WEBVTT 1 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:22.000 Do not adjust your podcast playing device. This is the 2 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:26.800 Texas Trips Texas Tribune trip Cast, and I am Matthew Watkins. 3 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:29.480 And you just heard some new theme music for the 4 00:00:29.480 --> 00:00:33.719 trip Cast, A nice new jam by our producers, Robin Chris. 5 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:34.640 What do you think, Eleanor? 6 00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:36.840 I love it? New year, new music, new US. 7 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:37.320 That's right. 8 00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:37.600 Yeah. 9 00:00:38.079 --> 00:00:40.920 That voice you heard, of course, is Eleanor Klibanoff, law 10 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:43.640 and politics reporter for the Tribune. 11 00:00:44.079 --> 00:00:47.560 Still same me, Still same, Eleanor. 12 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:50.520 Any any New Year's resolutions? 13 00:00:51.479 --> 00:00:53.759 Do more trip Cast, have more fun with the Tripcast. 14 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:55.600 We're gonna get weird on the trip Cast this year. 15 00:00:55.679 --> 00:01:00.560 That's right, Yeah, that's right. Stick around the new music, 16 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:04.239 new US. Yeah. This week we are joined by two 17 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:07.959 politics reporters, Kayla Glow. Hello, Kayla. Hi, Matthew, how is 18 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:09.640 your holiday break? 19 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:11.120 Very long and nice? 20 00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:15.439 Excellent? And all the Hunter Serrano? Howdy, how are you doing? 21 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:18.400 I'm all right good, all right. Well, speaking of trying 22 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:22.400 new things on the podcast, we're going to do a 23 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:26.879 start of the year podcast, ten burning Questions for Texas 24 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:30.560 Politics in twenty twenty six. We have compiled the Crack 25 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:35.319 Politics team and I have compiled a list of questions 26 00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:37.719 from them. It goes a little bit beyond who's going 27 00:01:37.799 --> 00:01:39.319 to win and all that kind of stuff, But I 28 00:01:39.319 --> 00:01:43.799 think the things that are going to define Texas politics 29 00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:46.000 for the next ten years. We're going to collect y'all's thoughts, 30 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:48.560 get your ideas, and see how this goes. 31 00:01:48.920 --> 00:01:52.040 Are you already ten years? Did I say ten years 32 00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:52.680 for the next year? 33 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:54.840 Ten items for the next ten years, but the. 34 00:01:54.760 --> 00:01:59.239 Impact percussions will be a decade as long as ten years. 35 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:03.000 Okay, are you al ready yes? All right? Question number 36 00:02:03.079 --> 00:02:07.920 one from the GOP Politics Group. Does the Greg Abbot 37 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:12.080 of twenty twenty four stick around in twenty twenty six? 38 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:16.639 And what I mean by that is, as you all remember, 39 00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:20.039 in twenty twenty four, we saw the new powerful Greg 40 00:02:20.039 --> 00:02:25.800 Abbott Austin eight House members, really becoming the dominant political figure, 41 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:29.719 not just his for his ability to win elections himself, 42 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:33.599 but to affect the political futures of people across the state. 43 00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:37.039 What do we think about Greg Abbott coming into twenty 44 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:41.039 twenty six, the next election season, in primary season going forward? 45 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:46.800 Everyone looks at me, all right, I would ask, I 46 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:49.360 don't know if it's Governor Greg abbit of twenty twenty 47 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:51.719 four as much as I think the environment has changed. 48 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:54.759 And I think back to like twenty seventeen when he 49 00:02:54.800 --> 00:02:57.680 had what like forty fifty million dollars and first stepped 50 00:02:57.719 --> 00:03:00.759 into primaries. Everyone was like, WHOA, what is the governor doing? 51 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:03.360 So I think this is a new strategy. I mean 52 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:07.159 he has like unmatched fine fundraising ability and I think 53 00:03:07.240 --> 00:03:10.080 unmatched desire in a lot of ways determination, And I 54 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:12.000 think we're going to keep seeing more of what we've 55 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:15.120 seen them. A reminder of this summer during the redistricting battle, 56 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:18.520 where he was on a radio talk shown he said 57 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:22.159 this is unprecedented and what I'm paraphrasing here, but what 58 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:25.000 Democrats are used to is no more like we are 59 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:27.879 going to use every tool we have. And I think 60 00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:29.000 that's what we're going to keep seeing. 61 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:31.439 And I think we see that in I think he's 62 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:33.960 already said in Telegraph that he plans to put a 63 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:37.719 lot of resources into flipping Harris County red. He's recruited candidates. 64 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:40.520 I think the Houston Chronicle reported this to run in 65 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:43.479 every race on the ballot in Harris County, including in 66 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:46.919 pretty blue seats. I think, like Jean Moose seat, he's 67 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:49.479 recruited somebody to run against them. They might seem a 68 00:03:49.479 --> 00:03:53.680 little bit pie in the sky aspirations, but you know, 69 00:03:53.759 --> 00:03:56.240 I think he's going to focus his money and attention 70 00:03:56.360 --> 00:03:58.199 to doing what he can there. 