School choice, gender identity, and online sports betting: TWITP
The Brief
School choice in Texas, gender identity, and online betting were hot topics in This Week in Texas Politics
FOX 7 Austin's chief political reporter Rudy Koski and our panel of analysts take a look at the top stories in Texas politics from this week
AUSTIN, Texas - There was a lot of money talk in This Week in Texas Politics from the classroom all the way to the border.
FOX 7 Austin's chief political reporter Rudy Koski and our panel of analysts take a look at the top stories in Texas politics from this week.
A longer discussion can be found on the FOX 7 YouTube page.
What they're saying
RUDY KOSKI: So, let's get the headlines from our panel, and we'll start with political analyst Karina Kling. Karina, what's your headline for the week?
KARINA KLING: Governor Abbott lays out his conservative agenda.
RUDY KOSKI: Brian Smith with Saint Edward's University, your headline.
BRIAN SMITH: Vouchers pass the Senate, but obstacles remain.
RUDY KOSKI: Business analyst Annie Spilman, your headline for the week.
ANNIE SPILMAN: Texas House Speaker Burrows discusses water, school choice and small business priorities.
Local perspective
RUDY KOSKI: The governor kicked off the week with his State of the State address. He unpacked a lot of issues during that speech. Karina, what caught your attention in that speech?
KARINA KLING: I think his overall appeal really appears to both factions of the Republican Party. And as well as a bipartisan approach with the property tax relief, Texans are really clamoring for more of that.
BRIAN SMITH: I didn't see a lot that really caught my eye. It was what we knew was coming. It was part of his electoral agenda. Tax cuts, infrastructure, school choice.
ANNIE SPILMAN: I was elated that the governor made note of his small business priority, mentioning his small Business Freedom Council. That, you know, requires state agencies to slash any unneeded rules and regulations.
Local perspective
RUDY KOSKI: The day after the governor's speech, Texas House Democrats said that they were ready for the coming battle over school choice. It has arrived. Karina, do you think anything in that Senate floor debate was really something that would carry over to the House fight?
KARINA KLING: But I think it will move and probably pretty quickly. I think the big question is then going to be what does it look like compared to the Senate version and what do they come up with.
Local perspective
RUDY KOSKI: Governor Abbott this week somewhat showed his hand on the issue of online sports betting. Talking to FOX 7 and several other outlets about this, saying voters should have the say. So, Annie, what's the buzz about this from the business community?
ANNIE SPILMAN: You know, it estimates that the market could generate $360 million in direct tax revenue for the state and adding 8000 jobs. So, to the business community and to any, you know, anybody that's interested in economic growth. That says a lot.
RUDY KOSKI: You know, there is a real joker in the deck here, Brian. That's the Lieutenant Governor.
BRIAN SMITH: I don't think that anything beyond the hearing is going to happen.
Local perspective
RUDY KOSKI: As we mentioned earlier, Governor Abbott was in Washington, D.C. earlier this week at the White House. He attended a ceremony where President Trump signed an order that bans trans athletes from girls' sports. The day before that happened, we learned Attorney General Ken Paxton was investigating two Dallas area school districts. They are accused of allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls' sports, violating state law. Karina, there are a lot of gender bills that have been filed this session.
KARINA KLING: Advocacy groups for LGBTQ plus Texans, I think they're tracking at least 50. That number has probably gone up, affecting the lives of LGBTQ+ Texans. Some of that legislation could affect them. I looked up a couple. I mean, the bathroom bill is back. That was the fight. Others require government records to reflect that there are only two genders. I also saw legislation that would prevent trans people from amending their birth certificates to reflect their gender identity. So again, I think that, you know, this is going to be another fight this session.
RUDY KOSKI: Greg Abbott went to Washington on Wednesday. No, it's not the old movie. He went to the White House to visit the president, telling the president state resources, including jail cells here in Texas, are available to the feds as they continue to ramp up immigration enforcement. Brian, do you think that this is going to be the beginning of an Operation Lone Star handoff, or are we still dancing with the feds?
BRIAN SMITH: He's pivoting to help the federal government. He would love the government, the Feds to take on some of the costs of Lonestar, but he's not going to give up this signature immigration policy. If he gives up Lone Star, that's an admission of failure.
Local perspective
RUDY KOSKI: Another Texan is going to the Trump cabinet. Former Texas State Representative Scott Turner was confirmed as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Brian Turner, when he was in Austin, spoke out against welfare programs. Do you think that he's going to be able to really reinvent HUD?
BRIAN SMITH: I think he's going to try. But you can't reform an executive agency overnight.
