Tag Archives: Greg Abbott

Hands Off Our Districts protest tomorrow

From the inbox: Dear Democrats, friends and neighbors, We’re asking everyone who believes in fair representation to join us this Saturday at 10:00 AM for the Day of Protest, “Hands Off Our Districts.” In solidarity with community leaders, elected officials, and precinct chairs across Harris County, … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Re-redistricting watch: El Paso in focus

Not a big surprise. President Donald Trump’s request that Texas Republicans seek to create five new congressional seats for the GOP in an upcoming special legislation could involve redrawing boundaries in El Paso, a website focused on Congress says. Diluting … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The long haul of recovery

We only really have a best guess as to how many people are still missing from the Hill Country floods. More than 10 days after catastrophic July Fourth floods along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, the official death toll … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What the medical marijuana industry wants from the special session

To protect their interests, of course. Texas’ medical marijuana dispensaries entered into this year’s legislative session with a two-prong strategy to expand: to loosen the state’s rules on their industry that has made the program largely inaccessible to those who … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Just how intimate are those emails?

The mind reels. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott doesn’t want to reveal months of communications with Elon Musk or representatives from the tech mogul’s companies, arguing in part that they are of a private nature, not of public interest and potentially embarrassing. Musk had an … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why does Greg Abbott hate FEMA?

I mean, FEMA loves Texas, so… Gov. Greg Abbott was quick to request federal assistance last week after devastating floods hit the Texas Hill Country. But the Republican governor is simultaneously helping the Trump administration find ways to “wean off” … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

This session’s fight over casinos was mostly billionaire-on-billionaire violence

A good read from Texas Monthly about how Miriam Adelson tried to throw a bunch of money around and hire every lobbyist in the state to get casino gambling on the ballot, only to run into a different billionaire throwing … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Opening look at the re-redistricting effort

They’re coming for our districts. More than one million Houstonians could have new congressional representation as early as next year under Gov. Greg Abbott’s push to redraw the state’s political maps. Abbott has ordered the Texas Legislature into a special … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2026, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hill Country flood roundup

Just some articles of interest, no real thread. Climate Change Helped Fuel Heavy Rains That Led to Devastating Texas Flood Climate scientists said the torrential downpours on July 4 exemplify the devastating outcomes of weather intensified by a warming atmosphere. … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

So now the Lege will get involved

As I said yesterday, I don’t know if Greg Abbott would have called a special session to address the great tragedy happening in the Hill Country if one hadn’t already been on the calendar for other reasons. He didn’t call … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The flood warning history of Kerr County

They’ve tried for awhile to get some funding for a flood warning system. They’ve failed every time. Nearly a decade before catastrophic flash flooding killed at least 75 people in Kerr County, including 27 children, several local officials were hard … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Fifth Circuit keeps SB4 block in place

A bit of good news. A Texas law that would deputize state and local police to question and arrest people they suspect of being in the country illegally was blocked once again. The law would also authorize local judges to … Continue reading

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

California threatens retaliatory re-redistricting

It’s a thing they could do. House Democratic leadership, rank-and-file members and aides to at least one blue state governor have been meeting to decide how to retaliate if Texas Republicans follow through on the White House’s push to reshape … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A sudden surge in potential candidates

Former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg may be running for Governor. Sources say former Mayor Ron Nirenberg has been telling fellow Democrats he’s considering a run for governor in 2026 — a potentially grueling race against the formidable Republican Gov. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A sudden surge in potential candidates

Another lawsuit filed over the Ten Commandments law

Keep ’em coming. Sixteen Texas families of different religious and nonreligious backgrounds filed suit in federal court today to block a new state law requiring all public elementary and secondary schools to display a Protestant version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom. … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

SD09 special election set for November

This could, and hopefully will, be interesting. Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday set a special election for Nov. 4 to fill the Texas Senate seat vacated by Republican Kelly Hancock, who resigned from the Legislature earlier this month to become the acting state comptroller. The … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SD09 special election set for November

Lawsuit filed over Ten Commandments law

Expect there to be a lot of litigation over bills passed this session(s). Six parents and religious leaders have filed a lawsuit seeking to block a newly signed law set to require the Ten Commandments in Texas public school classrooms. Leaders … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Abbott vetoes THC bill and calls special session

Waited till the last minute because he’s such a drama queen. Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday vetoed a contentious state ban on THC products and shortly after called a special legislative session asking lawmakers to instead strictly regulate the substance. … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Bobby Cole