71 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:00.919 I feel like the difference between twenty twenty six and 72 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:04.960 twenty twenty four is he had that issue to fight 73 00:04:05.080 --> 00:04:08.560 for in twenty twenty four, and what really changed was 74 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:10.960 it was a fight that was within the party right, 75 00:04:11.080 --> 00:04:14.960 he picked aside. He threw his considerable resources toward that. 76 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:17.560 He's kind of talking about that same way. I think 77 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:20.800 he probably I don't know why he wouldn't enjoyed the 78 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:23.319 idea of, like I am now the king, you know, 79 00:04:23.399 --> 00:04:26.040 you have to bow down to me, at least in 80 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:28.839 the Republican Party. In that realm, he's talked about spending 81 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:31.759 twenty five million dollars in twenty six. He has talked 82 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:37.680 about property taxes and the possibility of a limiting property taxes, 83 00:04:37.720 --> 00:04:43.680 but property taxes are not a complicated controversial topic within 84 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:47.120 the Republican Party, and so like I do wonder you 85 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:49.680 talk about the circumstances being different, is like, does he 86 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:51.839 have that wedge? Does he have that thing that he 87 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:56.360 can do to sort of assert his will or maybe 88 00:04:56.360 --> 00:04:58.920 the difference is just they're already all on his side 89 00:04:58.959 --> 00:04:59.319 in this. 90 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:01.639 Case, and I think there is a difference between I 91 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:05.639 want to oust these specific House members who opposed vouchers 92 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:09.360 who are Republicans with more conservative Republicans or more conservative 93 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:12.199 on vouchers at least, then you know, I'm going to 94 00:05:12.279 --> 00:05:15.839 turn a traditionally blue county red. Like I think he 95 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:18.519 probably will have some you know, successes there, whether it's 96 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:22.079 with judges or things like that, but you know, we 97 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:24.480 may actually see sort of what are the limits of 98 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:30.360 a Republican governor's re or Republican political kingmaker's power in blue, 99 00:05:31.079 --> 00:05:35.720 you know, deeply blue urban areas in Texas. Like, you know, 100 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:38.319 it's easy, I think, being in Austin or being in 101 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:41.040 the capital to feel like there are no limits to 102 00:05:41.079 --> 00:05:43.360 what Republicans can do, and then you get out into 103 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:45.800 like the blue urban areas and it's like, well, there 104 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:48.079 are pretty significant limits to what you can do. 105 00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:50.680 One thing that I think it's interesting, though, is that 106 00:05:50.759 --> 00:05:53.160 it's not just property Texas or Harris County, mad it's 107 00:05:53.160 --> 00:05:54.879 also South Texas. It feels like he has like all 108 00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:56.879 these issues and he has a lot of money to 109 00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:00.839 pour into them. And one thing that's also carrious and 110 00:06:01.160 --> 00:06:03.160 very fascinate about the governors that he doesn't have a 111 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:05.399 legislative background. He was a jurist, and the way he 112 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:07.160 governs it is very different, like we see that with 113 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:10.839 emergency declarations, disaster declarations, vetos. I mean, I'm sure we'll 114 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:14.639 get into TC later, so I don't know, I'm curious. 115 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:19.199 Yeah, I do think like the biggest test of his power, 116 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:24.240 particularly within the Republican Party, will perhaps be the comptrollers race. 117 00:06:24.519 --> 00:06:29.759 You know, everyone knows the background here. He appointed Kelly 118 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:34.519 Hancock as the acting comptroller. He immediately endorsed him. That 119 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:38.439 did not stop to other, you know, fairly well known 120 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:41.439 in Texas politics candidates from getting the race. Don Huffines, 121 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:44.399 who had previously run against him as governor, a very 122 00:06:44.439 --> 00:06:48.920 conservative person, someone who I think could possibly be perceived 123 00:06:48.920 --> 00:06:50.560 as a bit of a headache for Abbott were he 124 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:54.800 to be elected into office. Christie Krattick, someone who has 125 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:57.439 in the past been talked about as a possible future 126 00:06:57.480 --> 00:07:01.639 governor of Texas. You know, a railroad commissioner, daughter of 127 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:08.720 the former House speaker. He clearly wants Hancock to win. 128 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:12.319 How much is he willing to really fight for him. 129 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:16.519 And how much will it mean to the primary voters 130 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:19.839 that Hancock has Abbot fighting for him. I think will 131 00:07:19.879 --> 00:07:22.759 be a really interesting test. That's a little bit different 132 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:28.519 than the voucher test because it's not necessarily pitting the 133 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:31.959 activist wing of the party against the moderate wing of 134 00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:34.399 the party, with Abbot taking the activist wing side. 135 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:35.160 Right. 