Mission: Texas

Kate Rumsey & Alex Clark
  • 4.9 (17)
  • Government
  • Updated Weekly

Texas is growing faster than anywhere else — and that growth means more electoral power. As blue strongholds lose seats, the road to protecting the White House must run through the Lone Star State.  If we do not flip Texas by the next census, we risk losing the White House for a generation.  “Mission: Texas” dives into the strategy, people, and stories needed to flip the state.  Hosted by two Texas lawyers and parents — a former candidate and a long-time organizer, both with military roots — we mix mission-driven focus with a dose of pop-culture fun.  Think of us as your Democratic club while you cook, commute, or go for a walk.  And don’t worry: this mission is serious, but it’s definitely not impossible. (Viewpoints expressed are those of the hosts and not of their employers or of the U.S. Department of Defense)

  1. 4d ago ·  Video

    Ep. 43 - Trump is Coming To Dallas & Why Dallas County Democrats Aren't Worried

    Today on Mission: Texas, we're putting Dallas County under the microscope. Our guests are Kardal Coleman, Chair of the Dallas County Democratic Party, and Yasmin Simon, the party's Vice Chair. Kardal is a Dallas native, Army veteran, licensed minister, former labor organizer, and experienced Democratic strategist. Yasmin is a trial lawyer, voting rights and immigration pro bono advocate, and a former candidate for the Texas House. Together, they're helping steer one of Texas Democrats' most important county organizations through a pivotal 2026 election. Plus: Kardal recommits to early-morning runs on the Katy Trail, Yasmin finds gratitude every day despite the Texas heat, Alex sings the praises of the YMCA's parents' night out program, and Kate celebrates her daughter's fourth birthday and the miracle of IVF. What we cover: How Dallas County has stayed blue for 20 years running (since 2006) and what it would take to help flip Texas statewide Kardal and Yasmin's paths into Democratic politics — from interning for a progressive Dallas County DA to running for the Texas House Inside the chaos of Dallas County's March 2026 primary, when a switch to precinct-assigned voting left over 12,000 voters at the wrong polling place and nearly 2,000 ballots initially uncounted The emergency legal scramble — including a call from Rep. Jasmine Crockett — that led to extended polling hours and a return to countywide voting for the May runoff Why Republicans chose Dallas for their first-ever midterm convention (American Airlines Center, September 9–10) with Trump expected to attend, and what it signals about the battle for turnout Voter protection efforts underway ahead of November, including poll watcher recruitment and coordination with the DNC and state party Precinct chair recruitment strategy, from a unified county convention to "Pilates and Politics" Why Dallas County's roughly 1 million registered Democrats make this a turnout election, and what Beto O'Rourke's 220,000-vote statewide loss means for 2026 James Talarico's $25 million Black voter outreach investment and what effective spending looks like on the ground The only two Dallas County-held Republican Texas House seats — HD-108 and HD-112 — and this cycle's targeting strategy Where the county still needs to grow: South Dallas, West Dallas/Grand Prairie, Mesquite, Garland, Rowlett, and IrvingSupport Dallas County Democrats: dallasdemocrats.org  Support the show:  Love what we're doing? Become a member at patreon.com/missiontexaspodcast — just a few dollars a month keeps independent Texas media alive. And if you can't spare the cash, a five-star review goes just as far. God bless Texas. 🤠

    Ep. 43 - Trump is Coming To Dallas & Why Dallas County Democrats Aren't Worried

  2. Jul 23 ·  Video

    Ep. 42: "How To" Run For Office (from two working parents)

