WEBVTT 1 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:19.960 Hello and welcome to the Texas Tribunes trib Cast for Tuesday, 2 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.440 December ninth. I'm Eleanor Klibanoff law and politics reporter, joined 3 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:26.839 as always by Editor in chief Matthew Watkins. 4 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:27.760 How's it going, Matthew? 5 00:00:28.280 --> 00:00:31.440 Doing well? Texas A and M in the college football playoffs. 6 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:36.000 Some say, some thought it would never happen, and here. 7 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:38.880 Again it's never happened. Period, It's never happened the first 8 00:00:39.159 --> 00:00:42.719 first time ever ever. That's I mean, we've only had 9 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:45.000 a playoff for you know, a few years. 10 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:46.479 But still that's exciting. 11 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:52.280 Congratulations, thank you, Thank you for our ut listeners are condolence. 12 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:53.920 We'll do a different tip top for them. 13 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:56.920 And also congratulations to our friends at Texas Tech. 14 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:01.079 Yes, yeah, a very exciting. 15 00:01:02.280 --> 00:01:04.840 You know, postseason for Texas football teams. 16 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:09.560 Indeed, our special guest on this week's episode is Renzo Downey, 17 00:01:09.719 --> 00:01:13.359 lead writer for The Blast, the Tribune's premier political newsletter. 18 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:15.799 You can sign up for The Blast at support dot 19 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:18.359 Texas Tribune dot org slash Blast. 20 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:20.159 Renzo, Welcome to the podcast. 21 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:22.000 Do you have a college football team? 22 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:26.400 I mean I grew up in the Bay Area, so not. 23 00:01:26.519 --> 00:01:29.480 How would have been my football team. Okay, okay, I. 24 00:01:29.400 --> 00:01:32.439 Don't want to like fuel any fire about people's potential 25 00:01:32.439 --> 00:01:35.920 perceptions of the Tribune, but two of what six members 26 00:01:35.959 --> 00:01:38.480 of the Tribune politics team are from the Bay Area, 27 00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:41.400 which I think does not make for much of a 28 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:43.719 college football team. 29 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:46.519 And then two are from Long. 30 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:49.400 Island, also not a college football. 31 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:54.040 Not a college football hotbed. I am solo representing from 32 00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:59.840 the South. So yesterday was the candidate filing deadline for 33 00:01:59.879 --> 00:02:04.760 TI twenty twenty six, which means we finally, after much speculation, 34 00:02:05.319 --> 00:02:07.519 have a slate of candidates who will be running for 35 00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:11.199 next year's election. Twenty twenty six promises to be a 36 00:02:11.319 --> 00:02:14.520 very big year for Texas politics. All the state wide 37 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:17.159 offices are up for reelection or up for election in 38 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:20.599 some cases. We also have a lot of really closely 39 00:02:20.599 --> 00:02:26.560 watched congressional races with potentially nationwide implications. The filing deadline 40 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:28.599 is always sort of an exciting day. You never know, 41 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:30.719 like what's going to happen, and they have until five 42 00:02:30.759 --> 00:02:33.800 PM on the deadline to start to make any last 43 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:38.800 minute decisions. This year was extraordinary even for that usual excitement, 44 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:43.000 because we didn't know until last Thursday, four days ago 45 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:46.879 what congressional map would be using for next year, which 46 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:51.960 is added to a degree of uncertainty and excitement. I 47 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:56.080 would say, you know, certainly Republicans were proceeding as if 48 00:02:56.120 --> 00:02:59.960 they'd be allowed to use the newly redrawn GOP friendlier map. 49 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:04.360 Democrats were proceeding as if the court order striking that 50 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:07.240 map would be allowed to stay in effect. And in 51 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:11.879 the end Republicans made that call correctly, leading to a 52 00:03:11.879 --> 00:03:14.719 lot more last minute seat swapping on the left, but 53 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:16.680 certainly some surprises on the right. 54 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:19.120 We're going to go sort of through. 55 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:22.680 The races that await us for Marches primary and Novembers general. 56 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:27.520 But yeah, any big picture thoughts after the you know, 57 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:28.800 excitement of filing day. 58 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:31.400 Any We'll get into the specifics. 