Progress Texas Podcasts

UPDATE: Governor Greg Abbott has called for an election, however, it will leave the residents of Congressional District 18 without representation in the meantime.

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A truly alarming and shameful denial of the Constitutional and foundational right of federal representation of hundreds of thousands of Texans is happening as we speak, as Governor Greg Abbott has continued to delay a special election to fill the historically-significant U.S. House seat representing Congressional District 18 in Harris County, vacated due to the untimely passing of Congressman Sylvester Turner. In the last few hours, the Governor has finally broken his silence on the matter, but only to play the common Republican "voter fraud" card as an excuse for his delay - before the election is even called. We reached out to Houston State Representative and Texas House Minority Leader Gene Wu, and freshly-elected Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder to weigh in on this disgraceful and ongoing slight against a section of Texas' largest city, comprised mostly of people of color.

Learn more about Rep. Gene Wu at https://www.genefortexas.com/.

Learn more about Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder at https://www.kendallscudder.com/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our important work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Global economic shock is underway this morning as Donald Trump's foolish tariff plan becomes reality - and Texas will most certainly feel the impact: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/03/trump-tariffs-texas-revenue-growth/

The Texas House Committee on Public Education advanced HB-3 yesterday, which would establish a new private school voucher program in Texas, on a 9-6 party line vote: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/texas-voucher-bill-clears-first-test-in-texas-house/287-0b3bdb58-c2f8-4800-b8e0-849cc4e729e3

...A group of House Democrats have complained of yesterday's session's lack of a live stream, falling short of public transparency expectations: https://bsky.app/profile/anamariafortexas.com/post/3llx2xw3gok2o

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick notes that his "Steamroller Senate" is far outdoing the House on passing MAGA priority bills, and is applying pressure to House Speaker Dustin Burrows to pick up the pace: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/04/dan-patrick-urges-texas-house-to-start-passing-senate-priorities/82799939007/

Ken Paxton learns that the Joe Biden Justice Department, in the closing days of the Biden term, decided not to prosecute Paxton for corruption: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/03/ken-paxton-corruption-clear-senate-campaign/

...Paxton has announced an appeal of the court decision to block Texas A&M from banning drag shows on its campuses: https://www.kbtx.com/2025/04/04/texas-attorney-general-files-notice-appeal-federal-judges-decision-block-ams-drag-show-ban/

Governor Abbott, addressing UT Law's Federalist Society yesterday, admitted outright that Elon Musk moved his companies to Texas on Abbott's promise to clear legal barriers out of his way: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/03/greg-abbott-texas-courts-ut-jim-davis/

Governor Abbott has launched "a blitz of state agencies" against an Islamic community development near Dallas, apparently simply for being associated with Muslims: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/epic-city-greg-abbott-islamic-community-20255339.php

Progress Texas is proud to join several of our esteemed advocacy allies in supporting the Barbara Jordan Voting Rights Act: https://progresstexas.org/release-voting-rights-advocates-cheer-barbara-jordan-texas-voting-rights-act

Tomorrow's national Hands Off rally and action day features over 30 events right here in Texas - there's one within a short drive of wherever you are in the state: https://www.mobilize.us/handsoff/?country=US&state=TX

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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This Saturday, hundreds of local rallies, protests and demonstrations coordinated under the national effort known as Hands Off will take place in just about every part of all 50 states, including in at least 31 cities across Texas, ranging from our biggest, bluest metros to our small rural towns. The themes and motivations behind the people who have organized each event are as varied as the lived experiences in each of these communities, but they all have one thing in common: frustration, fear, and now resistance to the ongoing, wanton, kleptocratic dismantling of our country by Donald Trump and his cronies. In this pod, we talk to organizers in Dallas, Austin, and Wichita Falls about what folks in those places can expect on Saturday, and how each of those events came to be part of Hands Off.

