Latest news with #TexasPolitics
CBS News
4 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Beto O'Rourke considering running for office in Texas, again. "Nothing is off the table."
Former Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke is back in the public eye, and he said he's considering running for office next year. He's been making the rounds, holding town hall meetings in North Texas and across the state. O'Rourke, of El Paso, came close to defeating Senator Ted Cruz in the 2018 election. The Democrat ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020 and for governor of Texas in 2022. During an Eye On Politics interview, CBS News Texas asked O'Rourke which office he is considering running for: Governor or U.S. Senator. O'Rourke said, "This moment is bigger than a political office or a campaign, or any person, certainly myself included. There are a lot of folks in Texas who are really hurting right now. They're being hurt by this administration, whether it's cuts to the VA or proposed cuts to Medicaid. I really think there's power in bringing people together right now. Folks need to know that we're not isolated, that we're not alone." During an interview earlier this spring, O'Rourke said he would not run for U.S. Senate in 2026, when Republican Senator John Cornyn is up for re-election. However, during a town hall meeting several weeks later in Denton, a member of the crowd asked him if he would run for Senate, and he said he would if the people of Texas wanted him to. When asked what that meant O'Rourke said, "It means that if I am the right person to run for that seat, if I can do the most good for the people of Texas by actually winning and being able to serve them in that position of public trust, then that's something I should certainly look at. I do know that I'm nowhere close to understanding the answer to those questions. I don't think anyone can really unless they've gone out and listened to and been with and worked alongside the people that they want to serve and represent." When asked what criteria he will use to base his decision on whether to run, O'Rourke said, "I don't have a spreadsheet, or a list, or a set of data points that I'm going to be looking at. As I continue to listen to people, which is the most important thing I think I can do, and travel the state, that will be incredibly clarifying for the path that I pursue. I'm really agnostic as to what that looks like. I don't need to be a candidate, I don't need to hold office, but I do need to help Texas, in this country, at this moment of truth. I'm going to do everything I possibly can, and I'm taking nothing off the table." Watch Eye On Politics at 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning on CBS News Texas, on air and streaming on the CBS News app. Follow Jack on X: @cbs11jack
CBS News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Tensions grow as new poll shows Senator Cornyn trailing Attorney General Paxton in Republican primary for U.S. Senate
Tensions are growing between Senator John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate after the results of a new voter survey for the race became public. The new poll shows Senator Cornyn trailing Attorney General Paxton by 16 percentage points, 56% to 40%. Punchbowl News first reported the poll taken by a Super PAC called the Senate Leadership Fund. Houston-area Congressman Wesley Hunt is considering entering this primary for U.S. Senate. When Hunt's name was added to the poll, Paxton's lead over Cornyn shrank by a margin of 44% to 34%, with Hunt at 19%. The same poll, conducted between April 27 and May 1, shows that in a general election, Cornyn would beat former Democratic Congressman Colin Allred of Dallas by six percentage points, while Hunt has a one percentage point lead, and Paxton is behind Allred by one percentage point. Cornyn and Paxton go back and forth on X In a post on X referring to the poll, Cornyn said, "His lead is shrinking, and the battle has just begun! He must be getting nervous." Paxton fired back posting, "Imagine being delusional enough to celebrate a poll showing you down 16 points after being in office for 40 years." Cornyn responded, "By the way, the poll shows you losing to a Democrat in November." Paxton responded, "You said the same thing about President Trump - we saw how that went for you." Cornyn spoke with reporters earlier this month about a previous internal poll showing him trailing Paxton. He said he worries that if Paxton becomes the Republican nominee, he would lose to a Democrat. "The last thing we need to do is provide an opportunity for Democrats to get a beachhead in Texas," said Cornyn. "Which, depending on how the primary turns out, could happen. That would be the end of Texas being red." Possible newcomer in the race for U.S. Senate Last month, Congressman Hunt appeared in New Hampshire and was asked about possibly throwing his hat into the ring. In an interview, Hunt said, "If opportunities present themselves that would make it palatable for me to run, I would absolutely consider it." The Republican primary is just getting underway and takes place in March. Former Democratic Congressman Colin Allred and Beto O'Rourke have said they are considering running for this seat.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas bill deadlines, deals, and re-writes dominate headlines: TWITP