59 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:35.599 But I mean, you know, I think the big news 60 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:40.280 of the day in Texas and really beyond was the 61 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:44.800 Jasmin Crockett yes, right, and the way that you know, 62 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:47.439 I think there are a lot of people asking, maybe 63 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:50.599 from outside the state, whether this is sort of like 64 00:03:50.680 --> 00:03:53.800 a tea party moment for the Democratic Party, you know, 65 00:03:53.960 --> 00:03:57.960 where like for so long the sort of like activist 66 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:01.199 wing of the Republican Party was ascendant and really took 67 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:04.280 control of the party. Democrats have been able to sort 68 00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:07.280 of the establishment has been able to hold on. Does 69 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:10.560 Jasmine Crockett jumping in this race against someone who I 70 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:14.360 would say the Democratic establishment is quite excited about already, 71 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:17.360 does this represented change and what does that mean? 72 00:04:17.480 --> 00:04:18.959 Maybe we'll talk about that a little. 73 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:21.680 Bit later, but I think you know, whether or not 74 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:24.360 that we'll have any influence on who actually becomes the 75 00:04:24.560 --> 00:04:27.399 US Senator for Texas, I think it's the big most 76 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:29.160 interesting thing that happened yesterday. 77 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:31.959 Yeah, I'd agree with Matthew that the Democratic side is 78 00:04:32.240 --> 00:04:34.920 one hundred percent a flight over what doesn't mean to 79 00:04:34.959 --> 00:04:38.360 be a Texas Democrat and how you go about being 80 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:43.839 a Texas Democrat. But you know, beyond that, we've got 81 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:48.040 some big fights for some of the biggest seats in Texas. 82 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:51.279 But also you know, looking at some of the other 83 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:55.439 state wides. I mean Ken Paxton, longtime Attorney General, he's 84 00:04:56.199 --> 00:05:00.360 running for a different seat, Sid Miller, Agriculture commiss He's 85 00:05:00.360 --> 00:05:03.199 got a bit of a fight on his hands. And 86 00:05:03.199 --> 00:05:04.920 we're starting to see a little bit of a shakeup 87 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:08.120 of that leadership at the state level that's been in 88 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:09.720 place for over a decade. 89 00:05:10.040 --> 00:05:12.000 Yeah, I've worked at the Tribune for over ten years, 90 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:17.279 and we've had the same kind of top four people, 91 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:20.800 you know, Governor, the chain of governor, Senate us in 92 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:26.120 it in both seats, and I mean, I guess it's 93 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:28.839 possible that we will emerge from twenty twenty six with 94 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:31.319 that still set up, but there's like a lot of 95 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:32.519 sort of shuffling. 96 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:35.600 Yeah, I mean, it's guaranteed that it will look at 97 00:05:35.639 --> 00:05:38.839 least a little different with Pexton not going to be 98 00:05:38.839 --> 00:05:43.800 Attorney general anymore. But yeah, it's an interesting So you 99 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:46.279 were at the Republican Party of Texas headquarters yesterday, which 100 00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:49.160 is worked outside of it side of the Republican Party 101 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:51.800 Texas sort of what was the energy, what was the 102 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:54.079 vibe from candidates? I mean, are they feeling pretty victorious 103 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:56.600 about getting to use the map that they were hoping 104 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:59.399 to use being the redistricting fight, if you will. 105 00:05:59.560 --> 00:06:02.639 Yeah, I mean this map created a lot of opportunities 106 00:06:02.680 --> 00:06:06.360 for Republicans that you know, speaking of this you know 107 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:09.120 statewide slate that's been in place for a while. I 108 00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:11.800 mean there's been a lot of there have been roadblocks 109 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:13.680 at the top for people trying to move up, and 110 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:18.319 so you know, if you create potentially five new GOP seats, 111 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:21.560 then that's a lot of opportunities for members to jump in. 112 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:23.759 And so I think we'll talk about some of these races, 113 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:26.560 but you're going to have like a bunch of political 114 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:29.839 newcomers jumping into like one of them is going to 115 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:32.079 be like probably the next congressman. 