ANNIE SPILMAN: I worked with Rep. Turner while he served in the Texas House. Good guy. Lots of energy. He's got personal stories of family impacted by homelessness and things like that. And he previously worked in a role in the Trump administration that encouraged public and private investment in urban and economically distressed areas. If anything, no change will be good.
Local perspective
RUDY KOSKI: Let's end it with that and get our one word for the week. And we'll start first with Karina. What's your word for the week?
KARINA KLING: I think we saw a lot of the same policies, legislation. So, I'm going to say, Déjà vu.
BRIAN SMITH:I think things are starting to get busy, so I'm going to say, Escalating.
ANNIE SPILMAN: Karina and I are on the same path here, Groundhog's Day.
RUDY KOSKI: And that is This Week in Texas Politics.
The Source
Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Rudy Koski
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
17 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Is Elon Musk right to oppose the budget bill? What Americans said in a new poll
During his public falling out with President Donald Trump, Elon Musk slammed the president's proposed spending bill — dubbed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' — claiming it will balloon the deficit. It turns out, most Americans agree with his critique, new polling reveals. In the latest Economist/YouGov poll, half of respondents were asked to react to a statement from Musk on the GOP-backed spending bill, which passed in the House without a single Democratic vote. The legislation, Musk wrote on X on June 3, 'will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion and burden (American) citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.' A majority of respondents, 56%, said they agreed with this statement, while just 17% said they disagreed. More than one-quarter, 27%, said they were unsure. The answers were largely linked to partisan affiliation, with Democrats largely siding with Musk for a change. Seventy-two percent of Democrats said they concurred with the billionaire's statement about the spending bill, as did 55% of independents. Among Republicans, a plurality, 44%, said they agreed. The poll — which sampled 1,533 U.S. adults June 6-9 — posed the same statement before the other half of respondents, but this time, it did not attribute it to Musk. Without reference to Musk, a slightly smaller share, 49%, said they agreed with the statement, while 23% said they disagreed. Smaller shares of Republicans, independents and Democrats agreed, though Democrats saw the largest decrease in support — from 72% to 60%. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. More on the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' The spending bill, which provides funding for fiscal year 2025, passed in the House in a 215-214 vote in late May and is now under consideration in the Senate. It contains many pieces of Trump's agenda, including a road map to extend the 2017 tax cuts, as well as an increase in funding for the Pentagon and border security, according to previous reporting from McClatchy News. At the same time, it slashes funding for social programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Further — to Musk's point — it would increase the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion over the next 10 years, according to an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency. In addition to Musk, the bill has received criticism from several other prominent conservatives in Congress. One of the most vocal opponents has been Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who wrote on X that 'the spending proposed in this bill is unsustainable, we cannot continue spending at these levels if we want to truly tackle our debt.' Other Republican lawmakers have come out in defense of the bill, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has said the legislation will deliver 'historic tax relief, ensure our border stays secure, strengthen our military, and produce historic savings.' Meanwhile, Democrats have been united in their opposition. In a statement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries labeled the bill 'the GOP Tax Scam' and said it would rip 'healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people in order to provide tax cuts to the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected.'
Washington Post
18 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Democrats ignored border politics. Now the consequences are here.
