Democrat

Lawmakers file bills on Medicaid, data centers, THC and more

Nearly 1,300 bills were filed in the Texas House and Senate as lawmakers began preparing for the 2027 legislative session, with Democrats reviving a push to expand Medicaid.

Investment group BlackRock went from being blacklisted to partnering with Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration. What does that mean now that Democrats are returning to statewide office?

Part of the blue tsunami included a wave of young voters. We’ll hear from a few about their priorities.

Plus: What’s the use in providing veterinary care to a bunch of stray animals? A North Texas woman’s story just might inspire a few copycats.

Why Texas Republican voters broke with their party

After a historic Election Day last week, more history is set to be made in the Texas House of Representatives: Senfronia Thompson says she has the votes to become the first woman and first Black Texas House speaker.

Texas Republicans’ loss of statewide power has prompted questions about fractures within a party that had dominated state politics for decades.

The Trump administration’s tariff-free beef imports haven’t lowered prices much.

And: UT international affairs expert Michael Mosser with where all this political change leaves U.S. foreign policy.

How Texas Democrats scored historic wins across the state

For more than three decades, Republicans ruled Texas politics. This morning, that era is over.
Historic gains for Texas Democrats — a political earthquake has shaken the Lone Star State, sending shockwaves across the country: a new governor, a new U.S. senator, and a dramatic shift in the balance of political power.

How did it happen? What does it mean for Texas — and for the nation? And is this the beginning of a whole new political era? A short-term reaction to an unpopular presidency? Or something else altogether?

On the day after an historic election, we’re taking stock of a Texas transformed.

Election Night in the Austin area: The races we’re watching

It’s Election Night, and we have reporters out and about in Central Texas as candidates prepare for voting results to start rolling in. More about the statewide and national races that we’re watching tonight.

Austinites are considering a number of propositions, in addition to who will represent their voice on City Council.

Young people are among the least likely group of folks to vote in an election, so we wanted to know the reasons that are driving young voters to cast their ballots. What they told us.

Midterm Election Day arrives as Texans head to the polls

It’s Election Day and all eyes are on Texas with several races polls are showing could come down to the wire. We’ll check in with our reporters across the state.

We’ll also get some insight from one of our go-to political analysts about what to keep an eye on as results come in this evening.

Promoters claim peptides can build strength, delay aging and more. Some lawmakers want the government to endorse their use by troops and veterans.

Plus, NASA’s growing dependence on SpaceX.

And building a family library at home, thanks to Dolly Parton. How one Texas city is expanding access to the Imagination Library.

Texas hemp shops turn frustration into political action

The race for a U.S. Senate seat from Texas is the most talked-about ballot contest, but how much real-world impact can the winner actually have?

Other stories on this day before the midterms: A much less talked-about contest for the keeper of the state’s accounts is also soon to be decided. Why have schools have become a major issue in the race for state comptroller?

Anyone else getting political text messages? David Martin Davies reports on the massive pre-Election Day message push.

Political upset in Texas’ hemp industry: Why much of their anger is directed at one politician in particular.

Plus, the annual kickoff of the Austin Film Festival.

Mysterious transgender mailers prompt criminal investigation in West Texas

An attempt to empower LGBTQ+ students or a bid to agitate Texas voters ahead of election day? A Republican district attorney in West Texas has opened a criminal investigation into pamphlets received by households across the state purporting to be from a transgender rights group.

Also, a reporter uses Friday night lights to try and get a glimpse into potential changes in Texas politics.

From radio announcer to one of the most powerful figures in Texas politics: The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey looks at the trajectory of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

And UT’s Michael Mosser on a conspicuous Texas link to the war in Ukraine.

State regulators weigh new uses for fracking wastewater

Texas regulators are moving closer to allowing treated wastewater from oil and gas drilling operations to be reused on farmland and other sites outside the energy industry. Some fear the proposal is getting ahead of the science.

Texas Republicans signaled their priorities at their convention in Houston, with Gov. Greg Abbott outlining his vision for another term.

The Spurs’ hopes for a championship came to an end with a Game 5 loss to the New York Knicks — but it’s still a big win for San Antonio.

One Texas school district near is eliminating librarian positions and replacing them with hourly paraprofessional staff as part of a cost-saving effort.

