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August 29, 2026 9:59 AM

Talarico launches negative attack ad on Paxton during TCU college football season opener

Via the campaign: "Continuing the campaign’s eight-figure ad buy, the 30-second TV spot will begin airing statewide today." See the commercial below

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August 28, 2026 12:18 PM

Kronberg: President Trump and Speaker Johnson campaigning in Texas where top GOP candidates including Abbott and Paxton are flailing

The only brand more broken than Republicans, however, is Democrats. But incumbents don’t get beat they get fired. If Hinojosa and Goodwin called for strict term limits, it could move the needle even further

It has long been an article of faith in Austin bars—the center of all Texas political wisdom—that Republican consultants have no muscle memory for general election strategy or tactics.

It has become increasingly self-evident that this premise is true.

Remember, Republicans traditionally enjoy at least a ten-point structural advantage in Texas. There are simply that many more self-identified Republicans than Democrats while independent voters routinely break to the right. Essentially, a few more than two million Republican primary voters govern the 31 million residents of Texas.

There have been only two statewide elections this century where a Republican had to break a sweat. The most recent was Ted Cruz facing Beto O'Rourke in 2018. Late polling showed Cruz within the margin of error, prompting Cruz to spend the final two weeks before early voting in West Texas and other rural areas – regions he had previously ignored. Agricultural trade associations were reportedly so peeved they had even prepared a press release condemning the fact that Cruz had delegated staffers to meet with them during his first term rather than being responsive to them in person.

The last time a governor broke a sweat was 2002, when Rick Perry faced Democratic businessman Tony Sanchez.

The rest of the story, subscribers only

By Harvey Kronberg

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August 28, 2026 11:39 AM

Despite opposition from Patrick and Chair Schwertner, PUC moves forward with some 765 kV transmission lines

Commissioner Hjaltman told angry landowners “We appreciate your participation in the process. We recognize the importance of the decision before us, and we don’t take it lightly. We have to constitutionally weigh certain factors in making our decisions, and that’s what we’re doing.”

More via KXAN in Austin:

In a move that could dramatically reshape the state’s electricity infrastructure, alleviate a years-long energy bottleneck and anger landowners, the Public Utility Commission of Texas has authorized the buildout of more than 400 miles of transmission lines to deliver electricity to the power-starved oil and gas and industrial manufacturing industries.

The five-panel commission voted unanimously to approve amendments to two Certificates of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) filed by Oncor, contrary to calls from the Texas Senate and certain House members to delay approvals until the Legislature could reform the process. Commissioners tabled a decision on the Howard Solstice transmission line, which would run through South Texas, to conduct further deliberations.

Barring successful legal challenges against the applications, it is the last administrative hurdle before the two transmission companies can break ground on the billion-dollar projects.

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August 28, 2026 11:32 AM

Speaker Johnson planning to meet with Elon Musk in Texas today

The planned meeting comes as Musk is reportedly considering spending at least $100 million to boost the GOP

Via Politico this hour:

Speaker Mike Johnson is planning to meet with GOP megadonor Elon Musk in Texas on Friday, according to four people familiar with the meeting.

The effort, first reported by POLITICO, comes as Johnson stumps for Republican candidates across the Lone Star State ahead of the midterms. It’s the latest sign that GOP leaders hope Musk will spend heavily to help the party keep control of Congress. The people familiar with the planning, who were granted anonymity to discuss private details, cautioned that Musk’s schedule is fluid and there could be a last-minute change.

The tech billionaire is reportedly considering spending at least $100 million for the GOP through his super PAC, America PAC, on this year’s midterms — but the full scope of where that spending will take place remains unclear. Some Republicans believe Musk is weighing directing some of that money to key House GOP battleground races, according to two of the people.

A spokesperson for America PAC declined to comment. A spokesperson for Johnson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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August 27, 2026 1:52 PM

Talarico teams with Mark Cuban on plan to break up healthcare 'monopolies'

From CNBC:

Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is out with a new plan, first shared with CNBC, to break up what he says are healthcare monopolies and bring down the cost of prescription drugs. And he’s teaming up with entrepreneur Mark Cuban to launch it.

Talarico, a member of the Texas House of Representatives who is running against state Attorney General Ken Paxton in one of the most closely-watched Senate races of the 2026 election cycle, will appear with Cuban for a live event and podcast recording in Fort Worth on Saturday to discuss the plan.

“Mark and I agree it’s time to break up the Big Medicine monopolies that control our broken healthcare system,” Talarico said in a statement to CNBC. “Healthcare corporations are ripping us off — jacking up premiums and profiting off our pain. This plan will break up monopolies, lower medical debt, bring down the cost of prescription drugs, and ensure doctors decide what medication their patients need — not insurance companies.”

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August 26, 2026 5:14 PM

House Energy Resources Chairman Darby and Commissioner Christian spar over new public comment policy at the Texas Railroad Commission

Darby says public input is being stifled but Christian says that’s “misinformation.” Darby wants Christian to address this at the next Energy Resources meeting

Editor’s note: Subscribers can download Chair Darby’s letter to Commissioner Christian in this story – SB

Texas House Energy Resources Committee Chairman Drew Darby and Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian are now in a war of words over how public comment is handled at commission meetings. Darby says public input is being stifled but Christian says that’s “misinformation.”

For decades, the commissioners who oversee the oil and gas industry in Texas have included designated time for general public comment at each of their meetings. Recently, Commissioner Christian proposed and passed a change to eliminate that and instead use an invited testimony system focused on specific agenda items. The change passed 2 to 1. The lone vote against it was Commissioner Christi Craddick.

The rest of the story, subscribers only

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August 26, 2026 4:47 PM

Leo-Wilson feud prompts Texas House probe into education foundations

Leaders respond to allegations of malfeasance with blunt statements: “you enabled this”

Following the lead of a Texas Public Policy Foundation report and a primary campaign in which a challenger came under fire for allegedly engaging in shady deals and conflicts of interest, the Texas House Select Committee on Government Oversight heard testimony on the role of education foundations’ role in supporting public schools.

It was mostly about the dustup over a member of the Barber’s Hill’s ISD Education Foundation’s unsuccessful primary against Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson, R-Galveston.

The rest of the story, subscribers only

By James Russell

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