Welcome back, friends
LT Governor Dan Patrick announced a new round of endorsements for Texas House candidates. Meanwhile, Senator Ted Cruz and U.S. Representative Colin Allred have agreed to their first televised debate in the U.S. Senate race, set for October 15 at WFAA’s Dallas studios, to be broadcast across 12 Texas stations. In Austin, “GOP reformers” met today to rally behind one of five challengers to House Speaker Dade Phelan, selecting Rep. David Cook. Additionally, Governor Greg Abbott has expanded his endorsement list ahead of the 2024 election.
Today’s Insights:
- Governor Abbott’s Latest Endorsements
- LT Governor Patrick's New Endorsements
- Cruz and Allred Agree to Debate on October 15
- Reformers to Meet in Austin for Speaker’s Race
Governor Abbott’s Latest Endorsements
Governor Greg Abbott has added to his list of endorsements for the 2024 Texas House and Senate races. Abbott’s most recent endorsements include:
- Adam Hinojosa (HD 49)
- Steven Kinard (HB 70)
- Denise Villalobos (HD 34)
- Keresa Richardson (HD 61)
- Robert Garza (HB 74)
- Matthew Morgan (HD 26)
- Andy Hopper (HD 26)
- Wes Virdell (HD 53)
- AJ Louderback (HD 30)
- Mitch Little (HD 65)
LT Governor Patrick's New Endorsements
LT Governor Dan Patrick has announced new endorsements including a mix of incumbents and candidates for Texas House districts. The full list of endorsements includes:
- Angie Chen Button (HD 112)
- Marc LaHood (HD 121)
- Mark Dorazio (HD 122)
- Charles Cunningham (HD 127)
- Dennis Paul (HD 129)
- Mike Schofield (HD 132)
- Kay Smith (HD 148)
- Valoree Swanson (HD 150)
- James Frank (HD 69)
- Steve Kinard (HD 70)
- Carrie Isaac (HD 73)
- Robert Garza (HD 74)
- Don McLaughlin (HD 80)
- Tom Craddick (HD 82)
- Carl Tepper (HD 84)
- John Smithee (HD 86)
- Caroline Fairly (HD 87)
- Candy Noble (HD 89)
- Nate Schatzline (HD 93)
- Tony Tinderholt (HD 94)
- David Cook (HD 96)
- Giovanni Capriglione (HD 98)
- John Lujan (HD 118)
- Tom Oliverson (HD 130)
Cruz and Allred Agree to Debate on October 15
Senator Ted Cruz and U.S. Representative Colin Allred have agreed to their first televised debate in the race for Cruz's U.S. Senate seat. The debate is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, at 7:00 p.m. and will take place at WFAA's downtown Dallas studios. The hour-long debate will be broadcast on all 12 Texas stations owned by TEGNA, allowing statewide viewers to watch both on-air and online.
House Republicans to Meet in Austin for Speaker’s Race
A group of GOP House legislators convened in Austin today to coalesce behind one of the five Republican challengers to current House Speaker Dade Phelan. The meeting, which saw up to 50 Texas House members participate, followed the Texas GOP Caucus' multi-round voting process, requiring a two-thirds majority for a candidate to win outright. If no candidate meets the threshold, the lowest vote-getter is eliminated until two candidates remain, with the threshold dropping to three-fifths in later rounds if necessary.
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#43 - Wes Benedict: Bridging Policy and Community with Texans for Reasonable Solutions
Welcome to Episode #43 of Bills & Business. In this episode, Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege, sits down with Wes Benedict, Grassroots Manager at Texans for Reasonable Solutions.
Wes brings years of advocacy experience and a steady, practical approach to community engagement. The conversation explores how Texas communities can navigate political tension, build cross-partisan coalitions, and create space for meaningful dialogue in an increasingly polarized environment.
They dive into the organization’s focus on key statewide issues including housing, infrastructure, water, and the evolving relationship between local and state governments. Wes breaks down why these policies matter for both everyday Texans and the business community, and how reasonable, bipartisan solutions can move conversations forward.
The episode closes with insights on how individuals can get involved, what success looks like in grassroots policy work, and what Texans should be watching as the special session unfolds.
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Texas Political Spotlight
Welcome back, friends
Michael and Susan Dell’s unprecedented $6.25 billion pledge to expand federal “Trump Accounts” aims to boost long-term savings for 25 million American children. In Lubbock, Texas Tech’s new classroom restrictions on race, gender identity, and sexuality have ignited an immediate clash over academic freedom and curriculum control. And in Northeast Texas, Rep. Gary VanDeaver’s decision not to seek reelection opens a pivotal Republican primary.
We hope you enjoyed today’s read!
Texas Political Spotlight
Welcome back, friends
Michael and Susan Dell’s unprecedented $6.25 billion pledge to expand federal “Trump Accounts” aims to boost long-term savings for 25 million American children. In Lubbock, Texas Tech’s new classroom restrictions on race, gender identity, and sexuality have ignited an immediate clash over academic freedom and curriculum control. And in Northeast Texas, Rep. Gary VanDeaver’s decision not to seek reelection opens a pivotal Republican primary.
We hope you enjoyed today’s read!
Texas Political Spotlight
Welcome back, friends
Texas voters approved one of the largest property tax relief packages in state history on Tuesday, raising the homestead exemption to $140,000 and granting new tax breaks for seniors, people with disabilities, and small businesses. In Austin, residents rejected Proposition Q, a plan to fund public safety, homelessness programs, and city facility initiatives through a property tax hike, forcing city leaders to rework the budget and brace for service cuts. Meanwhile, Bexar County voters narrowly passed Propositions A and B, greenlighting up to $311 million in tourism-funded support for a new downtown Spurs arena and upgrades to the Freeman Coliseum grounds.
We hope you enjoyed today’s read!
Texas Political Spotlight
Welcome back friends,
Former Vice President Dick Cheney, one of the most influential and controversial figures in modern American politics, has died at 84, remembered by former President George W. Bush as a “patriot” whose intellect and conviction shaped decades of U.S. policy. In Texas, the Education Agency announced a sweeping takeover of Fort Worth ISD, the state’s second-largest intervention, citing years of academic underperformance and plans to install new local managers. And in Washington, a United Airlines flight was evacuated after a bomb threat, prompting an FBI investigation that later found no explosives, allowing operations to resume safely.
We hope you enjoyed today’s read!