Learn more about Hands Off and find an event near you this Saturday at https://handsoff2025.com/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Reaction to Trump's wide-ranging tariff announcement falls largely along party lines, with Democrats warning of a potential national recession: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/04/03/texas-lawmakers-in-washington-split-over-trump-tariffs-expected-to-impact-state/

...San Antonio, in particular, is vulnerable to the impacts of tariffs due to their heavy economic reliance on the aerospace, automotive and energy sectors: https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2025/04/03/texas-leaders-weigh-the-impact-of-us-president-donald-trumps-newly-announced-tariffs/

The Texas Legislative Progressive Caucus is speaking up against House Joint Resolution 4, which would ban taxes on securities market operators and transactions via a state constitutional amendment: https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HJR4/2025

That cancelled review session of the latest revisions to the Republican plans for private school vouchers is set to happen today: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/school-choice-is-back-in-session-in-texas-house-committee-tomorrow

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is threatening a lawsuit against Governor Abbott if he continues delaying a special election to replace the late Houston Congressman Sylvester Turner: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/hakeem-jeffries-threatens-lawsuit-delayed-texas-special-election-rcna199362

This Saturday's Hands Off protest is likely to be the biggest such event since the beginning of Trump's second term: https://www.axios.com/2025/04/03/hands-off-protest-trump-musk-april-5

...The view from Houston: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/houston-protest-hands-off-2025-20254521.php

...The view from Austin: https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/community/civic-events/hands-off-mass-mobilization-3251311/

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Elon Musk's image as a supervillian appears to have contributed to a Democratic win in a Wisconsin Supreme Court race yesterday: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/us/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-crawford-schimel.html

...Musk's expensive failure is a "jolt of momentum for Democrats": https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/02/what-we-learned-from-the-first-big-test-of-the-trump-musk-era-00264812

Ted Cruz considered pulling a fire alarm in the Senate yesterday to stop Cory Booker's record-setting speech: https://www.chron.com/politics/article/cory-booker-filibuster-cruz-20253269.php

...Senator Booker, after "72 days in which Democrats have appeared lame and leaderless...stood up and did something": https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/02/senator-cory-booker-takes-a-stand-speech-donald-trump-25-hours

Concern persists that two bills at the Lege, designed to protect doctors from legal trouble over using abortion when medically necessary, might also expose pregnant Texans seeking abortions to charges of murder: https://www.chron.com/news/article/abortion-ban-texas-bill-20245956.php

The West Texas measles outbreak has spread to Erath and Brown Counties in central Texas and has hit a case count of 422: https://abc13.com/post/texas-measles-outbreak-grows-422-cases-spreading-erath-brown-counties-states-central-region/16116517/

...Meanwhile federal funding cuts have forced the cancellation of over 50 measles vaccination clinics in Dallas County: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/texas-measles-outbreak-dallas-vaccines-hhs-funding-cuts-rcna199144

Our condolences to our friends at the Texas Tribune, who have lost their founder John Thornton at 59: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/01/john-thornton-texas-tribune-founder/

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Acting Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee is threatening to sue Governor Greg Abbott if he continues to delay the replacement of the late Sylvester Turner in the U.S. House seat representing CD-18: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/menefee-special-election-20246324.php

...Abbott's delay is only one part of a broader undermining of Democratic representations being orchestrated by House Republicans: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/31/us/texas-house-seat.html

The House Public Education Committee is considering a $1 billion cap on any potential voucher program for private schools in Texas: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/31/texas-school-voucher-funding/

A lawyer representing the 2019 El Paso shooter says he felt compelled by comments from Donald Trump to commit that horrible mass murder: https://elpasomatters.org/2025/03/30/patrick-crusius-donald-trump-aug-3-2019-walmart-mass-shooting/

Given the extensive, statewide, AI-driven surveillance apparatus that Texas DPS has assembled under the auspices of Operation Lone Star, it's pretty reasonable to assume that YOU are being watched: https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-dps-surveillance-arsenal-artificial-intelligence-lege/

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://progresstexas.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The Texas Democratic Party has a new leader, as Kendall Scudder was elected its new Chairman this weekend by the State Democratic Executive Committee: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/03/29/texas-democrats-elect-dallas-kendall-scudder-as-new-state-chair-after-2024-losses/