116 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:36.600 Right given district, right, which is exciting, terrifying all of 117 00:06:36.600 --> 00:06:40.000 the above for us as political reporters. So let's start 118 00:06:40.040 --> 00:06:43.040 at the very top of the ticket. Governor's race looking 119 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:44.959 sort of as we were expecting it would look before 120 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:51.040 the filing deadline approached, Renzo Abbot, Governor Greg Abbott, as 121 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:54.120 we said, longtime governor, more than a decade running for 122 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:58.560 reelection with more money than God. How is it looking 123 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:00.040 on the Democratic side. 124 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:04.600 Well, on the Democratic side, it seems like the main 125 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:07.600 candidates are going to be State Representative Genie in Ajosa, 126 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:13.439 and you've also got a White, you know, son of 127 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:16.160 former government and White and. 128 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:18.199 Bobby Cole. 129 00:07:18.279 --> 00:07:21.879 Yeah, Bobby Cole. Uh think we. 130 00:07:25.720 --> 00:07:29.360 I mean I think it really what this shows is 131 00:07:29.399 --> 00:07:32.480 the strength of Abbott, right, Like, the Democrats like have 132 00:07:32.600 --> 00:07:38.439 a pretty decent bench right now of like interesting popular 133 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:42.240 candidates who can raise money, get people energized. I mean, 134 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:47.040 James Talerico, Jasmine Crockett, Colin Allred, you know, wanted to 135 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:50.920 run statewide is now not you know, even people like 136 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:53.839 Betto the Castro brothers, Like there are folks that like 137 00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:57.480 people can get excited about from a statewide and national level, 138 00:07:57.639 --> 00:08:01.639 and none of them even like looked at glanced at 139 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:05.319 the governor's seat. And and and that's because he is 140 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:08.399 so popular in the polls and because he has just 141 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:11.560 an inhuman amount of money to spend. And I don't 142 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:14.759 think anyone wants to go anywhere near that, even in 143 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:17.879 a year where I think people think, you know, Democrats 144 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:20.959 nationally are going to kind of outperform, you know, their 145 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:24.800 their their sort of regular baseline in this you know, 146 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:25.600 midterm election. 147 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:28.199 And there was a rumor for a while that Colin 148 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:30.120 Allred was going to drop out of the Senate race 149 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:32.639 and run for governor. But he didn't even do that. 150 00:08:32.679 --> 00:08:34.519 He decided he was going to try to go back 151 00:08:34.519 --> 00:08:35.120 to Congress. 152 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:38.080 Right, I do think it's like sort of like someone 153 00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:40.000 has to run for it, and like credit to the 154 00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:43.679 Democrats who are trying, but sacrificial the sacrifice, I mean 155 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:46.679 just the sheer amount of money. It's like it does 156 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:49.159 matter how people feel about Greg Abbott. It matters more 157 00:08:49.240 --> 00:08:52.519 that like he's got the money and obviously the party support. 158 00:08:52.759 --> 00:08:56.320 And a pretty sophisticated kind of political apparatus that he's 159 00:08:56.360 --> 00:08:59.480 been able to wheeld effectively, you know, to support himself, 160 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:02.879 but also so you know, shape the legislature and other 161 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:04.240 races in the way he wants. 162 00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:06.360 And even further down, like he's probably he's vowing to 163 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:08.320 like turn Harris County red. Right, He's like got so 164 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:11.759 much money, he's like gonna start going, you know, doing offshoots. 165 00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:14.440 No, that's kind of exactly what I was going to say, 166 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:18.519 is that, you know, because he doesn't have a major 167 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:23.200 fundraising challenger on the Democratic side, I mean, he's going 168 00:09:23.240 --> 00:09:25.320 to be free to spend his money however he wants 169 00:09:25.399 --> 00:09:28.440 to boost turnout in South Texas and the rear Grand 170 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:31.559 Valley or in Harris County or wherever else he decides 171 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:34.720 to support Republicans. 172 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:35.200 Yeah. 173 00:09:36.519 --> 00:09:39.480 Also, I mean a little further down, is it we're 174 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:41.440 not going to have a much of a primary here, 175 00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:43.559 so we won't don't need to like go over this 176 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:47.399 to great detail. Dan Patrick, Lieutenant governor, longtime lieutenant governor 177 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:51.159 up against Vicky Goodwin on the Democratic side. We didn't 178 00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:53.840 really see any surprises around the filing deadline with that race, 179 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:56.039 so that's been said, right. 180 00:09:56.240 --> 00:09:58.720 The biggest surprise there would have been before the filing 181 00:09:58.759 --> 00:10:04.480 deadline with Mike Collier, the previous multi time Democratic nominee 182 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.759 for lieutenant governor, deciding to take a shot as an 183 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:13.639 independent in that and we'll see how the independent route goes. 184 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:15.600 Yeah. 185 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:19.639 And then attorney General, our first non Paxton attorney general 186 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:22.240 race in over a decade. I mean, that one I 187 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:24.320 think is shaping up. Maybe it's just because I'm covering 188 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:25.440 it for the Tribune. 189 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:26.919 But like its shaped up to be a very very 190 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:27.639 interesting fight. 191 00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:31.840 We've got four Republicans, three Democrats, and certainly on the 192 00:10:31.879 --> 00:10:35.759 Republican side, like really a battle over like what does 193 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:38.799 the next generation of the Attorney General's office look like. 194 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:43.720 Those candidates are US current US Rep. Chip Roy, former 195 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:48.600 DOJ lawyer Aaron Wright's state senators Mays Middleton and Joan Huffman, 196 00:10:49.039 --> 00:10:51.240 all presenting sort of different ideas of that office, but 197 00:10:51.799 --> 00:10:55.000 you know, all within the vein of continue this conservative 198 00:10:56.440 --> 00:10:57.519 litigation strategy. 199 00:10:57.879 --> 00:11:00.960 I think it's amazing that you can have or four 200 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:03.720 candidates in one primary and they all present a very 201 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:09.120 different vision and a presentation of what it could mean 202 00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:10.080 to be an attorney general. 203 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:12.279 Can you break down a little bit like what that 204 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:14.480 what that vision looks like by this candidates. 205 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:14.840 Yeah. 206 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:19.519 So chip Roy has been one of the strongest conservatives 207 00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:24.039 in Congress, you know, not afraid to buck with leadership 208 00:11:24.039 --> 00:11:27.879 when it when he needs to, and he's kind of 209 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:31.840 bringing that to the Attorney general's race. But you know, 210 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:35.159 at the same time, going after you know, talking about 211 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:39.320 Epic City and Sharia law. That's kind of been some 212 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:43.840 of his newer talking points. Seems to be newer on 213 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:48.759 the trail. And Aaron Wrights has taking a very I 214 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:54.360 think he wouldn't mind me saying militaristic. I think that 215 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:58.639 approach to the role of the Attorney general, talking about 216 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:02.480 the the arsenal that the legislature is creating for the 217 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:03.279 attorney general. 218 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:05.279 I mean he really, I mean using the language of 219 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:08.320 war and like you know that the battle is happening. 220 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:08.679 In the courtroom. 221 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:09.080 Yes. 222 00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:13.840 And John Huffman's you know, talking about her background in 223 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:17.440 criminal law, you know, as a judge and prosecutor, and 224 00:12:17.960 --> 00:12:23.600 she wants to bring the criminal side, which historically hasn't 225 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:25.799 really been the role of the Texas Attorney General, but 226 00:12:26.039 --> 00:12:27.799 trying to play. 227 00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:31.080 In that relationship with the DA's and yeah, yeah, yeah, and. 228 00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:35.559 Then Mays Milton has had I'd say it's more similar 229 00:12:35.639 --> 00:12:38.919 to Aaron Wright's, but with a calmer demeanor. 230 00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:39.879 Yeah. 231 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:42.919 So I'm going to test out a take here and 232 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:45.080 let me see. How how do you feel that it 233 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:46.879 is that this is sort of like the sort of 234 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:51.440 like first post Trump primary. I mean, I know Trump 235 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:53.240 is still in office and he's still there, but I 236 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:55.399 feel like I look at this race and I see 237 00:12:55.399 --> 00:12:59.240 this sort of like different ideological corners that are there 238 00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:04.000 that have usually been brought together under the Trump presidency 239 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:08.120 in the Trump candidacy, and now we know that, you know, 240 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:11.639 in whatever future where Trump is not around, there's going 241 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:14.080 to be kind of a jockeying for like who is 242 00:13:14.120 --> 00:13:17.600 going to emerge and represent those different corners, you know 243 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:21.320 in the national Party. This feels sort of similar to 244 00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:26.039 that right now, where it's like each of them sort 245 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.960 of take their own cues from Trump and do the 246 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:31.519 things that he does, but they they largely represent like 247 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:36.159 a different idea of like where folks might want the 248 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:39.240 conservative movement to go once Trump is gone. 249 00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:43.600 I think, like in terms of like personality and style 250 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:46.799 and like, you know, to that quick question like who 251 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:49.320 who can sort of be the next Trump? Which so 252 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:52.080 much of Trump is his personality and his like charisma 253 00:13:52.120 --> 00:13:54.159 and all that. I think we're seeing that play out, 254 00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:56.440 like do people want a fighter, do they want like 255 00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:59.559 a renegade? Do they want, you know, a law and 256 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:04.759 order conservative? I do think like broadly speaking, certainly three 257 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:06.480 of these four people, and I think you could make 258 00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:09.600 the case for Joan Huffman as well, are pitching a 259 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:12.840 very similar like some of this is splitting hairs, right, 260 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:14.399 And I mean when we think about the fact that 261 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:17.519 the Texas Attorney General's office is like the most important 262 00:14:17.639 --> 00:14:21.600 red state attorney general's office in the country, I think 263 00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:24.480 no one is like going to come in there republic 264 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:27.080 No Republicans come in there and pitch like really blowing 265 00:14:27.159 --> 00:14:29.840 up what Paxton's doing and doing something really different. It's 266 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:33.000 just how do you want that styled? 267 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:33.399 Right? 268 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:37.360 Which I would say there's there are similarities of post 269 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:40.039 Trump what post Paxton Paxston is in many ways a 270 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:41.919 Trump like figure in Texas. 271 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:46.240 Uh and they all sort of want to claim the mantle, 272 00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:49.000 like they want to sort of make the case that 273 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:53.759 they're representing what Trump represents, even though he might represent 274 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:55.000 a different thing to different people. 275 00:14:55.159 --> 00:14:57.120 Exactly right. No one is saying I'm going to do 276 00:14:57.159 --> 00:14:58.120 it that differently. 277 00:14:58.200 --> 00:14:59.559 Yeah, let's move on from this guy. 278 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:03.440 Yeah right, Yeah, it's gonna be I mean, I just 279 00:15:03.480 --> 00:15:05.480 think a fascinating race, and we're already seeing a lot 280 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:07.399 of campaigning. I mean, I think it is telling how 281 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:10.279 important this office is for the number of candidates who 282 00:15:10.679 --> 00:15:14.960 are choosing to run for Attorney General. Similarly, on the 283 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:18.960 Democratic side, we have State Senator Nathan Johnson, Joe Jaworski, 284 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:22.080 who has run at least once before, former Galliston mayor, 285 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:25.919 and then a sort of political newcomer, Dallas lawyer Tony 286 00:15:25.960 --> 00:15:31.559 Box who has worked in US Attorney's office as well 287 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:36.720 as like other legal background, So that will be interesting 288 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:37.639 to see as well. 289 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:38.080 Yeah. 290 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:40.759 I mean, again, like a situation of like there's a 291 00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:43.720 lot of good, big, interesting names in the Democratic Party 292 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:47.559 and they all seem to focus on that one US 293 00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:50.279 Senate seat as opposed to some of the other opportunities 294 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:54.519 that might be there in terms of you know what 295 00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:56.320 was the year two thousand and two where it had 296 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:59.360 like the Democratic Dream Team ticket. They did not get 297 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:02.240 organized enough to do something like that this time around, and. 298 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:04.600 There was reportedly talk of trying to do that right 299 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:05.480 multiple times. 300 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.240 Yeah, and you know, maybe when we get to the 301 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:11.519 Senate we can talk about the reasons why. But but 302 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:14.480 I feel like when I'm looking at the list, I 303 00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:16.639 really feel it in this AG's race, you know, it's 304 00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:21.159 an open office. You know, most statewide voters in a 305 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:24.559 general election frankly do not know who these people are, 306 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:26.799 with the possible exception of Chip Roy, but even then, 307 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:29.960 I think he has a relatively low name ID, and 308 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:32.600 they really could have been a possibility to put a 309 00:16:32.679 --> 00:16:35.480 Democrat who maybe had higher name ID in that seat, 310 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:37.480 and they did not do that. 311 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:39.759 It's the Democrats had no shortage of lawyers that they 312 00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:42.039 could have stuck in there if they wanted to. 313 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:44.879 Well, let's move I mean, we've been sort of talking around. 314 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:45.679 Let's let's talk about. 315 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.240 I mean yesterday where we saw the most chaos was 316 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:51.759 in the Senate race. We already sort of had this 317 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:57.159 very contentious fighting primary going on on the right, which 318 00:16:57.240 --> 00:17:00.799 is you know, incumbent long time incumbent Center John Cornyn 319 00:17:01.279 --> 00:17:05.680 being challenged by Attorney General Ken Paxton, which has been 320 00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:08.519 just sort of already a real knockdown, drag out fight. 321 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:11.599 Then we had the addition of US Rep. Wesley Hunt. 322 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:16.359 The Democrats as of yesterday seemed to be trying to 323 00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:18.759 match that chaotic energy that they're seeing on the right. 324 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:20.920 Renzo talked to us a little bit about you know, 325 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:23.200 where did we start the you know, lead up to 326 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:24.559 the filing deadline and where are we now? 327 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:28.960 Well, I guess going into the final weekend, it seemed 328 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:30.920 like it was going to be I mean, we knew 329 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:33.599 for sure Colin all Red, James tall Rico and jas 330 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:37.960 mccrockett was very publicly a maybe, but seeming like she 331 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:44.640 was leaning towards yes. And on the morning of Colin 332 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:50.640 Allredd decides he's he's dropping out, he's running for Congress, 333 00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:55.440 deciding that, you know, a primary and very likely a 334 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:59.920 runoff is a bad thing for the Democrats. I mean, 335 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:03.880 that's time that Democrats are would be spending fighting each 336 00:18:03.880 --> 00:18:06.880 other rather than unifying behind the candidate, while on the 337 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:08.960 GOP side they're gonna be they're gonna be going to 338 00:18:09.079 --> 00:18:12.200 run off, so they're gonna be you know, they're gonna 339 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:13.359 have that infighting. 340 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:15.119 Wasting a lot of time and money, or maybe not wasting, 341 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:17.680 but using a lot of time and money to battle 342 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:18.079 that out. 343 00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:22.200 Did you watch the Crockett I did not, Okay, give 344 00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:24.799 us your take. Well, do I watch the Crockett announcement 345 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:27.519 or the launch video, which. 