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Today’s News
TX-18
Seven candidates were invited to Saturday’s Democratic candidate forum in the race to succeed the late Sheila Jackson Lee in TX-18: former Houston City Council Member Amanda Edwards, state Rep. Jarvis Johnson, state Rep. Christina Morales, Harris Country Democratic Party support manager Corisha Rogers, businessman Robert Slater, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and Rice University Associate Vice Provost Dr. Cortlan Wickliff. These seven were among the at least 15 candidates who expressed interest in running to the Harris County Democratic Party.
The seven candidates debated on topics including the state takeover of HISD, term limits, and overcrowding in the Harris Country jail. Turner, who has pledged to serve a maximum of two terms if elected, stands at the current frontrunner. Eighty-eight Democratic precinct chairs will vote on the replacement nominee for the general election tomorrow, Aug. 13.
School voucher hearing
Republican Public Education Committee Chair Brad Buckley is holding public hearings today and tomorrow on school vouchers and other topics, including the impact of uncertified teachers and early literacy and numeracy outcomes. The notice indicated that Buckley may limit testimony time, especially if it would cause the hearing to extend past 6pm.
Senate Race
Sen. Ted Cruz posted on X that while he has held six press conferences in the pass month, his Democratic challenger Colin Allred has held zero in the past 45 days.
In recent social media posts, Allred highlighted his co-sponsorship of the DISPOSE Act, which would establish the Precursor Chemical Destruction Initiative to fight drug trafficking in partnership with other countries. He also highlighted his work on prior legislation, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the PACT Act (designed to expand health care to veterans harmed by toxic exposure) and the CHIPS Act (designed to increase investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing).
State Affairs Investigation on Election Interference
State Affairs Chair Sen. Bryan Hughes sent document requests to Alphabet, Meta, TikTok, and X as part of the committee’s investigation into threats to Texas election integrity, including those from Big Tech and foreign entities.
The committee approved the issuance of subpoenas in May after hearing invited testimonies from Facebook and Google whistleblowers. Former Facebook content moderator Ryan Hartwig testified: “Meta is a disaster we face online in regard to local and national elections. Facebook chooses what content users see and have policies to delete content purposedly to favor their beliefs.” Dr. Robert Epstein, a senior research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research, testified: “Our monitoring system revealed disturbing examples of how ‘Big Tech’ is manipulating our society. Google is sending "register-to-vote" reminders to Democrats at 2.5 times more at which they are sending to Republicans.” Hughes’ letters set an Aug. 30 deadline for the production of the documents.
More in Texas Politics
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- Robert Kennedy Jr. will be on the 2024 Texas Ballot (Texas Tribune)
- Border security takes center stage in US Senate Race (San Antonio Express-News)
- Abbott order will require Texas hospitals to report illegal immigrant healthcare costs (The Texan)
- Congress advances legislation to add more federal judges in Texas (The Texan)
- Harris County officials look to increase voter turnout numbers (Community Impact Newspaper)
- Elon Musk is bringing lawsuits to Texas. A judge with Tesla stock keeps hearing them (Texas Public Radio)
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#43 - Wes Benedict: Bridging Policy and Community with Texans for Reasonable Solutions
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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!