Democrats have gotten the border issue so wrong, for so long, that it amounts to political malpractice. The latest chapter — in which violent protesters could be helping President Donald Trump create a military confrontation he's almost begging for as a distraction from his other problems — may prove the most dangerous yet. When I see activists carrying Mexican flags as they challenge ICE raids in Los Angeles this week, I think of two possibilities: These 'protesters' are deliberately working to create visuals that will help Trump, or they are well-meaning but unwise dissenters who are inadvertently accomplishing the same goal. Democrats' mistake, over more than a decade, has been to behave as though border enforcement doesn't matter. Pressured by immigrant rights activists, party leaders too often acted as if maintaining a well-controlled border was somehow morally wrong. Again and again, the short-term political interests of Democratic leaders in responding to a strong faction within the party won out over having a policy that could appeal to the country as a whole. When red-state voters and elected officials complained that their states were being overwhelmed by uncontrolled immigration over the past decade, Democrats found those protests easy to ignore. They were happening somewhere else. But when red states' governors pushed migrants toward blue-state cities over the past several years, protests from mayors and governors finally began to register. But still not enough to create coherent Democratic policies, alas. It's open season on former president Joe Biden these days, and he doesn't deserve all the retrospective criticism he's getting. But on immigration, he was anything but a profile in courage. Security advisers including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas wanted tougher border policies starting in 2021. But political advisers such as chief of staff Ron Klain, who sought amity with immigration rights progressives in Congress and the party's base, resisted strong measures. Though Biden was elected as a centrist, he leaned left — and waited until the last months of his presidency to take the strong enforcement measures recommended earlier. Throughout the 2024 campaign, Trump played shamelessly on public anxieties about the border. Some of his arguments, like claims that hungry migrants were eating pets, were grotesque. They were simply provocations. But Biden and Kamala Harris didn't have good answers, other than indignation. They had straddled the issue through Biden's term, talking about border security but failing to enact it, and the public knew it. Democrats finally came up with a bipartisan border bill in 2024 that would have given the president more authority to expel migrants and deny asylum claims, and more money to secure the border. Republicans, led by Trump, were shameless opportunists in opposing the bill. They didn't want Biden to have a win. In the end, Democrats didn't have the votes — or, frankly, the credibility on the issue. Biden took executive action in June 2024, limiting entry into the United States. But it was too late. He could have taken that action in 2021. Since Trump took office in January, he has been building toward this week's confrontation in the streets. ICE raids have steadily increased in cities with large migrant populations, as have nationwide quotas for arrests and deportations. Trump declared a national emergency on Inauguration Day that gave him authority to send troops to the border to 'assist' in controlling immigration. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem seized every photo opportunity to convey a militarized approach to the coming clash. Over these months, the immigration issue has been a car crash skidding toward us in slow motion. Since his first term, Trump has clearly wanted a military confrontation with the left over immigration or racial issues. Gen. Mark A. Milley, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, helped talk Trump out of invoking the Insurrection Act in 2020 to contain the unrest that followed the death of George Floyd. But this time, Trump faces no opposition. He is surrounded by yes-men and -women. The saddest part is that Democrats still have no clear policy. Some blue-state mayors and governors have pledged to provide 'sanctuary' for migrants, but they don't have good arguments to rebut Trump's claim they're interfering with the enforcement of federal law. In some cases, sanctuary has meant refusing to hand over undocumented migrants convicted of violent crimes, former DHS officials tell me. That's wrong. The courts have limited Trump's most arbitrary policies and his defiance of due process, but not his authority to enforce immigration laws. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) this week chose sensible ground to fight, by filing a lawsuit challenging Trump's authority to override gubernatorial power by federalizing National Guard troops when there isn't a 'rebellion' or 'invasion.' There is no evidence of such extreme danger — or that local law enforcement in Los Angeles can't handle the problems. But Newsom's smart pushback doesn't get Democrats out of addressing an issue they've been ducking for more than a decade: Do they have the courage to enforce the border themselves? Over the long run, taking border issues seriously means more immigration courts, and more border-control people and facilities — and a fair, legal way of deciding who stays and who goes. But right now, it means Democratic mayors and governors using state and local police to contain protests, so that troops aren't necessary — and preventing extremists among the activists from fomenting the cataclysm in the streets that some of them seem to want as much as Trump. Yes, of course, we need new bipartisan legislation to resolve the gut issue of how to protect the 'dreamers' and other longtime residents who show every day that they want only to be good citizens. But on the way to that day of sweet reason, Democrats need to oppose violence, by anyone — and to help enforce immigration policies that begin with a recognition that it isn't immoral to have a border.
The Hill
20 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump flexes military might
Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here PRESIDENT TRUMP is leaning into his role of commander-in-chief, seeking to flex U.S. military might amid unrest in Los Angeles and fragile negotiations with hostile foreign governments abroad. Democrats are enraged by what they view as a heavy-handed overreaction after Trump dispatched thousands of National Guardsmen and hundreds of U.S. Marines to L.A. amid protests against immigration raids in Southern California. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith said Tuesday the active-duty battalion in Los Angeles has not been called into action yet, but their presence has infuriated Democrats, who say they're escalating an already-combustible situation. Trump says the troops are needed because Democratic officials in California allowed the riots and looting to spiral out of control. The president was asked Tuesday how long the National Guard and Marines would remain in Los Angeles. 'When there is no danger, they'll leave,' he said. Trump also said he'd consider invoking the Insurrection Act, which has only been used a few times in U.S. history to quell rebellions. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) asked a federal judge Tuesday to intervene to limit Trump's deployment of the National Guard. 'Federal antagonization, through the presence of soldiers in the streets, has already caused real and irreparable damage to the City of Los Angeles, the people who live there, and the State of California. They must be stopped, immediately,' the motion states. Trump touted his efforts to 'liberate' L.A. during an appearance at Fort Bragg in North Carolina on Tuesday afternoon. 'What you're witnessing in California is a full-blown assault on peace, public order and national sovereignty,' Trump said of those clashing with law enforcement. The president argued that military deployed to California are protecting 'the supremacy' of federal law and are focused on 'stopping an invasion.' Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who fielded angry questions from Democratic lawmakers at a hearing earlier in the day, observed training exercises at the nation's largest military installation. On Saturday, Trump will oversee a military parade in the streets of Washington that marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army. The event also falls on his 79th birthday. Democrats have blasted the parade, likening it to exhibitions under authoritarian regimes and pointing to the $45 million price tag. Trump warned Tuesday that protesters at the parade would be met with 'very big force.' The parade — replete with helicopters, war planes and tanks — comes amid tense negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, trade talks with China and stalled peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Trump said Tuesday that Iran is acting 'much more aggressive' in its negotiations. 'It's disappointing,' Trump told Bret Baier of Fox News. 'But we are set to meet again tomorrow — we'll see.' Meanwhile, Russia launched a massive drone strike against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hopes to meet with Trump next week at the G7 Summit in Canada. L.A. PROTESTS SIMMER, BUT RHETORIC RUNS HOT The protests in Los Angeles appeared to be receding, although there were more than a dozen new incidents of unrest, vandalism and looting on Monday night. The Los Angeles Police Department said 96 people were arrested for failure to disperse. Two officers were injured, treated and release. Demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, who have been ramping up their immigration raids, have begun popping up in other cities. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said on a new episode of Pod Save America out Tuesday that Trump's deployment of troops to Los Angeles is meant as a warning to protesters in other cities. 'This isn't about public safety,' Newsom posted X. 'It's about stroking a dangerous president's ego This is reckless. Pointless. And disrespectful to our troops.' Vice President Vance fired back, posting pictures of rioting and burning cars from before the National Guard was called in. 'If you want to know why border patrol fear for their lives over enforcing the law, look in the mirror,' Vance said. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow that the vandalism taking place is 'absolutely atrocious' and that those responsible 'will be held accountable.' However, she argued the unrest is only taking place in 'a handful of streets in Downtown Los Angeles.' Hegseth defended military involvement at a fiery Congressional hearing, saying the troops were necessary to protect ICE agents, who have clashed with protesters as they seek to carry out immigration raids. 'In Los Angeles, we believe that ICE, which is a federal law enforcement agency, has the right to safely conduct operations in any state and any jurisdiction in the country, especially after 21 million illegals have crossed our border under the previous administration,' Hegseth said. 'ICE ought to be able to do their job…we have deployed National Guard and Marines to protect them in the execution of their duties.' The Pentagon estimates it will cost $134 million to deploy the troops in Los Angeles. MEANWHILE…. It was another day of hot rhetoric from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Newsom called Hegseth an 'embarrassment' and 'a joke' and said 'everybody knows he's in over his head.' Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he wasn't sure if Newsom should be arrested, but that he should be 'tarred and feathered.' California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) said Trump has an 'endless desire to seize more power.' Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Los Angeles a 'city of criminals.' There were signs of intra-party disagreement on both sides. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who has pushed Democrats to be more moderate, posted on X: 'I unapologetically stand for free speech, peaceful demonstrations, and immigration—but this is not that. This is anarchy and true chaos. My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement.' Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) posted on X: 'I remain concerned about ongoing ICE operations throughout CA and will continue my conversations with the administration—urging them to prioritize the removal of known criminals over the hardworking people who have lived peacefully in the Valley for years.' 