Governor Greg Abbott is silent - and now missing important deadlines - on calling a special election to replace the late Sylvester Turner in the U.S. House: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/elections/2025/03/28/517153/clock-ticks-down-for-gov-abbott-to-call-special-election-for-late-sylvester-turners-congressional-seat/

...This leaves 800,000 Texans, mostly people of color, without their constitutionally-guaranteed representation in Congress: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/26/greg-abbott-sylverster-turner-democrat-special-election/

A Deer Park pastor has drawn scrutiny for condemning a Deer Park ISD superintendent candidate over her sexuality from his pulpit - video and a link to a resulting petition for a public apology in the link: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/education-news/2025/03/25/516870/deer-park-church-pastor-faces-backlash-after-attacking-sexuality-of-dpisd-superintendent-finalist/

...For your convenience, IRS 13909 is needed to file complaints about churches violating their religious non-profit status by going political: https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13909.pdf

The CDC, under the leadership of RFK Jr., has squelched an advisory that measles risk is higher nearby areas of low vaccination, such as the West Texas region where the current outbreak started: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/31/health/cdc-measles-forecast-propublica/index.html

We're proud to welcome Mayor Ron Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Kendall Scudder was elected to succeed Gilberto Hinojosa as the first new Chair of the Texas Democratic Party since the latter's election in 2012 on Saturday, winning an outright majority in the first round of voting from the members of the State Democratic Executive Committee in Austin. This pod features our first talk with Scudder, just minutes after his election was confirmed, and takes from a handful of key players who were present at the event.

Coverage from the Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/29/texas-democrats-party-chair/

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can help support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Concern about possible "Trojan horse" language in two bills ostensibly designed to provide clarity and legal protection to doctors who need to employ abortion procedures in caring for their patients continues: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/abortion-funds-bill-20243980.php

...All of which could be moot, as the additional limits and penalties that those opponents cite are largely proposed openly by another bill: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/27/texas-abortion-pill-ban-senate-2880/

...The abortion debate is moving to state vs. state as a New York official refuses to enforce orders against a New York doctor from Texas, citing that state's shield law: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/health/new-york-texas-abortion-shield-law.html

The Texas Democratic Party's governing board, the SDEC, will choose a new chair this weekend: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/28/texas-democrats-vote-new-chair/⁠

...Progress Texas Executive Director Kathleen Thompson wonders whether the millions of dollars the TDP will spend in 2026 will "be invested into counties and down to the precinct level, or lit on fire with mainly major ad buys?”: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/03/27/texas-democrats-look-for-new-leader-to-give-party-focus-heading-into-midterm-elections/

...While you don't get to vote in this very important election, you have a representative on that committee, and you should let them know your preferences: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/blog/most-important-election-you-don%E2%80%99t-know-about⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

New polling shows a swing away from the hard right in Texas, little support for private school vouchers or banning THC products, and dropping popularity for MAGA figures including Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Governor Abbott, and especially Senator John Cornyn: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-texas-el-paso/politics/2025/03/27/poll-reveals-shift-in-texas-politics--moderate-views-rise-in-popularity

We're proud to welcome Mayor Nirenberg as our guest for a live podcast taping in San Antonio on May 6! Please join us for a fun fundraising gathering of progressives at our Party For Progress - RSVP here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://act.progresstexas.org/a/sanantonio_mixer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://store.progresstexas.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Two bills are making their way through the Texas Legislature right now that are ostensibly designed to offer doctors legal protection against prosecution under our state's near-blanket ban on abortion, in cases where that procedure is medically necessary - the same clarification that was sought, unsuccessfully, in the Zurawski v Texas case. The bills, according to their Republican backers, have achieved unanimous support in both the House and Senate - but there is no shortage of opposition among abortion rights groups and advocates, some of whom are concerned that the language in the bills may allow for expansion of prosecution of people who seek abortions out of state, and that in their attempt at clarity, may actually introduce additional confusion for doctors and patients. We've invited Austin State Rep. Donna Howard, one of the House version's authors, to explain why she supports the bill, and also to address some of the specific concerns that have been brought against it.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.