A shunned GOP candidate could regulate Texas oil and gas

Texas Republican leaders previously shunned Bo French for his racist social media posts. Now they want him to regulate the state’s oil and gas industries.

The Austin City Council voted in May to annex a 2,600-acre site in the eastern part of the city. City leaders had planned the Dog’s Head development for months, but neighbors nearby only had a few days to make their voices heard about those plans.

What happens to the dead animals the city picks up on the roads here in Austin? In the latest from our ATXplained project, we meet some of the people handling that service with care.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Where things stand with Big Bend border wall plans

He wants to ban Islam in Texas and now he’s the GOP pick for a seat on one of Texas’ most powerful commissions. Who is Bo French? A closer look at why, after this week, a race for a seat on the Texas railroad commission suddenly carries more weight than it might seem at first blush.

A longtime U.S. Senator from Texas forced to give up his seat — what the end of the John Cornyn era says about Texas politics today.

And where to things stand with plans for a border wall in the Big Bend region?

Also, first it was streaming that rewrote the rules for the music industry — now it’s AI. Tech expert Omar Gallaga on two very big music deals involving TikTok and Spotify and why they matter.

Big Thief guitarist Buck Meek talks solo album ‘The Mirror’

As Corpus Christi and neighboring cities try to head off a water catastrophe, water demand exceeds supply across Texas and there are new staggering estimates for a statewide water plan. We’ll go over the numbers, what’s behind them, and what comes next.
A runoff for lieutenant governor looms in Texas — but do Texans know either of the candidates?
Also: Born in Houston, raised in Wimberley, and leaving his mark on music worldwide — singer-songwriter Buck Meek on his new solo album, “The Mirror.”

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

Would could the Prairieland decision mean for future federal prosecutions?

Fire warnings, scary high winds, dust storms out west, temps plummeting 30 and 40 degrees in some places… We’ll get the latest on a wild weather weekend.
Guilty verdicts in a trial involving the shooting of a police officer outside a North Texas immigration detention center. Could the Prairieland decision be a possible template for future federal prosecutions against antifa protestors?
Texas’ laws on abortion access: New housing data suggests the economic ripple effects of such laws.
And March Madness bracket season with a Texas twist. What’s the best Texas movie? Let the games begin.

What’s driving Central Texas early voters to the polls

Early voting in the March 3 primary wraps up Friday. Turnout is trending upward across Central Texas, with more voters casting ballots in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties compared to previous primaries. We’ll taking a closer look at who’s showing up and what patterns are beginning to emerge at polling locations locally and across the state.

Questions about how ballots should be counted continue to spark debate. We’ll tell you about Republicans in one Texas county who are planning to hand count election day ballots.

We’ll also hear the story of the Texas musician known as the “Jimi Hendrix of the accordion.”

Plus, KUTX’s Ryan Wen stops by with the Austin music you need to know about.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

The Texans in the Epstein files

Can Sylvia Garcia, Houston’s only Latina U.S. representative, hang on to her seat? We may know sooner than some realize.
If you were waiting for this fall for the start of election season, wait no more. Early voting in the state’s primaries is set to begin tomorrow. A closer look at a race with huge implications for Texas – and beyond.
Amid concerning reports from the immigration detention center at Dilley, what are conditions really like inside? Ask the children being held there. We’ll talk with a ProPublica reporter who did just that.
Also, the Texans found in the Epstein files.

Democrat makes surprise win in solid-red Texas district

In a little-watched race, Taylor Rehmet’s surprise win for Democrats in Texas may be a potential warning shot for Republicans in a midterm election year. Is this a one-off, or is the GOP in trouble in the Lone Star State?
Also, Texas environmental regulators greenlight what looks like the largest fossil-fueled power plant project in the country. We’ll dig into what it might tell us about energy and the environment in Texas going forward.

Camp Mystic faces lawsuits over deadly flood

A few Democrats join Republicans in an effort to end the federal shutdown. We’ll have details.
Families of girls killed in the July 4 Hill Country flood sue Camp Mystic.
Car-dominant Texas needs more public transit to meet future needs. So says a new report from TxDOT.
And on this Veteran’s Day, the Voces Oral History Center pays homage to a helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam.