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A new poll done by ReconMR and Texas A&M's Bush School shows strong Democratic performance with James Talarico and Vikki Goodwin up on their GOP opponents and Gina Hinojosa trailing Governor Greg Abbott by a single point. Republican hubris and failure to acknowledge the economic pain of everyday Americans is seen as their potential undoing this fall. Latinos in Harris County - as much or more so than those in South Texas - may hold the key to Democratic fortunes in November. And, as back to school arrives, a group of Houston moms have sued the state over mandatory Christianized curriculum and displays in Texas public schools.
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
Fox 7 Austin: https://www.fox7austin.com/election/texas-dan-patrick-vikki-goodwin-lieutenant-governor-poll-july-2026.amp
Houston Chronicle: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/talarico-paxton-senate-hinojosa-abbott-poll-22380973.php
KHOU 11 Houston: https://www.khou.com/article/news/politics/talarico-paxton-texas-senate-poll/285-807cd9b4-fc56-429c-9172-f4c0b4a5a7c8
The Hill: https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/6012387-texas-florida-republican-warnings/
The Latin Times: https://www.latintimes.com/houston-has-2m-latino-voters-most-them-arent-showing-that-could-decide-texas-senate-race-598470
Houston Press: https://www.houstonpress.com/news/the-christianization-of-texas-public-schools/
Gina Hinojosa's talk on the Voting Rights Act: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JfgCsFf8Xo
This election year, you can support the real free press by investing in pro-democracy, pro-justice, pro-gressive storytelling. Become a monthly donor or increase your giving TODAY for our Summer Sustaining Donor Drive today, and we’ll thank you with "perks for progress" - plus you'll get a shoutout on the Daily Dispatch: huge thanks to new monthly supporter Carolyn Frawley! Join Carolyn and the rest of the Progress Texas family now at https://act.progresstexas.org/a/summersustainers26.
Check out the Substack version of the Daily Dispatch, which delivers each pod to your inbox and frequently includes extra video goodies: https://substack.com/@progresstexas
Progress Texas is now part of the lineups at KPFT-FM in Houston, Empower House Radio in San Antonio, and KZSM True Community Radio in San Marcos! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative HERE.
Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
DFW has been the chaotic center of this week’s news, and today’s top story is no exception: with conservative-driven culture wars crusading in our county governments. We report on the rise in Islamophobia across county governments, and as touted by top leaders in the Republican Party.
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
Fort Worth Report: https://fortworthreport.org/2026/08/06/christian-nationalist-influence-on-tarrant-county-government-the-focus-of-upcoming-panel-discussion/
Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/faith/article/mckinney-mosque-site-plan-approved-22358308.php
Texas Monthly: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/mckinney-mosque-sharia-gop-message/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=webcta&utm_campaign=tm-free&gift_code=OTkxNTYzOzg4OTMyZDY5LWVlNTgtNGVkYi04ZDI0LTE1MmJhYjg5MjBiMDsyMDI2MDgwNg==
Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/article/frisco-debates-restoring-public-comment-two-22375896.php
Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/faith/article/texas-republicans-offer-blueprint-plan-ban-islam-22373511.php
Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/article/trump-s-dallas-gop-convention-plans-american-22375248.php
This election year, you can support the real free press by investing in pro-democracy, pro-justice, pro-gressive storytelling. Become a monthly donor or increase your giving TODAY for our Summer Sustaining Donor Drive today, and we’ll thank you with "perks for progress" - plus you'll get a shoutout on the Daily Dispatch: huge thanks to new monthly supporter Carolyn Frawley! Join Carolyn and the rest of the Progress Texas family now at https://act.progresstexas.org/a/summersustainers26.
Check out the Substack version of the Daily Dispatch, which delivers each pod to your inbox and frequently includes extra video goodies: https://substack.com/@progresstexas
Progress Texas is now part of the lineups at KPFT-FM in Houston, Empower House Radio in San Antonio, and KZSM True Community Radio in San Marcos! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative HERE.
Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
This week we take a look at how the Texas Republican Party, in a full panic over the prospects of the end of 30 years of dominance, will be unlikely to go gentle into that good night. We've already seen aggressive redistricting and drastic attempts to limit voting access. Still in the bag of tricks: direct polling location intimidation by federal troops, legal shenanigans and more. We're joined by Fort Worth attorney and Progress Texas board member Jason Smith, and renowned Texas Democratic political strategist J.D. Gins to discuss what's ahead, what's at stake, what to watch for, and what we can do about it now.
Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas at https://progresstexas.org/.
Election and education updates today, starting with the top-ballot candidates running for John Cornyn’s Senate Seat, with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and State Rep. James Talarico each releasing their own economic agenda. Meanwhile, two updates on public and higher education: regarding a voucher program report and new lawsuit against Texas A&M.
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/article/paxton-s-economic-pitch-combines-family-tax-22371769.php
Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/05/texas-senate-james-talarico-economic-agenda-ken-paxton/
Houston Chronicle: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/texas-childrens-detransition-clinic-22376427.php
Texas Tribune: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbol2pnoA3k/?img_index=1
Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/article/james-talarico-ken-paxton-s-biggest-donors-22361827.php
Houston Chronicle: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/private-school-voucher-data-22375469.php
Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/article/texas-comptroller-staff-cuts-email-22373718.php
Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/04/texas-am-sued-race-gender-restrictions-professors/
This election year, you can support the real free press by investing in pro-democracy, pro-justice, pro-gressive storytelling. Become a monthly donor or increase your giving TODAY for our Summer Sustaining Donor Drive today, and we’ll thank you with "perks for progress" - plus you'll get a shoutout on the Daily Dispatch: huge thanks to new monthly supporter Carolyn Frawley! Join Carolyn and the rest of the Progress Texas family now at https://act.progresstexas.org/a/summersustainers26.
Check out the Substack version of the Daily Dispatch, which delivers each pod to your inbox and frequently includes extra video goodies: https://substack.com/@progresstexas
Progress Texas is now part of the lineups at KPFT-FM in Houston, Empower House Radio in San Antonio, and KZSM True Community Radio in San Marcos! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative HERE.
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:
Fort Worth Report: https://fortworthreport.org/2026/08/04/tarrant-county-commissioners-delay-vote-on-polling-sites-for-november-election/
Lone Star Left: https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/ohare-caves-under-pressure-tables
Rep. Vikki Goodwin: https://www.instagram.com/p/DboHhIdKD-n/
Marfa Public Radio: https://www.marfapublicradio.org/news/2026-08-04/border-project-contractors-arrive-in-big-bend-national-park-as-texas-lawmakers-call-for-a-pause
This election year, you can support the real free press by investing in pro-democracy, pro-justice, pro-gressive storytelling. Become a monthly donor or increase your giving TODAY for our Summer Sustaining Donor Drive today, and we’ll thank you with "perks for progress" - plus you'll get a shoutout on the Daily Dispatch: huge thanks to new monthly supporter Carolyn Frawley! Join Carolyn and the rest of the Progress Texas family now at https://act.progresstexas.org/a/summersustainers26.
Check out the Substack version of the Daily Dispatch, which delivers each pod to your inbox and frequently includes extra video goodies: https://substack.com/@progresstexas
Progress Texas is now part of the lineups at KPFT-FM in Houston, Empower House Radio in San Antonio, and KZSM True Community Radio in San Marcos! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative HERE.
Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
A three-for-one today, as we feature the speeches and Q&A sessions captured last week at the UnidosUS 2026 Annual Conference in Austin! UnidosUS is the largest nonpartisan Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, advancing social, economic, and political opportunities for Latinos, and we were proud to be invited to cover. In this pod, Unidos President and CEO, Janet Murguía, interviews several headlining guests: J.B. Pritzker, progressive Governor of Illinois, who was key to the success of the Texas House Democratic quorum break last summer (01:54), Michelle Lujan Grisham, former U.S. Congresswoman and current Democratic Governor of New Mexico (25:25), and U.S. Senator and Marine Corps combat veteran Ruben Gallego of Arizona (50:22), plus a one on one interview with Progress Texas Advocacy and Development Coordinator Tatum Owens and Senator Gallego to close out the pod. Enjoy!
The Republican-dominated Tarrant County Commissioner's Court will vote today on a proposal to eliminate almost half of the county's Election Day polling locations, with a focus on Black, Brown and student-concentrated areas. Governor Greg Abbott has called a halt to data center developments for an audit, but has taken no steps to change the loose regulations he has himself signed off on. Bipartisan resistance to data centers is mirrored in similar opposition to Flock surveillance cameras, and the new THC ban in Texas. And Joe Rogan says the quiet part out loud, characterizing the Texas GOP as "predators".
KERA Dallas: https://www.keranews.org/news/2026-08-03/tarrant-county-voting-potential-closures
Lone Star Left: https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/ohares-not-done-yet?open=false
Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/article/abbott-data-center-audit-texas-22372503.php
Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/03/texas-flock-cameras-law-enforcement-license-plate-readers/
Houston Public Media: https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/election-2026/2026/08/03/558506/thc-ban-texas-senate-race-talarico-paxton/
Texas Public Radio: https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2026-08-03/texas-delta-8-ban-creates-legal-risks-and-confusion-for-hemp-users
San Antonio Current: https://www.sacurrent.com/news/texas-news/joe-rogan-begs-texas-not-to-turn-blue/
This election year, you can support the real free press by investing in pro-democracy, pro-justice, pro-gressive storytelling. Become a monthly donor or increase your giving TODAY for our Summer Sustaining Donor Drive today, and we’ll thank you with "perks for progress" - plus you'll get a shoutout on the Daily Dispatch: huge thanks to new monthly supporter Carolyn Frawley! Join Carolyn and the rest of the Progress Texas family now at https://act.progresstexas.org/a/summersustainers26.
Check out the Substack version of the Daily Dispatch, which delivers each pod to your inbox and frequently includes extra video goodies: https://substack.com/@progresstexas
Progress Texas is now part of the lineups at KPFT-FM in Houston, Empower House Radio in San Antonio, and KZSM True Community Radio in San Marcos! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative HERE.
Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
As of Friday, Texas Republicans have reclassified a range of popular hemp-derived THC products like Delta-8 as Schedule I substances - possession of them is now a felony. Driven by millions in campaign contributions, the wholesale alcohol lobby has persuaded Republican leaders to eliminate hemp competition and protect their state-sanctioned distribution monopoly. Listeners can fight back by bypassing major distributors, and buying directly from local independent taprooms, distilleries, and self-distributing craft producers.
KHOU Houston: https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/thc-restrictions-hemp-businesses/285-3fe2342e-5ba7-4fb0-997d-915430e8fc96
Progress Texas: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbgND1Lpuza/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This election year, you can support the real free press by investing in pro-democracy, pro-justice, pro-gressive storytelling. Become a monthly donor or increase your giving TODAY for our Summer Sustaining Donor Drive today, and we’ll thank you with "perks for progress" - plus you'll get a shoutout on the Daily Dispatch: huge thanks to new monthly supporter Carolyn Frawley! Join Carolyn and the rest of the Progress Texas family now at https://act.progresstexas.org/a/summersustainers26.
Check out the Substack version of the Daily Dispatch, which delivers each pod to your inbox and frequently includes extra video goodies: https://substack.com/@progresstexas
Progress Texas is now part of the lineups at KPFT-FM in Houston, Empower House Radio in San Antonio, and KZSM True Community Radio in San Marcos! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative HERE.
Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
On the heels of a Democrat-associated poll favoring James Talarico in his run for Senate against Ken Paxton, a poll sanctioned by Fox News also puts the Democrat in the lead. Senator John Cornyn maintains his defiance of Donald Trump and reminds the president that the midterms are coming. And Texas Tech defies open records requests for information about the renaming of their football stadium after a giant data center corporation.
Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-gop-divisions-shape-texas-senate-race
Politico: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/31/trump-todd-blanche-nomination-01018826
KAMC-TV Lubbock: https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/local-news/texas-tech-wont-release-galaxy-stadium-contract-until-ag-decides/
This election year, you can support the real free press by investing in pro-democracy, pro-justice, pro-gressive storytelling. Become a monthly donor or increase your giving TODAY for our Summer Sustaining Donor Drive today, and we’ll thank you with "perks for progress" - plus you'll get a shoutout on the Daily Dispatch: huge thanks to new monthly supporter Carolyn Frawley! Join Carolyn and the rest of the Progress Texas family now at https://act.progresstexas.org/a/summersustainers26.
Check out the Substack version of the Daily Dispatch, which delivers each pod to your inbox and frequently includes extra video goodies: https://substack.com/@progresstexas
Progress Texas is now part of the lineups at KPFT-FM in Houston, Empower House Radio in San Antonio, and KZSM True Community Radio in San Marcos! Make a tax-deductible contribution to our radio initiative HERE.
Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
When one considers that the doctrine of the separation of church and state, interpreted from the U.S. Constitution, protects both the right to freely worship AND the right not to have the religious beliefs of others incorporated into law - one might also consider that it might be a bad move for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to have declared war upon it. We discuss with Progress Texas Board Member and Secular Houston founder, Dr. Wil Jeudy.
Learn more about Secular Houston at https://secularhouston.org/.
Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can help support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.
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