In this episode of Mission: Texas, we break down the biggest takeaways from the Texas primaries with Michelle Davis, substack writer of Lone Star Left, and David De La Fuente, Dallas political strategist and podcast host of Loserville.

We discuss the unexpectedly high Democratic turnout, why younger candidates are gaining traction across Texas, and what races revealed about where Texas Democrats may be headed next. The conversation covers the rise of James Talarico, the debate over competing strategies to flip Texas, surprise down-ballot results, and what the runoff elections may signal for the future.

We also examine whether Democrats should focus more on persuading independents and crossover voters, how messaging is changing, and why local organizing — from precinct chairs to multilingual outreach — remains essential if Texas is going to become competitive statewide.

• Why Democratic primary turnout surged beyond expectations
• What younger candidates are signaling about party momentum
• Surprise results in Dallas, Tarrant, and congressional races
• Competing theories for flipping Texas
• What runoffs may tell us about where Texas goes next

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📩 Contact: [email protected]

In this episode of Mission: Texas, we sit down with Aimee Prudhomme, the new Executive Director of Powered by People, Beto O’Rourke’s volunteer-led organizing group built to flip Texas through human-to-human voter engagement. We talk about why registration is only step one, how relational organizing boosts turnout, and what it looks like to build long-term power across the whole state — not just the big cities. Aimee also shares her personal story of leaving corporate America for this work, and why community and action are the antidote to despair.

In this episode:

• The target focus: 18–29 voters, vote-by-mail eligible seniors, and a new faith program with predominantly Black churches
• Their “Reach” network: ~46,000 voters today and a goal of 100,000 by the midterms
• Why “registered” isn’t the same as “engaged” — and how trust drives turnout
• A practical pep talk for volunteering + how to get started with Powered by People

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts 📲 Follow us on socials: @MissionTexasPodcast 📧 Email: [email protected] ❤️ Support the show on Patreon

In this episode of Mission: Texas, we sit down with Jon Rosenthal, a four-term Texas state representative, engineer, and the Democratic nominee for Railroad Commissioner, to break down one of the most powerful and least understood offices in Texas government — and why it affects every Texan’s electric bill, safety, and environment.

In this episode, we cover:

• What the Texas Railroad Commission actually does — and why it has nothing to do with trains
• How oil and gas industry money and conflicts of interest shape regulation in Texas
• Why Texans are still paying higher electric bills after Winter Storm Uri
• How Texas’ isolated grid prioritizes corporate profit over reliability and safety
• What it will take to flip Texas, including the volunteer-driven organizing model that flipped a red seat in 2018
• The historic importance of down ballot races in flipping the state

📧 Contact us: [email protected]
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Released at the start of Ramadan and during Texas primary season, this episode of Mission: Texas features host Alex Clark in conversation with Zeeshan Hafeez, a progressive Democrat running for Congress. They discuss what it means to run as a Muslim Texan, his race against Julie Johnson and Colin Allred, and the role of outside political spending, including AIPAC, in shaping primary contests.

Note: Julie Johnson was on the podcast in December.  Mission: Texas also reached out to Colin Allred’s campaign to invite him onto the podcast but have not received a response.  

In this episode, Alex and Zeeshan discuss:

• Political “othering” and its impact on Muslim American communities
• How post-9/11 politics continue to shape representation and participation
• Outside political spending and influence in primaries, including AIPAC
• Comparisons to a new generation of movement-driven progressive candidates, including figures like Zohran Mamdani
• Grassroots organizing versus establishment power
• Building coalitions to win Texas long-term

📩 Email us at [email protected], follow us on all socials @missiontexaspodcast, and support the show on Patreon to help us keep building independent liberal media in Texas.

Texas primary season is underway, and Democrats just got a major win with the Senate District 9 special election. 

In this episode of Mission: Texas, we’re joined by State Rep. Rafael Anchia, a multi-decade elected official, for a clear-eyed breakdown of the Texas Democratic Primaries and what the SD-9 result tells us about the road ahead.  Rep. Anchia has served with many of the people running for office in this primary season, including Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico. 

We discuss:

• Why the SD-9 win mattered — and why it wasn’t a fluke
• What worked: candidate fit, working-class messaging, and turnout
• How primary dynamics shape the general election
• Which statewide and down-ballot races Democrats should be watching
• Why public education, local organizing, and voting still matter most
• And yes, the Texas Senate race. 

This episode is a practical guide to understanding where Texas Democrats are right now and what this moment could mean as early voting begins.

Follow us on on all social media platforms: @missiontexaspodcast. 

Email us: [email protected]

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We finalize our interviews of all Attorney General candidates with Tony Box, a veteran, former FBI agent, former federal prosecutor, and Dallas-area dad.  We talk about what the AG’s office is supposed to do, and how it’s been distorted by decades of partisanship.  

Tony shares his extraordinary personal story, from surviving a gunshot wound at 16, to serving as a tank commander, JAG officer, FBI agent, and white-collar prosecutor, and explains why that experience uniquely prepares him to lead the state’s top law-enforcement office.