From the inbox, we have a Democrat running for Governor: Democrat Bobby Cole today announces his candidacy for Governor of Texas. Born near Houston and raised in East Texas, Bobby understands what everyday Texans are going through, because he’s been … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bobby Cole

Tesla launches its robotaxi service in Austin

Not quite as they wanted, but it is going. After driverless Tesla Model Ys were spotted traversing Austin, Texas streets on Sunday morning, CEO Elon Musk posted on his social platform X that Tesla’s “robotaxi launch” would start this afternoon … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla launches its robotaxi service in Austin

No one knows what Greg Abbott will do, special session edition

We’ll probably know something by the end of the day today, but beyond that who knows. Gov. Greg Abbott seemed to get everything he wanted out of the Texas Legislature this year. “Without a doubt, this is the best session … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on No one knows what Greg Abbott will do, special session edition

Abbott appoints Sen. Hancock as Comptroller

New guy alert. Republican state Sen. Kelly Hancock launched his campaign for state comptroller Thursday shortly after taking a senior position at the comptroller’s office. His appointment as chief clerk to Comptroller Glenn Hegar paves the way for Hanock, a … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Abbott appoints Sen. Hancock as Comptroller

The other redistricting matter

Here’s a story from the Fort Worth Report on the redistricting trial going on in El Paso, with a focus on the effect in Tarrant County. Federal judges in El Paso are reviewing a lawsuit that alleges Texas redistricting architects … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The other redistricting matter

Dan Patrick shilling for his THC ban

He’s working for it. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick isn’t giving an inch on his push to ban THC products in Texas. Despite polls showing middling support for the ban from GOP primary voters and backlash by conservative talk radio hosts who are … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dan Patrick shilling for his THC ban

Republicans not saying anything about the re-redistricting proposal

A mostly no news update. Texas Republicans were evasive Thursday about a request from the White House to redistrict the state ahead of the 2026 midterm elections after exiting a meeting in Washington to discuss the proposal. President Donald Trump’s … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Republicans not saying anything about the re-redistricting proposal

More on the re-redistricting proposal

Votebeat addresses a few questions. How do Texans in Congress feel about the proposal? On Capitol Hill, members of the Texas GOP delegation huddled Monday night to discuss the prospect of reshaping their districts. Most of the 25-member group expressed … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on the re-redistricting proposal

Texas Congressional Republicans considering a new map for 2026

WTF? President Trump’s political team is encouraging Republican leaders in Texas to examine how House district lines in the state could be redrawn ahead of next year’s midterm elections to try to save the party’s endangered majority, according to people … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The beer and liquor difference on THC

My head is spinning. As Gov. Greg Abbott weighs Texas’ proposed THC ban, one industry is working overtime to influence his decision: the alcohol lobby. Amid plunging alcohol sales, some groups representing liquor stores are opposing the ban as they … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A former Board Manager speaks

Who knows why he and three others were streeted. But we can speculate. Adam Rivon, one of the four recently ousted members of the Houston ISD Board of Managers, won’t speculate on why he was suddenly removed from his role … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A former Board Manager speaks

Gina Ortiz Jones wins SA mayoral runoff

Good. San Antonio’s next mayor will be Gina Ortiz Jones, a 44-year-old West Side native who rose from John Jay High School to the top ranks of the U.S. military on an ROTC scholarship. Jones defeated Rolando Pablos, a close ally of … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Gina Ortiz Jones wins SA mayoral runoff

The THC ban and the Houston retail market

Wow. The bright lights of Bahama Mama’s flagship store along Lower Westheimer turned on a year ago, welcoming passersby into a hemp shop unlike anything else in Houston. A red carpet rolled into a mirrored showroom stocked with nearly every … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Abbott will be appointing a new Comptroller soon

Just a reminder. And that person will have a lot more influence than usual coming out of the gate. Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to choose a new state comptroller in the next few weeks, who will have an outsized … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2026, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Abbott will be appointing a new Comptroller soon

Time to bury the 2025 Legislature

Good riddance. Texas lawmakers gaveled out of their 140-day legislative session on Monday after passing a raft of conservative policies, from private school vouchers to tighter bail laws, that furthered the state’s march to the right. The Legislature wrapped up … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Time to bury the 2025 Legislature

SCOTx gives Paxton another crack at Annunciation House

Ugh. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton can move forward with his efforts to gather records from El Paso’s Annunciation House to investigate his claims that the migrant shelter network was harboring undocumented immigrants, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday. “We … Continue reading

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SCOTx gives Paxton another crack at Annunciation House