    This week, Mission: Texas sits down with two working parents who decided the "someone else will run" strategy wasn't working anymore. Katie O'Brien Duzan is taking on HD-94 in Tarrant County, and Zach Herbert — a Marine Corps veteran and trial attorney — is running for HD-112 in the Dallas area.  Both are in highly competitive state house districts that have a likelihood of flipping.  Both candidates talk through their "flux capacitor moment" of deciding to run, the steep learning curve of campaign finance and call time, and how they're building family-friendly campaigns that bring their own kids into the process. They dig into fundraising disparities against well-funded incumbents, the value of door-knocking over ad spend, and why authenticity beats political polish every time. Plus: our new Good News segment covers gym gains, a Tonal million-pound milestone, a birthday, and a half-marathon commitment in the works. What we cover: Katie's and Zach's origin stories — stepping up when no one else had filed Building a campaign from scratch: checklists, core teams, and campaign schools The brutal reality of fundraising against opponents backed by PACs and billionaires Call time, Oath.vote, and rethinking how campaigns reach small donors Why door-knocking beats mailers and TV ads for reaching moderate voters Making campaigns family-friendly — kid-friendly kickoffs, "Scoops with Zach," and block walking with your kids Balancing a day job, a campaign, and parenting without losing yourself Advice for anyone who wants to get involved but doesn't know where to startFollow and support Katie and Zach:  https://www.katiefor94.com/ https://zach4texas.com/ Love what we're doing? Become a member at patreon.com/missiontexaspodcast — just a few dollars a month keeps independent Texas media alive. And if you can't spare the cash, a five-star review goes just as far. God bless Texas. 🤠 #MissionTexas #TexasPolitics #FlipTexas #TexasDemocrats #HD94 #HD112 #TarrantCounty #DallasCounty #WorkingParents #VeteransInPolitics #RunForOffice #HowToRunForOffice #GrassrootsCampaign #TexasHouse #BlockWalking #TexasLegislature2026

    Ep. 42: "How To" Run For Office (from two working parents)

  3. Jul 16 ·  Video

    Ep. 41: The Surprise Shake Up Within the Texas Democratic Party (Liza Hameline & Chris Servin)

    This week we're joined by two newly elected members of the State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) the governing board of the state party: Liza Hameline, a longtime North Texas election judge and Irving-based organizer; and Chris Servin, a Tarrant County field organizer who is the co-chair of the statewide Hispanic Caucus. Both bring a data-driven, door-knocking ethos to the party's infrastructure. They discuss their surprise elections and what the SDEC really does within the Texas Democratic Party.   Plus: Alex's good news is filing a motion to intervene in federal court to help defend Texas's open primary law; Liza's is watching 85% of her SDEC delegation turn out as brand-new faces; and Chris's is launching the Senate District 9 Tejano Democrats chapter in Fort Worth. What we cover: Liza's path from corporate lawyer to precinct-chair recruiter after 2021 redistricting split Irving into four school districts Chris's phone-banking marathon to win the statewide Hispanic Caucus seat — and why "can I count on your support" is the most underused question in politics Chris's work on the coordinated campaign's VAN-based outreach strategy and how it identifies persuadable general-election-only voters Liza's take on what "progressive" means on the ground: down-ballot races, city council wins in Irving (District 6 and District 3), and voter registration at faith communities Chris's plans for the new Senate District 9 Tejano Democrats chapter and reaching underserved rural counties Why Dallas and Tarrant Counties are the highest-ROI turnout targets in the state Building "fun," inclusive local party infrastructure as the real 2030 strategyFollow both:  @liza_hameline @chrisisserving Love what we're doing? Become a member at patreon.com/missiontexaspodcast — just a few dollars a month keeps independent Texas media alive. And if you can't spare the cash, a five-star review goes just as far. God bless Texas. 🤠 #texaspolitics #texasdemocrats #bluetexas #fliptexas

    Ep. 41: The Surprise Shake Up Within the Texas Democratic Party (Liza Hameline & Chris Servin)

  4. Jul 9 ·  Video

    Ep. 40: Convention, Texas Democratic Leadership, and Proud Patriots (Nic Nickens)

    We're kicking off a series of episodes with leaders within the Texas Democratic Party infrastructure, hearing what's going on within the party from the inside.  Recorded coming off the Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi and heading straight into the Fourth of July weekend, this first installment is about reclaiming patriotism as Democratic territory.  Kate and Alex sit down with Frederick "Nic" Nickens, chair of the Texas Democratic Veterans Caucus and a leader within the Black Caucus, a 23-year Army veteran who retired as a First Sergeant and Tank Master Gunner. He makes the case that veterans, and the party that champions them, are the ones who actually define what patriotism means, and that Democrats have let the other side write that narrative for too long. Plus: the hosts celebrate 40 episodes of Mission: Texas, Alex heads to Rockwall for a July 4th cookout with his Air Force veteran law school best friend, and Nic shouts out his daughter's birthday and the Texas Democratic Veterans' 24th anniversary as an organization, all landing the same holiday weekend. What we cover: Convention recap from Corpus Christi: the mood in the room, the water concerns that never materialized, and a party lineup built for the big tent How the caucus system works inside the Texas Democratic Party, and what the State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) actually does The military oath to the Constitution, not to a party or a person, and why that distinction matters right now Why  72 of 100 veterans in Congress are Republicans  Nic's path from Army private to tank master gunner to first sergeant, and how military leadership training translates directly to political organizing Why Democrats need to define patriotism on their own terms going into 2026 and beyondGuest: Nic Nickens, Chair, Texas Democratic Veterans CaucusWebsites: txdemvets.org | txblackdems.orgAlso mentioned: Texas Black Politics, Texas in Color Love what we're doing? Become a member at patreon.com/missiontexaspodcast — just a few dollars a month keeps independent Texas media alive. And if you can't spare the cash, a five-star review goes just as far. God bless Texas. 🤠