The Brief The regular legislative session is coming to a close and deadlines, deals, and re-writes for several bills made the headlines this week FOX 7 Austin's chief political reporter Rudy Koski and our panel of analysts discussed the big stories from This Week in Texas Politics AUSTIN, Texas - This Week in Texas Politics started with a race to beat the clock at the Texas Capitol. Deadlines, deals, and re-writes made headlines. FOX 7 Austin's chief political reporter Rudy Koski and our panel of analysts discussed the big stories from This Week in Texas Politics. Local perspective RUDY KOSKI: A barn burner is a good way to describe how This Week in Texas Politics wrapped up. Let's get our headlines from our panel, and we'll start with Brian Smith with St. Edward's University. Brian, what's your headline for the week? BRIAN SMITH: With Sine Die approaching, the legislature kicks into high gear. RUDY KOSKI: Political analyst Karina Kling, what's your headline for the week? KARINA KLING: Hundreds of Texas House Bills sent to the shredder after a critical deadline. RUDY KOSKI: And Brad Johnson with The Texan, what's your headline for the week? BRAD JOHNSON: Thousands of bills turn into pumpkins at the stroke of midnight. RUDY KOSKI: The 225-page Senate re-write of the Education Funding Plan, HB2, finally got a hearing this week. The House and Senate versions of HB 2, remain at $8 billion, but differ in how the money is being spent, Brad. Initially, there was outrage about this. BRAD JOHNSON: There's a lot of rural R's who are angry about this, and they're very upset because They went out all in support of Greg Abbott's ESA program as part of a deal. And part of that deal was the House's version of school finance. And now, we're seeing that kind of shifting possibly. KARINA KLING: I assume and believe that a lot of House members are not going to be very happy with this, so. They're going to have to hash this out in these final few weeks. BRIAN SMITH: And it might not be the best Bill, it might be a perfect Bill, but it'll be something that'll go into law. If they don't, then only the Republicans are to blame. RUDY KOSKI: There was another education rewrite that happened this week. A Bill moved forward to end STARR testing and replace it with another exam. KARINA KLING: There's still a lot of work to do out there, between the two chambers, but. I mean, some kind of overhaul is inevitable, and this is something that both chambers are pushing for. RUDY KOSKI: Other notable shutdown bills this week included a ban on gun buyback programs. And a late arrival SB-3070. That cleared the Senate and, if approved by the House, could close down the Lottery Commission. Brian, the Senate Bill, moves the game to a new agency. BRIAN SMITH: If you have an agency that's in trouble, sometimes one of the smartest things to do, is bury it within an existing agency. And if you put it in with licensing, the licensing agency, you're in there with like midwives and barbers and speech therapists and a hodgepodge of other industries. It'll take away independence and visibility. But any negative publicity won't escape from that level. And then be a drag on the government. RUDY KOSKI: Alright, let's take a moment. Pause and remember all those bills that died at midnight, Thursday night. And there were a lot. Kumbaya and farewell. Brad, some of these bills could come back to life like zombies. BRAD JOHNSON: Most of the bills on this calendar were not top-level, high-profile bills. They were a lot of pet projects by members, because everybody knew they were either on the chopping block or dead as a doornail. And so, the focus has always been on passing these Senate bills, and now we're in that time. RUDY KOSKI: A notable Bill in Conference Committee limbo is SB 17. It prevents land purchases by people linked to hostile foreign nations. Bail reform, another round of property tax cuts and bills on gender identity. All were kept alive this week. Karina, give me a bill that you're watching that is on that thin ice situation. KARINA KLING: I'm watching closely, the THC measure and what they're going to do with that. The Senate wants a full on ban. The House wants to reform some of that a bit more. BRAD JOHNSON: I'll go with the tort reform proposal. This thing has been a massive, massive expensive fight. BRIAN SMITH: Right, this is the time when those top issues come to the forefront. We've gotten rid of a lot of the bills that had no chance, so now it's time to see how strong the governor is in passing his emergency items? How powerful is the Lieutenant Governor and how unified is that Republican caucus in the House. RUDY KOSKI: The primary battle between Senator John Cornyn and Ken Paxton is intensifying this week with the bigger social media mud fight going on. Some gasoline added to that mud this week with the report that internal polling has Paxton leading in the primary. But He could lose the general election. Brad, Politico's headline. Called this the "GOP train wreck" of the 2026 election cycle. BRAD JOHNSON: This thing's going to be an absolute mess, and it's going to be fun to watch from the outside. BRIAN SMITH: Again, I think people like Politico. When they're bored, they turn out that old, let's turn Texas blue type article. Because it's still too early to make anything out of the race, I think. KARINA KLING: But Cornyn is a pro at fundraising. And once he starts inundating the airwaves, the game may change a little bit. We will see how this brutal fight over the airwaves plays out and who can win in that battle. RUDY KOSKI: You can see our full discussion on the FOX 7 YouTube page, but let's wrap things up with one final word. Brian, we'll start with you. What's your word for the week? BRIAN SMITH: Terminus. KARINA KLING: Deadlines. BRAD JOHNSON: Funding. RUDY KOSKI: And that is This Week in Texas Politics The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Rudy Koski
Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Watch: The Democrat firebrand telling Maga to f--- off
