facilities. Join the convers...

The Texas primary is in the books and the GOP candidates for Attorney General are already arguing over which one of them should get a show of love from former President Trump. Meantime one of the Democrats running for Lt. Gov. called on the other to drop out of the race. Why? Plus congressional runoffs may test the strength of progressives in South Texas. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock,...

As the clock ticks down to March 1 and early voting wraps up, top Texas Republicans broke with ex-President Trump this week when he praised Russian President Vladimir Putin after he ordered troops to invade Ukraine. Plus three of the GOP candidates for Texas Attorney General faced off in a televised debate as they looked for a chance at a runoff with AG Ken Paxton, who did not join them on stage....

Just two days before a key deadline, Texas Secretary of State John Scott attempted to clear up confusion about how to apply for a mail-in ballot while Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick managed to confuse GOP voters about how to do it. Meanwhile, some listeners wanted to know our thoughts on AOC's comments that Texas will inevitably "turn blue." Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Re...

Early voting has begun in the election of consequence in Texas: The primary. Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Ag Commissioner Sid Miller all face multiple challengers as they try to win by pushing in all their chips on former President Trump's endorsement. Down ballot races are heating up as well and we've got you covered. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The...

The latest ice storm in Texas, almost nothing like the one that was so devastating last year, has mostly passed but not without causing a panic across the state and potential political fallout on the campaign trail. Plus, Republicans lash out at Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo after the funeral of a fallen officer. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Housto...

Former President Trump is slated to return to Houston this weekend as a war rages within the Texas GOP over his endorsement of Gov. Greg Abbott. Plus, Beto O'Rourke sets the tone for in-person campaigning and in-person voting despite lingering concerns about the pandemic. Join the conversation with Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and Houston Chronicle political writer Jeremy Wallace. ...

As he courts GOP primary voters and makes good on promises to contributors, Gov. Greg Abbott has to carefully maintain that he's pro-public education in Texas while pushing more "school choice" initiatives including a "Parental Bill of Rights." Meanwhile, Beto O'Rourke had an impressive fundraising haul and Rep. Dan Crenshaw gets into an argument with a young girl because it's possible he just tal...