    Ep. 40: Convention, Texas Democratic Leadership, and Proud Patriots (Nic Nickens)

  5. Jul 2 ·  Video

    Ep. 39: Is San Antonio the Key to Flipping Texas? (Zack Dunn)

    This week, Kate and Alex sit down with Zack Dunn, Democratic nominee for Texas House District 121 in San Antonio, the second of two House seats in the area that are closest to flipping. His seat is targeted by the DLCC and HDCC, two groups helping flip seats in the Texas legislature. Zack was recording while in Corpus Christi, where the convention was happening.  Plus: Kate gets back into a courtroom on the defense side; Alex gets hired by Veterans for All Voters to help defend Texas election law in federal court after the Texas GOP moves to close its primaries; and Zack shares he's about to become an uncle for the first time. What we cover: Zack's path from UTSA student government to the Obama White House to the Bexar County DA's office Zack's connections to the Castros and San Antonio politics Why HD-121 hasn't elected a Democrat since 1981, and what's different this time The $5 million GOP primary in his race pitting two of the biggest donor groups against each other How the voucher fight is showing up at the doors across every part of the district Lessons for Democrats running in "unwinnable" seats Convention week in Corpus Christi and the statewide coordination effort for NovemberGuest: Zack Dunn for Texas House District 121  Website: zackdunn.com  Social: @dunnfortexas Love what we're doing? Become a member at patreon.com/missiontexaspodcast — just a few dollars a month keeps independent Texas media alive. And if you can't spare the cash, a five-star review goes just as far. God bless Texas. 🤠

    Ep. 39: Is San Antonio the Key to Flipping Texas? (Zack Dunn)

  6. Jun 25 ·  Video

    Ep. 38: From Political Rivals to Friends (Rep. Cassandra Hernandez)

    Kate's primary rival turned good friend joins the podcast. State Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez (HD-115) beat Kate in the March 2024 Democratic primary, and this episode is the full story of that race, how they built a real friendship out of it, and what it means heading into the general election season. With Texas Democrats gathering in Corpus Christi this week for the state convention, this conversation is a reminder of what it looks like when Democrats come together after a hard primary to fight for the bigger goal: flipping the state. Plus: Alex is about to become board president of a 75-year-old Dallas preschool, Cassandra's district office officially opens this month, and Kate makes summer plans.  We discuss: How Cassandra went from losing her first race to becoming a state rep — and the piece of advice from a sitting appellate justice that changed how she handled the loss The "olive branch" pact she and Kate made before the primary even started — and what it actually looked like behind the scenes Inside the quorum break: what it was like meeting governors in New York and organizers in Chicago, and why she says "Texas Democrats have fight — we just need help" The DLCC's new push to target 12 Texas House seats, and why Cassandra says the resources need to come "yesterday" Why the GOP's mid-decade redistricting fight is now baked into every future legislative session Her block-walking philosophy: why door-knocking beats everything else, and how her team is using off-cycle elections to build long-term voter relationships The honor of serving alongside state-wide candidates Vikki Goodwin, James Talarico, Gina Hinojosa, and Jon Rosenthal — and what she learned watching them fight up closeFollow Cassandra: @CasForTX | cassandrafortexas.com Love what we're doing? Become a member at patreon.com/missiontexaspodcast — just a few dollars a month keeps independent Texas media alive. And if you can't spare the cash, a five-star review goes just as far. God bless Texas. 🤠

    Ep. 38: From Political Rivals to Friends (Rep. Cassandra Hernandez)

  7. Jun 18 ·  Video

    Ep. 37 (audio): The Obama Organizer Who Showed Up in Sherman and Changed Alex's Life (Scott Mackey)