By her own admission, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett likes to create a stir. 'If you've ever paid any attention to me, you know I always have remarks – and then something else happens,' she said in March at a dinner in Los Angeles for Human Rights Campaign, a non-profit. 'You'd better all just pray for me because who knows what I'm going to end up saying.' Within moments, the 44-year-old former lawyer spoke disparagingly of Greg Abbott, the Texas governor, who has used a wheelchair since he was in his 20s, and called him 'hot wheels'. Ms Crockett, who is the representative for Texas's 30th congressional district, defended the comment and insisted she was not referring to Mr Abbott's inability to walk, but to 'the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable'. She also accused her critics of hypocrisy, saying that none of them had ever condemned Donald Trump's apparent mocking of a disabled New York Times reporter during his 2015 presidential campaign. The most recent 'remark' from Ms Crockett, a co-chairwoman of the Harris-Walz campaign, to hit headlines was her claim that Democrats want the 'safest white boy' to put forward in the 2028 presidential race. Speaking with Malcolm Kenyatta, the Democratic National Committee vice-chairman, last week on SiriusXM's UrbanView, she said donors were getting ready to back candidates. She claimed many were keen for the candidate to be a white man. 'It is this fear that the people within the party, within the primary system, will have about voting for a woman because every time we voted for a woman, we've lost so far,' said Ms Crockett. 'I think that that's a natural fear because we just want to win. So there's a lot of people that are like, 'You know what – let's go and find the safest white boy we can'. I mean, I'm just saying.' The comment sparked controversy, with some suggesting it was sexist and racist, while others applauded Ms Crockett's 'honesty'. It comes as the party has struggled to find a way forward, with no clear leader, and no agreed message on how the Democrats should try and engage with voters going into the 2026 midterms. Some potential candidates for 2028, such as Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan governor, say it is essential to work with the president if his policies help Americans. Others think the fight requires a more combative approach, similar to Ms Crockett's brand of politicking. Throughout her fairly short career, having first entered politics in 2020, Ms Crockett has frequently clashed with Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene, a perhaps equally sharp-tongued figure on the right. In an exchange last year, after the firebrand Republican made a disparaging comment about Ms Crockett's false eyelashes, the Texan accused Ms Greene of being a 'bleach-blonde, bad-built, butch body'. Ms Crockett revelled in the moment which quickly went viral, branding it 'B6' and touting a line of merchandise she branded the 'Crockett Clapback Collection'. She branded Ms Greene's comments about her eyelashes 'racist,' meanwhile she was criticised over her use of the term 'butch,' and apologised. 'I meant no harm to anyone in the [LGBTQ] community,' she said. Earlier this year Pam Bondi, the attorney general, called on Ms Crockett to apologise to Elon Musk and Ted Cruz, accusing her of threatening their lives and safety. It came after the congresswoman suggested Mr Cruz, the Republican senator for Texas, should be 'knocked over the head, hard' with 'no niceties'. Ms Crockett had also suggested she would like to see Mr Musk 'taken down'amid a wave of protests targeting Tesla dealerships. Shortly after she made the comments, three explosive devices were found at a dealership in Texas, with Ms Bondi calling on the woman to 'unequivocally denounce the violence'. There is no suggestion the two incidents were linked. 'She's using her public persona, her public platform, to increase her followers, to increase her significance, and she is threatening lives, safety,' Ms Bondi told Fox News. At the time, a spokesman for Ms Crockett's office said of the attorney general's comments: '[Ms Crockett] would never incite or wish violence on any one person or corporation. 'As a member of Congress, she will remain focused on the work of ensuring our communities, especially in TX-30, have the needed resources to thrive, grow, and remain safe.' A month earlier, when asked by a reporter if Ms Crockett had a comment for Mr Musk, she responded: 'F–– off.' Despite having worked on Ms Harris's campaign, the outspoken congresswoman has remained fairly schtum on the Democrat's loss last year. Most recently she suggested Ms Harris struggled to reach black male voters because of her history as a prosecutor. Speaking on The Chuck ToddCast, she said a prominent black rapper had told her he did not feel comfortable openly endorsing Ms Harris because of her record. 'There was definitely some resume stuff that disallowed her from being able to build the type of rapport of trust within these marginalised communities that historically have been targeted,' she said. A criminal barrister herself, Ms Crockett had originally planned to become a chartered accountant. She instead Studied at the University of Houston Law Centre, graduating in 2006. She was a member of the National Bar Association and of the Dallas Black Criminal Bar Association. For a number of years she worked as a public defender, and later established her own law firm. Reports suggest she took on several pro bono cases for Black Lives Matter activists. Ms Crockett, who is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, is among those Democrats who believe it is essential that the party takes a fighting stance against Mr Trump and the Republican Party. She last week was the target of an attack by the president, who condemned the state of the Democratic Party in an interview with NBC's Meet The Press. 'Look at the Democrats. They're in total disarray,' he said. 'They have a new person named Crockett. I watched her speak the other day. She's definitely a low-IQ person. And they said she's the future of the party.' Ms Crockett responded that Mr Trump is 'terrified of smart, bold black women'.