346 00:18:27.400 --> 00:18:28.160 We should discuss. 347 00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:29.960 Yeah, I mean, I guess like one of the big 348 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:32.559 questions I have here is you talk about the desire 349 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.000 not to fight. We saw the James Tallerico statement that 350 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:36.200 came out and he was sort. 351 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.960 Of like, welcome to the race. We wanted to be united. 352 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:43.240 Crockett, I think has built a very strong statewide and 353 00:18:43.400 --> 00:18:48.200 national following for being a fighter, right like the things 354 00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:52.680 that she said to Marjorie Taylor Green to you know, 355 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:57.240 people like her because she's a fighter. And I'm very 356 00:18:57.319 --> 00:19:01.799 curious to see whether or how long that's sort of 357 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:03.799 like let's all say nice things about each other in 358 00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:09.960 order to not damage each other, you know, idea lasts 359 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:10.319 in this. 360 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:11.480 Primary, and I haven't seen. 361 00:19:11.559 --> 00:19:13.960 I mean, she is I think James Tallerico is saying, 362 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:15.720 you know, welcome to the We're glad to have you. 363 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:16.559 Let's all be friends. 364 00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:19.359 I don't know that Jasmin Crockett is making any such promises. 365 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:23.359 It seems like it's I mean, I guess I'm curious, 366 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:25.039 and Menzo, maybe you have a better sense of this. 367 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:27.599 Do we think that she is actively going to run 368 00:19:27.640 --> 00:19:30.440 against James Tallerico or is she going to Can she 369 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:33.240 just run on the idea of like, vote for me 370 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:35.599 and I'll beat Paxton, Vote for me and I'll beat Cornyan. 371 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.519 From what it seems like so far, it's all about 372 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:43.960 Cornan and Abbot and going after the Republicans and energizing 373 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:48.240 the Democratic base. I mean, she was on TV in 374 00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:50.240 the last twenty four hours saying, you know, she doesn't 375 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:53.599 really need to win over Trump voters, that you know, 376 00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:55.839 she's going to bring in new voters. 377 00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:00.079 Turnout, turnout, turnout exactly. She'll be interesting to. 378 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:02.880 I mean, I do think to some extent, maybe not 379 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:08.240 contentious energy wise, but a competitive primary does draw people 380 00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:11.160 out in a way that a boring primary doesn't. 381 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:13.400 Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure I completely buy the 382 00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:17.440 argument that like a heated, you know, hoighly contested primary 383 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:20.720 is bad for a party. Everybody sort of talks about that, 384 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:23.440 but it just sort of means that your candidate is 385 00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:26.359 in the news more, you know, like that there's a 386 00:20:26.359 --> 00:20:29.200 little bit more mind share there. People may be a 387 00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:34.000 little bit more familiar. I mean, I think if I 388 00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:38.720 were a Democrat, I would maybe be frustrated about again 389 00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:43.400 the clumping of high profile candidates in this race. But 390 00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:46.119 I don't know if they should necessarily be afraid of 391 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:47.640 a primary. 392 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:51.039 Yeah, I mean certainly you don't want to leave voters 393 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:53.079 with the idea of like, ah, this is the only 394 00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:54.839 person we could find, like put them up right, it's 395 00:20:54.839 --> 00:20:56.720 like you want to feel I mean I certainly, particularly 396 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:58.640 coming off of the twenty twenty four election, where there 397 00:20:58.680 --> 00:21:00.519 was some thoughts of you know, how did we end 398 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:02.799 up with these candidates? How do these people get chosen? 399 00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:06.319 You know, run a competitive primary. I do think it 400 00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:08.319 is helped by the fact that alright is not running. 401 00:21:08.359 --> 00:21:10.519