    Alex has told this story before — how a campaign organizer showed up in Sherman, Texas of all places, and changed the trajectory of his life. This week, that organizer is finally on the mic. Scott Mackey recruited Alex as a high school senior during the 2008 Texas Democratic primary, back when the campaign had no budget, no VAN data, and was cutting turf on hand-drawn Google Maps. It's a homecoming conversation and nostalgia journey. But Scott and the hosts don't just stay in 2008. They use the Obama years as a lens for everything that's happened since — what that campaign got right about organizing and message, where the party has drifted, and what it would actually take to build that kind of coalition again in Texas and beyond. In this conversation: How Scott went from Peace Corps-bound in Guatemala to catching a flight to South Carolina the morning after New Hampshire Organizing Sherman with no data, no staff, and hand-drawn turf maps — and what that scrappy model still teaches The Obama organizing principle of "respect, empower, include" — and how far Democrats have drifted from it Why Trump's rise runs on the same playbook as Obama's, just a different feeling James Talarico's "top vs. bottom" framing and why it's connecting where traditional Democratic messaging hasn't Citizens United, dark money, and how Democrats became the party defending institutions instead of people The 2028 primary field — and why the candidate who changes everything might not be on anyone's radar yetPlus: Scott ran the 2030 census numbers — and even holding Obama's exact 2008 map, Democrats lose seven electoral votes. The old math won't cut it. Follow Scott: @scottmackeywriter on InstagramScott's novel: Love Is Not The AnswerLearn more: Veterans for All Voters — veteransforallvoters.org Support the show:  Love what we're doing? Become a member at patreon.com/missiontexaspodcast — just a few dollars a month keeps independent Texas media alive. And if you can't spare the cash, a five-star review goes just as far. God bless Texas. 🤠

    Ep. 37 (audio): The Obama Organizer Who Showed Up in Sherman and Changed Alex's Life (Scott Mackey)

  8. Jun 18 ·  Video

    Ep. 37 (video): The Obama Organizer Who Showed Up in Sherman and Changed Alex's life (Scott Mackey)

    Alex has told this story before — how a campaign organizer showed up in Sherman, Texas of all places, and changed the trajectory of his life. This week, that organizer is finally on the mic. Scott Mackey recruited Alex as a high school senior during the 2008 Texas Democratic primary, back when the campaign had no budget, no VAN data, and was cutting turf on hand-drawn Google Maps. It's a homecoming conversation and nostalgia journey. But Scott and the hosts don't just stay in 2008. They use the Obama years as a lens for everything that's happened since — what that campaign got right about organizing and message, where the party has drifted, and what it would actually take to build that kind of coalition again in Texas and beyond. In this conversation: How Scott went from Peace Corps-bound in Guatemala to catching a flight to South Carolina the morning after New Hampshire Organizing Sherman with no data, no staff, and hand-drawn turf maps — and what that scrappy model still teaches The Obama organizing principle of "respect, empower, include" — and how far Democrats have drifted from it Why Trump's rise runs on the same playbook as Obama's, just a different feeling James Talarico's "top vs. bottom" framing and why it's connecting where traditional Democratic messaging hasn't Citizens United, dark money, and how Democrats became the party defending institutions instead of people The 2028 primary field — and why the candidate who changes everything might not be on anyone's radar yetPlus: Scott ran the 2030 census numbers — and even holding Obama's exact 2008 map, Democrats lose seven electoral votes. The old math won't cut it. Follow Scott: @scottmackeywriter on InstagramScott's novel: Love Is Not The AnswerLearn more: Veterans for All Voters — veteransforallvoters.org Support the show: Love what we're doing? Become a member at patreon.com/missiontexaspodcast — just a few dollars a month keeps independent Texas media alive. And if you can't spare the cash, a five-star review goes just as far. God bless Texas. 🤠

    Ep. 37 (video): The Obama Organizer Who Showed Up in Sherman and Changed Alex's life (Scott Mackey)
See All (50)

Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Texas is growing faster than anywhere else — and that growth means more electoral power. As blue strongholds lose seats, the road to protecting the White House must run through the Lone Star State.  If we do not flip Texas by the next census, we risk losing the White House for a generation.  “Mission: Texas” dives into the strategy, people, and stories needed to flip the state.  Hosted by two Texas lawyers and parents — a former candidate and a long-time organizer, both with military roots — we mix mission-driven focus with a dose of pop-culture fun.  Think of us as your Democratic club while you cook, commute, or go for a walk.  And don’t worry: this mission is serious, but it’s definitely not impossible. (Viewpoints expressed are those of the hosts and not of their employers or of the U.S. Department of Defense)

Information

  • Creator
    Kate Rumsey & Alex Clark
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Mission: Texas

You Might Also Like