Welcome back, friends
Former President Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz will address the media on border security in Austin this Friday, while Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Rep. Colin Allred will host a rally in Houston at nearly the same time. Meanwhile, more than 1.8 million Texans have already cast their ballots in early voting, giving a glimpse into the state’s voter turnout ahead of the 2024 election.
Today’s Insights:
- Trump and Cruz to Speak in Austin on Border Security as Harris and Allred Hold Houston Rally
- Early Voting in Texas Surpasses 1.8 Million Ballots, Mail-In Voting Declines
Trump and Cruz to Speak in Austin on Border Security as Harris and Allred Hold Houston Rally
Image Credit: The Texan News
Former President Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz will deliver campaign remarks on border security to reporters in Austin on Friday. The event will take place just hours before their Democratic opponents, Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, host a rally in Houston. The competing events highlight the growing attention on Texas as both parties ramp up their efforts ahead of the 2024 election.
Trump’s campaign announced the news conference on Wednesday night, confirming the Austin event would focus on border security—an issue central to his 2024 campaign. Cruz’s participation was confirmed Thursday morning, with the senator joining Trump at the event. The Austin press conference will be held at a private jet terminal in east Austin.
In addition to his Austin appearance, Trump will also record an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience during his visit to the city.
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris and Rep. Allred will rally Democratic supporters in Houston later that day, with notable guests including Willie Nelson and Tina Knowles. We currently rate both the Senate race and the presidential contest in Texas as Lean Republican.
Early Voting in Texas Surpasses 1.8 Million Ballots, Mail-In Voting Declines
Image Credit: The Economic Times
As of the second day of early voting, more than 1.8 million Texans have cast their ballots, representing over 10% of all registered voters in the state. Comparing two days of early voting to prior year entire election numbers, voter turnout in Texas remains strong, with over 1.2 million ballots cast in the state’s 15 largest counties, up from approximately 987,000 during the same period in the 2016 election and slightly lower than the same period during the 2020 election. Despite the increase in total numbers, the overall voter turnout rate in these counties remains consistent with 2016 at 10.1%.
Voter participation trends reveal some variation across different regions of the state. Nearly half of early voters are from precincts where Republicans have historically dominated, with 49% of voters coming from areas where Republicans have a 60% or greater share of the vote, according to Derek Ryan's early voting report for Day 2 of early voting.Another 16% of voters live in areas where Republican support is between 50% and 59%.
Texas’s five most populous counties—Harris, Dallas, Bexar, Travis, and Tarrant— have accounted for about 38% of the state’s early vote so far, compared to the 42% they typically contribute in presidential elections in comparison to 2020, 2016, and 2012.
An interesting trend is the shift from Republican to Democratic mail-in voters. This shift is largely driven by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased Democratic use of mail-in ballots, and former President Trump’s statements discouraging Republicans from voting by mail. Voters with previous Republican Primary history currently make up just 33% of all votes cast by mail. In 2016, they made up 40%, and in 2012, they made up 47%. On the other hand, voters with previous Democratic Primary history now account for 46% of all mail-in ballots, a significant increase from 27% in 2016 and 23% in 2012.
Click Here For 2024 Texas Early Voting Report
Click Here For County-by-County Report
Source:
Derek Ryan
🎙️We Have a Podcast! 🎙️
Bills and Business is your go-to podcast for conversations related to Texas legislation and business. Hosted by Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege—an AI-driven legislative tracking software—we bring you in-depth analysis on economic trends, impactful legislation, and key developments shaping Texas business.
Subscribe on Youtube and Spotify for weekly episodes!
- 01 First
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Read more news
.avif)
#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.
Don’t forget to subscribe to Bills & Business on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for more deep dives into Texas policy and business news.
📲 Follow Laura Carr
🐦 Twitter: @Laura_USLege https://x.com/Laura_USLege
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurauslege/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereallauracarr/
🛍️ ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/lauraluise?Section_title=latest-finds&tab=collections
✍️ Substack: https://lauraluise.substack.com/
🔗 Links: https://lauraluise.carrd.co/
📲 Follow USLege
✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uslege.ai/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USLegeai
🐦 Twitter: @USLege_ai https://x.com/USLege_ai
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uslege-ai/
🎧 Subscribe to Bills & Business
🌐 Website: https://www.uslege.ai/
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BillsandBusiness
🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22ZWg9VVb2AEGqyV14osNi?si=effe3795f8414171
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/bills-and-business-by-uslege/id1781059329
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uslege
📲 Follow Wes Benedict
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/Wes_Benedict
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wes-benedict/
🎬 Produced by USLege
📞 Want to see USLege in action? Schedule a demo today! https://www.uslege.ai/demo
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!