136 00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:37.399 Sorry, and I know you're covering the comptrollers, right, but 137 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:40.920 if anything, it's taking sort of the you know, opposing 138 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:42.720 the activists, right. I mean, King Hancock was a vote 139 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:46.360 against Ken Paxton and the impeachment. That's sort of I 140 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:48.360 feel like we have not heard as much about that 141 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:50.040 as I sort of expected to yet, but it is 142 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:50.759 sort of an issue. 143 00:07:50.800 --> 00:07:52.600 I mean, Alejandro, Yeah, I. 144 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:55.439 Mean I think we will get a glimpse of an answer, 145 00:07:55.480 --> 00:07:57.800 not a definitive answer, but next week when the next 146 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:01.720 filings campaign finance for are submitted to the state, and 147 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:03.800 we'll see like how much of the candidates hauling, how 148 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:06.000 much are people spending, and how much is sort of 149 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:09.759 like the governor's apparatus trying to help Hancock because the 150 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:14.360 other two candidates are prolific fundraised, I mean, Christocratic is 151 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:17.680 mister half Fines has self funding his campaign and spent 152 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:19.199 a lot to try to unseat the governor. 153 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:24.879 So this leads to my next question, which is in 154 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:27.199 the ten years that I have worked at the Tribune, 155 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:30.879 coming up on eleven years, actually the story of Republican 156 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:33.720 politics in the state has been the establishment versus the 157 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:37.960 insurgent wing. Every election we sort of look at the 158 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:41.480 results to see how did each side fare. And the 159 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:45.039 question I have is what is the establishment in twenty 160 00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:47.600 twenty six? Is there an establishment in twenty twenty six, 161 00:08:47.639 --> 00:08:50.399 and if so, who represents the establishment? 162 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:53.960 I mean, this is I think also a question in 163 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:56.840 some ways is like royaling national Republican politics as well. 164 00:08:56.960 --> 00:09:00.399 I mean, just like the sort of outsider we're not 165 00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:03.759 the swamp, we're not part of you know, where the 166 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:07.639 outsider voices are now have so much power and are 167 00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:09.799 so central I think in some ways to the party 168 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:12.879 apparatus that they have become the establishment in some ways, 169 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:15.919 which makes it hard for them sort of. They're in 170 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:19.000 a tricky position to try to be governing as outsiders 171 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:21.440 and truth tellers when it's like, well, you guys just 172 00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:24.840 have if not a majority, like a real le powerful 173 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:29.080 part of the party, but yeah, I mean I think 174 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:32.039 I don't know. I mean, what are you when you 175 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:37.000 think about where the Republican Party is going? Who who 176 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:39.639 is now the activist wing and who is the establishment wing? 177 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:43.039 Or is that even how we should like a relevant. 178 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:43.159 Framing, right? 179 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:48.000 Yeah, yeah, it's hard to see where that distinction even 180 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:51.679 lies anymore. Looking back at the legislative session, I mean, 181 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:55.759 I think the activist wing got a lot of what 182 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:58.600 they wanted. They like, got to carry a lot of 183 00:09:58.600 --> 00:10:01.200 big priorities through that tech his house, which I think 184 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:06.000 normally we might see as a place where people might 185 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:08.279 you know, stand up to that wing of the party. 186 00:10:08.360 --> 00:10:12.000 And it seems like people are in the Republican Party 187 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.960 are very much in line and they're very much behind 188 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:19.799 from behind Abbott as he's wielding this power. So yeah, 189 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:22.039 I don't I don't know that there I don't see 190 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:22.919 that much of a distinction. 191 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:25.960 I mean, it feels to me like there has always 192 00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:30.639 been it is always It has been an effect relatively 193 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:34.759 effective strategy, particularly in legislative races in other places, to 194 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:40.080 pin an incumbent or an opponent really as a rhino right, 195 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:46.519 and as the Republican power structure has moved to the 196 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:49.720 right from say the days of Joe Strauss to the 197 00:10:49.799 --> 00:10:57.320 days of Dustin Burrows. How can can that rhino label 198 00:10:58.200 --> 00:11:00.559 continue to work? Is that something you can just kind 199 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:03.159 of keep doing over and over again, or has this 200 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:07.639 eventually you know, the people who are holding power and 201 00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:11.080 holding an influence in the legislature, have they moved enough 202 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:14.840 to the right to keep the you know what used 203 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:17.320 to be called the insurgent wing of the party party happy. 204 00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:19.639 I mean, I think that'll be an interesting thing to 205 00:11:19.720 --> 00:11:21.120 watch in some of these races. 206 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:22.879 And I think we saw a little bit of that, 207 00:11:22.919 --> 00:11:25.120 Like I mean in the speaker's race that started twenty 208 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:28.519 twenty five, where it was like almost laughable, And I 209 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:31.080 think we all talked, probably to members and Republicans who 210 00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:33.159 felt like, yeah, it's a little bit foolish to be saying, 211 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:38.240 like Dustin Burrows this like lefty, you know, rhino, who's 212 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:39.879 can you believe we're going to put him in. 213 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:43.559 Charge of the party. It's like, that's almost laughable. 214 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:46.799 It still was pretty effective, not effective enough to win him, 215 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:49.200 you know, or to cost him the speakership, But like, 216 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:51.720 I don't know that anyone is going to be retiring 217 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:56.039 that as a way to describe someone, It just maybe 218 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:58.279 will become less and less like connected to reality. 219 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:01.759 And I think the issue maybe we might see that 220 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:05.080 come up on is property taxes and maybe this push 221 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:09.240 from the real right wing of you know, got to 222 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:12.519 get rid of them entirely, and the reality just being like, 223 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:15.600 that's really hard to do and what is the actual 224 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:18.399 proposal to do that. So I could see it being 225 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:21.360 wielded as you know, a cudgel in that way of 226 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:25.759 insurgent like true activists versus the establishment. But I think 227 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:28.320 that will run into the real like policy realities of 228 00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:29.399 how to go about doing that. 229 00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:32.559 I think, well, it's gonna be curious to see the 230 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:35.039 role immigration plays in a lot of these races, and 231 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:39.000 especially with legal border crossing so low. I mean last 232 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:42.879 primary I remember like this, like races that were dominated 233 00:12:42.919 --> 00:12:46.600 about with messaging about border security, but they're really about vouchers, 234 00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:49.799 whereas like now, with crossing so low and immigration enforcement 235 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:53.799 so increased, I wonder if what role that's going to 236 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:55.720 play and if it has an impact, if that's going 237 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:58.080 to lead to changes you know, next cycle. 238 00:12:58.440 --> 00:12:59.679 And I think you can say that about a lot 239 00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:02.080 of issue with President Trump in office now, it's like 240 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:05.559 a lot of the big things that Republicans were like, 241 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:07.440 you know, Texas needs to be the leader on this. 242 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:10.799 The federal government isn't taking control of this are sort of, 243 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:13.120 at least temporarily kind of non issues. 244 00:13:13.159 --> 00:13:13.320 You know. 245 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:16.159 I think about a lot of the social issues President 246 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:19.039 Trump has taken, you know, very decisive action, and now 247 00:13:19.399 --> 00:13:21.919 you're sort of like, well, what is there to rail about? 248 00:13:23.240 --> 00:13:27.080 All right? Speaking of issues, last question in the GOP 249 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:32.200 primary category, which is will Ken Paxton's personal issues matter 250 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:34.440 to GOP primary voters? 251 00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:36.000 No, thank you, they haven't yet. 252 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:41.679 Next, they have not so far. It is a different 253 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:44.639 here's the case for it. I don't necessarily believe this case, 254 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:47.120 but I'm going to make this build the straw man 255 00:13:47.240 --> 00:13:50.759 so you can mow it over, which is basically the 256 00:13:50.759 --> 00:13:54.399 attorney general's race. While it matt office. While it matters 257 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:57.320 very much to us, particularly Eleanor. 258 00:13:58.039 --> 00:13:59.080 I don't like where this is going. 259 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:00.799 There are a lot of PEOP people who don't even 260 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:02.879 know who the Attorney General of Texas is. 261 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:04.840 Not after I cover this race. 262 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:14.039 Many people know who their US senators are. Much more 263 00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:19.039 money gets pumped into those races, and Kim Paxton is 264 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:23.159 no longer the incumbent and that might cause for a 265 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:27.240 different type of evaluation of him in this three person 266 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:31.320 race where you have, you know, whether he's the establishment 267 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:34.519 anymore or not, the person painted as the establishment candidate, 268 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:38.559 John Cornyn, and you have another person trying to take 269 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:40.879 up the maga mantle, trying to take up the anti 270 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:46.039 establishment mantle, who does not have the baggage that Keim 271 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:48.600 Paxton does. So you have a new office and you 272 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:53.440 also have a different set of choices for voters. Does 273 00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:57.440 that change the equation at all? The answer is no, 274 00:14:57.600 --> 00:14:58.240 and we'll move on. 275 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:01.279 No, I think ultimately, like I don't know that that is. 276 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:04.200 Let me say this, Are there GOP primary voters who 277 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:08.000 absolutely care about this and you know, maybe even like 278 00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:12.200 Ken Paxton's you know, style and politics, but are not 279 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:14.120 going to vote for him because of his issues? 280 00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:17.039 Yes? Is that enough to sway the election? 281 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:20.679 It might be enough to force a runoff, like you know, 282 00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:25.799 more people swinging towards Wesley Hunt or you know, but 283 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:28.159 I'm skeptical that it is enough in the end to 284 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:29.080 cost him the election. 285 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:30.600 I agree. 286 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:35.600 Okay, it's funny how we talk about Paxston like as 287 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:37.000 the incumbent in this race. 288 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:38.679 Even though he is not, in fact, like it's his 289 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:41.120 race to lose. It's like, you know, well, I'd say. 290 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:43.720 The other thing is also like he has obviously had 291 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:47.080 all this legal baggage and he has emerged, you know, 292 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:51.080 Victoria's charges have been dropped, he hasn't been impeached, you know, 293 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:54.440 And I think that helps him paint himself as a 294 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:58.120 fighter who's maligned by the establishment in the way of 295 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:01.080 Donald Trump, who is, of course, are still very popular 296 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:02.080 with primary voters. 297 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.600 So I don't know. I think for some people it'll 298 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:07.039 help him. 299 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:10.279 A complete hypothetical, would John Corny be helped if he 300 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:14.440 had more issues and was being aligned by the Democratic established, he. 301 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:17.000 Should have gotten you know, the Biden Justice Department to 302 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:17.799 indict him. 303 00:16:18.919 --> 00:16:20.120 His kingdom for an indictment. 304 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:24.440 That's right, Okay, let's move on to the Democrats. Now, Democrats, 305 00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:28.720 should they play nice or sharpen their knives? This is 306 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:34.279 particularly a Tall Rico versus Crockett framing, right, Tall Rico, 307 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:37.480 every grandma's favorite candidate. 308 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:37.759 The. 309 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:42.720 Sweet, nice young man who used to be a teacher. Crockett, 310 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:47.679 who has become famous for her willingness to very strongly 311 00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:53.000 go after Republican leaders. We could frame this question either way. 312 00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:55.320 Should they play nice with each other in order to 313 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:59.799 ensure a strengthened candidate moving forward, or should they take 314 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:04.880 the more conciliatory approach toward maybe moderate voters in order 315 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:08.599 to be in a stronger position. Where do we think 316 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:11.599 the mind is of the Democratic electorate right now? Calee, 317 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:12.480 I'm going to start with you. 318 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:16.640 I think the common wisdom is that Democratic primary voters 319 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:20.039 want a fighter and someone who will stand up to 320 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:23.880 Republicans and show that they're not impotent and just you know, 321 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:26.839 going to write an angrily worded letter and call it 322 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:30.759 at that. I think Jasmine Crockett pretty easily fits into that, 323 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:34.240 you know, mold of what people seem to want. At 324 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:37.160 the same time, I think we've heard Talerigo start rolling 325 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:40.799 out some messaging to try to combat that characterization of 326 00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:43.920 her and this sort of automatic categorization of him as 327 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:50.319 some like passive preacher piece hippie guy. And he's been 328 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:53.200 saying like he has taken on Republicans as well, and 329 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:57.559 he's also won He's passed legislation despite being in the minority. 330 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:00.200 So I don't know actually that it's such a to 331 00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:03.359 like fighter versus not fighter. 332 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:07.440 Choice, or at least that's what he's trying to make 333 00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:09.440 it not seem like one as much. 334 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:13.839 But yeah, I don't know if you'll be able to 335 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:17.559 change that perception of him as this, you know, loving guy. 336 00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:20.480 And I also think it's maybe dangerous for him to 337 00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:23.319 try to take out the knives against Jasmin Crockett. He 338 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:25.480 came out very quickly being like, we have to respect 339 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:28.279 and love everyone in this race, and that includes Jasmin Crockett. 340 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:30.799 I think if he walked back from that now, it 341 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:33.720 would be kind of striking, and it also would be 342 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:39.240 him attacking this like fairly well liked person among Democratic 343 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:40.839 primary voters. 344 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:45.960 Listeners of the podcast will have had in their feed 345 00:18:46.599 --> 00:18:49.720 a couple of weeks ago, while we were enjoying our holiday, 346 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:54.960 my interview with tell Rico at the trip Fest. And 347 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:57.880 to me, what was what they did not see in 348 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:00.559 that feed and what to me is the most memorable 349 00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:04.039 part of that interview was we did that interview in 350 00:19:04.200 --> 00:19:06.960 Saint David's Church, which is a room of about like 351 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:11.440 three hundred and fifty people, and you walk the to 352 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:13.960 appear on stage, as you know, Eleanor because you also 353 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:17.880 did this, you walk up a stairwell into the aisle 354 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:19.599 of the church and you have to walk down the 355 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:22.640 entire aisle almost like you're getting married to get up 356 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:24.880 to the stage. And actually tell Rico made that joke. 357 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:32.279 But something that I never have never experienced is walking 358 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:37.319 into a room with someone that people are as excited 359 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:39.720 to see as James Tellerico. As soon as like our 360 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:41.960 heads kind of popped up, there was this like sort 361 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:46.920 of like collective gasp and like cheer from the people 362 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:48.799 in the room that was there, and I was like, wow, 363 00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:53.319 this is like you I know, yeah, of course, of 364 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:55.880 course I did like try to have like no, they're 365 00:19:55.920 --> 00:20:00.559 not doing this for you, like here you go, but 366 00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:02.960 like that really stuck with me, and you know, to 367 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:07.440 be completely honest, immediately after that was an interview with 368 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:09.480 Colin Allread that I also did, and he did not 369 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:12.160 generate that kind of reaction, and that really stuck with me. 370 00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:16.279 Alread obviously dropped out of the race, but there is 371 00:20:16.359 --> 00:20:19.400 that excitement around Tallerrico. The thing is is that you know, 372 00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:21.839 Jasmine Crockett didn't make it to trip Fest due to 373 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:24.319 what was going on in Congress at the time. Would 374 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:27.599 she have generated that same reaction? Probably yes, And I 375 00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:29.920 have actually been I make the joke about tall Rico 376 00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:35.599 being the grandma favorite. But like another speaking engagement I 377 00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:38.519 had recently was with a group in Austin called Women Vote, 378 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:40.440 and it was a head of trip Fest and they 379 00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:43.160 were talking about the different people who were coming to Tripfest, 380 00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:45.759 and it was a group of you know, it was 381 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:48.920 as jd Vance would call the elderly hippies, right, the 382 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:54.599 older you know, Democratic leaning women, And the applause for 383 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:57.759 Jasmine Crockett was just as palpable. And it is a 384 00:20:57.799 --> 00:21:01.359 pretty amazing sort of confluent. And so that that Texas 385 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:03.680 has two of these people and they are in the 386 00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:08.279 same race, which leads me to my next question. Will 387 00:21:08.359 --> 00:21:13.400 Democrats regret not spreading out that talent more? Is this 388 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:17.039 bad for the Democrats to have both of them on 389 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:19.960 the ballot for the same race when they're trying to 390 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:21.480 make gains up and down the ballot. 391 00:21:23.079 --> 00:21:26.680 I mean Democrats started with, like, I don't know, five 392 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:30.960 pretty big names that were maybe gonna they wanted to 393 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:33.880 form this slate to run in all these statewide offices 394 00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:36.039 to do exactly that and spread their talent, and now 395 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:37.640 it's just the two of them, like they've kind of 396 00:21:37.640 --> 00:21:40.000 fallen off. I think Colin all Read dropping down to 397 00:21:40.359 --> 00:21:43.200 his congressional race obviously helps the party in terms of 398 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.200 avoiding a runoff. 399 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:46.039 But then again, you. 400 00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:48.279 Like he's just going into a spot where there's like 401 00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:50.279