💡Perspectives: • The Free Press: Who is burning cars and throwing rocks in L.A.? • The Wall Street Journal: Democrats make Stephen Miller's day. • American Prospect: Cries of defiance, songs of joy in Los Angeles. • UnHerd: LA riots reflect failure of progressive leadership. • Gideon's: The street fight Trump wants. Read more: • Democrats forced to walk tightrope on Trump, L.A. protests. • Trump's $1,000-per-baby investment accounts: What to know. • House approves resolutions condemning antisemitic attack in Colorado. • Trump, Newsom collide over LA unrest. A strong majority of Americans support prioritizing birth sex over gender identity on government documents and in sports. A new study finds there's little overlap between news sources trusted by Democrats and Republicans. News websites are getting crushed by Google's new Artificial Intelligence tools, as people stop clicking on links to news stories. © AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite The White House and GOP leaders on Capitol Hill are looking to flip the protests in Los Angeles into momentum for President Trump's agenda bill. Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' appeared to be losing momentum in the Senate last week, but now advocates of the legislation are pointing to efforts by protesters to disrupt Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids as evidence the bill must pass to give law enforcement more resources. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Tuesday the bill would provide funding to hire 10,000 new ICE agents; provide a $10,000 bonus to frontline border patrol workers; and provide more than $14 billion for air and ground support to conduct 1 million deportations a year. 'We are starting with the dangerous illegal immigrants, and that's exactly who the rioters and politicians in California are trying to protect,' Johnson said. 'While Republicans are supporting the men and women of ICE through the one big beautiful bill, Democrats are fighting for those illegal aliens and against law enforcement agents.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt added: 'The riots in Los Angeles prove that we desperately need more immigration enforcement personnel and resources,' she posted on X. 'America must reverse the invasion unleashed by Joe Biden of millions of unvetted illegal aliens into our country.' Leavitt met privately with House Republicans at their weekly conference on Tuesday, urging them to 'go on offense' and to 'go back to districts and push back on disinformation on the bill.' Still, there are stark divisions among Republicans about the way forward. The Hill's Alexander Bolton reports that some Republicans are eager to cut more spending from the bill after Elon Musk attacked the legislation for its 'mountain of disgusting pork.' 'Facing a jittery bond market and scathing criticism from Musk, GOP lawmakers have expanded their search for ways to reduce the deficit by cutting Medicare, the Defense Department and the Federal Reserve — areas of the budget that were considered off-limits just a few weeks ago.' And now, hardline conservatives in the House are going big in search of another round of spending cuts. The Hill's Emily Brooks writes: 'Those include some controversial suggestions that were previously rejected by the House, like putting restrictions on the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) that was expanded under ObamaCare; and further reigning in the ability of states to extract more federal Medicaid matching dollars through provider taxes imposed on health care providers.' MEANWHILE…. The effort to claw back billions in spending on international aid and public media is running into opposition from some Republicans, who either disagree with some of the proposed cuts or worry it would undermine Congress's authority to allocate funding in the future. Speaker Johnson is under pressure from fiscal hawks to codify the recissions, which came out of the Department of Government Efficiency. ELSEWHERE… Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) filed legislation Tuesday to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, more than doubling the rate which was last hiked in 2009. 💡Perspectives: • USA Today: The Democratic Party is self-destructing. • Very Serious: Bluesky isn't a bubble. It's a containment zone. • The Hill: Trump is fueling a young, male comedy comeback. • The Hill: How Dems can win back male voters: start by respecting them. • The Liberal Patriot: Understand America's communities. Read more: • Mark Green to resign from House after final vote on 'big, beautiful bill'. • Amazon to invest $20 billion in Pennsylvania data centers. © John McDonnell, Associated Press Some Republicans are pushing back after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members of the independent panel advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Kennedy said the move was necessary to restore faith in vaccines. 'A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science,' Kennedy wrote. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) was surprised by the move and said it seemed 'excessive,' although she said her ultimate determination would hinge on who is chosen to replace the fired members on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician, said he spoke with Kennedy about the firings. 'Of course, now the fear is that the ACIP will be filled up with people who know nothing about vaccines except suspicion,' Cassidy posted on X. 'I've just spoken with Secretary Kennedy, and I'll continue to talk with him to ensure this is not the case.' The Hill's Nathaniel Weixel writes: 'The panelists are not political appointees. The ACIP meets three times a year to review data on vaccines and recommend how they should be used. It is comprised of independent medical and public health experts who do not work for CDC. Members are appointed to four-year term.' • Tensions between 25-year old gun rights activist David Hogg and Democratic National Committee (DNC) are reaching a boiling point, as the party moves to potentially redo Hogg's election as vice chair. The Hill's Caroline Vakil and Julia Manchester write: 'Leaked audio revealed DNC Chair Ken Martin venting his frustration with Hogg, who has come under fire from some within the party for his efforts to oust certain incumbents while serving as a DNC vice chair.' ELSEWHERE… Voters are heading to the polls in New Jersey on Tuesday to choose nominees for the state's gubernatorial race, one of only two in the country this year. The Hill's Jared Gans has five things to watch for in The Garden State, which Democrats won at the presidential level in 2024 by the slimmest margin since 1992. 💡Perspectives: • RealClearPolitics: Trump can and should fire Fed chief. • The New Republic: Why Trump created the autopen scandal. • RFK, Jr.: HHS moves to restore public trust in vaccines. • Racket: Nothing stops Goldman Sachs. Read more: • Why Trump turned against 'gold standard' mRNA vaccines. • Judge blocks administration from enforcing diversity, transgender orders. • Greta Thunberg deported from Israel. Someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up to get your own copy: See you next time!