We dig into:

• How the Texas AG became a nationalized, hyper-political office
• Why Texans deserve an AG who is a check on corruption, not a culture-war weapon
• The real, everyday responsibilities of the AG — from consumer protection to child support enforcement
• Why enforcement has collapsed as thousands of federal prosecutors leave DOJ
• How leadership, trust, and mission matter more than ideology
• What it will take to flip Texas statewide, rebuild voter trust, and prepare for 2030 redistricting

This is a conversation about service over spectacle, policy over politics, and what it actually takes to govern a state as big — and as important — as Texas.

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👉 Share this episode with one person who cares about Texas in 2030
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#MissionTexas #TexasPolitics #TXAG #TexasAttorneyGeneral #VeteransInPolitics #VotingRights #Redistricting #ConsumerProtection #TexasDemocrats #Election2026 #Election2030

In this episode, we’re joined by Joe Jaworski, candidate for Texas Attorney General and former Mayor of Galveston, for a wide-ranging conversation about what the Texas AG actually does — and what the office could do if Democrats take it back.

We talk about:

• Joe's immigrant family history
• How power really works in Texas government — and how the AG can be an independent check
• Jaworski’s case for a new “Division of Affordability” at the AG’s office to protect Texans as ratepayers, consumers, parents, and policyholders
• The reality of running statewide as a working person — and what needs to change
• The 2030 redistricting “big moment,” young voters, and one under-enforced law that could register hundreds of thousands of new voters through Texas high schools

If you care about the future of Texas politics — and the 2030/2032 map that could decide the country — this is the episode.

👉 Subscribe for weekly conversations on how to flip Texas
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👉 Share this episode with one friend who cares about flipping Texas
📩 Email us: [email protected]

#MissionTexas #TexasPolitics #TXAG #KenPaxton #VotingRights #Redistricting #TexasDemocrats #Election2026 #Election2030 #CivicEngagement #PublicEducation #ConsumerProtection

What do Texas donors really want before they invest—and what will it take to fund a winning path for Democrats in Texas?

In this episode of Mission: Texas, hosts Kate and Alex talk with leading Texas Democratic fundraisers Claire Dewar and Howard Klion about the donor mindset and the infrastructure needed to win long-term.

In this episode:

• What Texas donors want to see before they give
• Why “big shiny” statewide races aren’t enough
• The demand for results, ROI, and accountability
• Building real infrastructure: precinct chairs, county parties, and year-round organizing
• Why candidates can’t keep “building the plane while flying it”
• Where time and money make the biggest impact

Follow us on all socials @MissionTexasPodcast

On this episode of Mission: Texas, Kate and Alex sit down with Chris and Kathleen from Progress Texas—a 15-year-old progressive media organization (and podcast network) built to fight disinformation, keep attention on the long game, and help Texans stay engaged before, during, and after campaigns. 

And we even play “Obsessed,” a game from our friends at "Pod Bless Texas," for a little holiday fun.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• What Progress Texas is (and why “campaigns come and go”)
• The Daily Dispatch: a 7–10 minute weekday show designed for real life (aka “one shower long”)
• Why digital video is exploding for them—and why most views come from non-followers
• The difference between being good at messaging vs. investing in messaging
• How to be a political communicator without turning into a boring lecture
• Whether Democrats are disadvantaged by truth/accuracy—and how to make facts compelling
• Why talking to your neighbors still matters as much as TikTok
• Texas as a voter-suppressed state, and why “state-of-the-art circa 1980” voter registration hurts turnout
• A practical challenge: be loud, be human, commit the “faux pas” of talking politics

Follow Mission: Texas on all socials: @MissionTexasPodcast

Support and follow Progress Texas: ProgressTexas.org (and search “Progress Texas” on your podcast app)

Richardson Area Democrats (RAD) invited Mission: Texas to moderate a special panel of Democratic veterans and military civilians running for office across North Texas for an urgent, in-depth conversation about Venezuela, war powers, and the future of American democracy.

Former service members and current candidates from Congress to the Texas House and Senate break down what’s happening, what it means for U.S. foreign policy, why congressional authorization matters, and how unchecked executive power puts service members, families, and global stability at risk — and what voters can do right now to change the trajectory. 

In this episode, we cover:

• What led to U.S. military action in Venezuela and why it matters
• Why Congress has a constitutional role in declaring war
• How modern foreign policy decisions affect everyday Americans
• The real risks to service members and their families
• What’s at stake for global stability, democracy, and the 2026 midterms
• How voters can take action locally to protect democratic norms

We were joined by: 

Kevin Burge - CD 24

Keenen Colbert - TX SD2

Milah Flores - CD17

Zach Herbert - TX HD112

Evan Hunt - CD3

Ernest Lineberger - CD26

William Marks - CD25

Nathan Smith - Tarrant County District Clerk 

🎧 New episodes every week.
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