New Year New Format! Chris and Joe met up at Workhorse in Austin's North Loop neighborhood (one of the last OG keepin' weird bar scenes) to catch up with Manny Garcia, the Executive Director for the Texas Democratic Party. We talked everything 2020, the path to victory, our candidates, the message and what we do when we win. Lots of talk around the state legislature, the Governor's coordinated attack on cities and the current scandal surrounding the Speaker of the House.

We end the episode with Carrie and Chris interviewing MJ Hegar, candidate for U.S. Senate vs. John Cornyn. She talks about what it takes to win and how she sees her path to victory.

This is just the beginning of many more interviews with our candidates up and down the ballot this season. 

As always subscribe, share and connect with us on social media. Cheers!

The crew met sans JD at Pinthouse Pizza for the last episode of 2019...We discuss the Dems vote on impeachment, and the parallels between Trump's scandal and the fall of Speaker Bonnen. It seems everyone has joined the party to flip the Texas House and that includes Beto O'Rourke who hosted a phone bank in his home for Special Election House candidate Dr. Eliz Markowitz. 

Hit us up on Twitter at @LeftinTexaspod or on Facebook and check out the show notes below:

1. Three Texas Democrats were noncommittal on Trump impeachment: Reps. Cuellar, Allred and Fletcher

WASHINGTON – Ten of the 13 Texas Democrats in the House solidly favor impeachment. The other three have yet to make up their minds or declare how they...

1. State of Democratic Primary

1. Attorney General’s office not setting TPC investigation timeline - Port Arthur News

There is no set timeline for the Texas attorney general’s office to complete their investigation of TPC Group following two Nov. 27 plant explosions i...

1. Industry air emissions in Texas more than doubled last year

Industrial companies in Texas produced more than 135 million pounds of air emissions beyond what regulators expected last year.

1. Plastic bags are killing horses and cows across the state. What's Texas to do?

A year after the Texas Supreme Court dealt a death blow to municipal bans on plastic bags, legislative efforts to revive them have fallen flat, and ra...

1. George P. Bush has led Republicans in condemning racism. Is he the future of the party in Texas?

• Kicked off with Tweet on Sunday after Thanksgiving to help Texas Blue Action Dems’ campaign @flipthetexashouse.com

1. Dallas is the rudest city in Texas, according to a new survey

1. Everything you need to know about homelessness in Texas

1. Man charged with criminal trespassing dies in Bexar County Jail, unable to pay $40 bond

1. Fox Host Brian Kilmeade’s New Book About the Alamo Isn’t Fair and Balanced

WOW, so much has happened since the crew last convened and we're hear to breathlessly talk it out over a few cold ones. We assembled at 4th Tap in North Austin. It's a cool spot with tons of video games, board games and "butt rock."

Don't forget there's an election that just started! Besure to vote NO on Prop 4 (it's a TRAP) and give some dough to Eliz Markowitz in her very important special election in Fort Bend County. It's a chance to flip a seat and get one step closer to electing a Dem House Speaker. Listen to the pod and find out why that's so critical...

• Latest debate

“He’s killing us in urban and suburban districts.”

• • • Homophobic jokes, target members who would not oppose government lobbyists

We met up with Lizz Winstead at Austin Beer Garden on her comedy tour for Abortion AF. She's co-creator of The Daily Show and Abortion Access Front and we covered the ABCs of Texas politics from Abortion to Briscoe Cain.

Dem Presidential Debate @ TSU

Elizabeth Warren endorses Texas U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar's Democratic primary challenger

The Democratic presidential candidate backed Jessica Cisneros, the immigration lawyer running to unseat Cuellar.

Biden emphasizes unity at Beaumont campaign stop

Biden is the second presidential candidate Mohammed Tahir Javed, CEO and President of Riceland Healthcare, has hosted at his southwest Beaumont home.

'I'm fulfilling the legacy of Barack Obama and you're not': Julian Castro comes out swinging at Biden over healthcare in Democratic debate

Biden shot back, "That'll be a surprise to him." This was part of a larger debate about health care plans from the Democratic candidates.

Texas has the highest health care markup | The Texas Signal

Texas has the highest health care markup Health Care - The Texas Signal is a progressive media company. Our mission is to build a first-of-its kind me...

Texas has the most people without health insurance in the nation — again

For the second year in a row, the number of Texans without health insurance increased, and fewer people enrolled in Medicaid.

The crew assembled at Nomatic Beerworks in South Austin to share some tasty beverages while we talking the nasty stuff that has become Texas politics. We go over the new laws hitting the books September 1st, why the Governor's roundtable on guns was a dog and pony show and the latest in the Bonnghazi scandal. 

Topics:

Debate in Texas on the 12th

Bonngahzi update

• National politics
  • Debate in Texas 10 qualify at TSU in Houston Dept 10th

• Abbott 
  • Tweets...Guns and immigration
    • Guns
      • El Paso reps tweeting 

This is a very special edition of the Left in Texas Podcast from ground zero of eh hem...battleground Texas. It was a packed house in Kyle, Hays County, TX.  Seriously just a few cycles ago no one would have thought there were Democrats in these parts let alone that they would turn this rural turned suburban county blue, but alas here we are. Democratic Constables, County Commissioners, a Democratic State Representative and a top tier candidate for congress.

We caught of with Senator Wendy Davis who is now a candidate for US House District 21, Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa and State Representative Erin Zwiener. They each gave their insight into their efforts to extend the Hays County effect to other parts of the state and their optimism for Democrats' chances in 2020. 

Have a listen and please share!

The crew met up at St. Elmo Brewing to discuss the YUGE scandal rocking the pink done. Normally this time of the year all you hear are crickets coming from the capitol but an GIANT unforced error now threatens the House Speakers' tenure. We break it down...

• Bonnghazi
  • Lawsuit

• Lots of candidates
  • Senator Royce West

Our man Ed Scruggs of Texas Gun Sense joins the full crew for a rundown of the state of the state's gun policies in the aftermath of the El Paso shooting incident. The full podcast will be up soon.

The Left In Texas Podcast records LIVE in quality brewpubs and watering holes all across Central Texas with the latest on Texas politics! Check us out here: https://apple.co/2YWZt4h

The crew assembled sans JD at legendary blues spot at 12 and Chicon now called King Bee. The cocktails and pizza here are worth the trip and if you're lucky you'll catch some good tunes. 

We're proud to have our special guest host Austin City Councilmen Greg Casar. He's got a full plate of progressive policies he's been working on while fighting the Trump administration on immigration policy. 

Council unanimously supports ending ‘West Austin Tax Haven'

BIG week at Council this week