The LiT crew reconvenes for the last time in 2018. It was a year that started rough but ended up. We finished it off with a few pints at Growler USA which has over 100 tabs on the wall. Check below for topics we discuss and look out for us next year to cover more of the Texas Legislature in 2019. 

Topics:

What's the beef Bernie bros have with Beto?

Potential Beto and Castro presidential bids, who will run for US Senate? 

Migrant children…DHS Secretary Nielsen Visits Border After Child's Death

ICE to release 500 more migrants in El Paso

Texas Legislature:

Elections Red Scare

Speakers race

Issues: public school finance, Local control

The Midterms may be over but while some races are still being called there are several progressives are on the ballot in runoff elections. In Austin, that includes Paige Ellis who faces off against a GOP-backed candidate for Austin city council district 8. 

We also speak with Carrie Collier-Brown the President and founder of Blue Action Dems. Their motto is "get shit done" and that's exactly what they've been able to do in Southwest Travis County where they flipped a GOP state house seat. Now they've set their sights on the last remaining Austin city council seat in GOP hands. 

Austin saw incredible turnout and with it a huge increase in Democratic performance and the passage of all bonds and the failure of 2 propositions backed by rightwing dark money. 

We talk about all this and more in the latest episode of the Left in Texas Podcast.

It's the Left in Texas Podcast Midterm Results Breakdown!!! What does it all mean???

We welcome special guest journalist Phil Prazen and discuss the 2018 midterms in Texas, the future of Beto and much more...

Sylvia Garcia resigns, special set, member will serve.. State Sen. Sylvia Garcia resigns, Gov. Abbott sets Dec. 11 special election

Steve Stockman, Ex-Congressman, Gets 10 Years in Prison for Stealing Charitable Donations

Texas House Speaker Joe Straus: Texas and the Republican Party are “moving in opposite directions”

Exit poll: More native-Texans voted for Beto O'Rourke than Ted Cruz

Governors can stop private militias from massing at the border

After losing election, Houston juvenile court judge releases defendants en masse

Tarrant Republicans met to discuss ousting Muslim from party post https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article221307605.html

The 2018 midterms would definitely seem to bolster the case for Houston hosting the 2020 Democratic convention. #Midterms2018 #txlege

Come January, marijuana will be de facto decriminalized in Dallas County. And Austin https://twitter.com/PhilipTKingston/status/1060982758896558080

Chris, JD and first-time guest host Genevieve Van Cleve convened at Texas Beer Company for a special episode of the Left in Texas Podcast. This was one messed up week in American politics. The violent rhetoric and hatred have overflown into real political violence not common in 1st World nations and democracies. On the bright side, Texans are voting in record numbers from El Paso to Southeast Texas and the latest polls show Democrats poised to take the House of Congress.

Beto mania is pushing record numbers of dollars to be spent in tight Congressional races where Texas has in the past been an ATM for both national Democrats and Republicans. We're seeing great hope and energy in candidates like Colin Allred, Joseph Kopser, Lizzie Fletcher, MJ Hegar, and others. We're also seeing newspaper endorsements for our top candidates from Beto O'Rourke challenging Ted Cruz to Justin Nelson's race against indicted AG Ken Paxton.

From Southrn Heights Brewing Co. in East Austin...

Election dates: EV Oct. 22 - Nov 2 Election Day Tuesday Nov 6th https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/2018-important-election-dates.shtml

Texas sets new voter registration record, with 15.6 million registered ahead of election https://abc13.com/politics/texas-sets-new-voter-registration-record/4382365/

 

 

Trump rally moved to bigger venue in Houston

Beto for Texas campaign sued for texts to Texas residents | Fort Worth Star-Telegram https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/election/article220344070.html

O'Rourke walks back 'Lyin' Ted' line - POLITICO https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/21/texas-senate-beto-orourke-ted-cruz-921295

Lyin’ Ted Fire Ted Cruz videos

O'Rourke's rise raises hopes for Texas Dems down ballot | TheHill https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/412342-orourkes-rise-raises-hopes-for-texas-dems-down-ballot

Here Are The 2018 Congressional Races In Central Texas We're Watching | KUT http://www.kut.org/post/here-are-2018-congressional-races-central-texas-were-watching

After two decades in Congress, Dallas Rep. Pete Sessions is in the biggest fight of his career | 2018 Elections | Dallas News https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2018-elections/2018/10/21/pete-sessions-spent-two-decades-congress-now-biggest-fight-political-career

Hegar Hopes to Unseat Carter in U.S. District 31 Race http://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2018/10/20/hegar-hopes-to-unseat-carter-in-u-s--district-31-race-

Joseph Kopser, Chip Roy square off in Austin debate - News - Austin American-Statesman - Austin, TX https://www.statesman.com/news/20181016/joseph-kopser-chip-roy-square-off-in-austin-debate

Houston Endorses Morrison, Not Adler, For Austin Mayor | Downtown Austin, TX Patch https://patch.com/texas/downtownaustin/houston-endorses-morrison-not-adler-austin-mayor

Ted Cruz is obsessed with his opponent Beto O'Rourke, from staring a his picture on an airplane to sharing videos of him on Twitter he just can't get enough! Apparently neither can anyone else including Willie Nelson. 

We talk about big special election defeat Democrats suffered with Gallego in SD19 to Flores and the effects on the State Senate.

We also discuss the Dallas cop that killed Botham Jean and reactions to that incident. There were some lighter and strange stories we also got to cover including the sex robot brothel in Houston and a grandma Mayor in Polk County who killed a 12ft gator who she believes ate her miniature horse.

All this and more from the Mean Eyed Cat in downtown Austin, Texas. Enjoy!

Dan Patrick wants to debate Geraldo, Admiral McRaven asks Trump to take away his security clearance, Big Oil wants the government to protect it from climate change and Houston passes the "Flood Bond" on the 1-year anniversary with 85%...These are a few of the many topics the Lit Crew covers in the latest episode from the South Lamar Pint House Pizza location in between sips of Electric Jellyfish IPA.Our main focus is how the Texas GOP is bringing in reinforcements as Beto continues to climb in the polls and close the gap with Ted Cruz. Will Beto's viral NFL video help or hurt and will the GOP's new obsession with his rock'n'roll past only make him more likable? We deliberate...

As always please like and share the cast!

The LiT Crew assembles in the Texas Beer Co. brewery to talk Whataburger and Ted Cruz's DC comms fail. 

Also on the docket:

Don Huffines' goes to Russia to tell them to stop meddling in our election. 

Paper trail for electronic voting.

Trump's Space Force.

Alex Jones and Social Media censorship...Gab

Football...Mosser fires the Cowboys!

 

Thanks as always for listening...please share and give us some feedback on Twitter and Facebook!

Left in Texas co-host Joe Deshotel caught up with Kim Olson at the State Convention. She talked about her vision for the office, what inspired her to run and how she's reaching out to rural communities across the state. You'll probably learn more about the Texas Agricultural Commission than you ever thought you would want to know. Why? Well for one, you certainly wouldn't learn it from the current office holder who has used the position to put deep friers back into school lunchrooms and state money towards getting "Jesus shots" and participating in out of state rodeos. But, it so happens that Kim is one of the most interesting, dynamic and engaging candidates the Democrats have put up in a very, very long time. If Beto has you excited, take a moment to get to know Kim Olson!As always if you like this podcast (or Kim Olson) please share!!! 

 

- @LeftinTexas