Texas Take

Houston Chronicle
  • 4.6 (374)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Go behind the headlines for a look at what's really going on at the Texas Capitol and in Washington with the state's #1 political podcast: Texas Take. Join the conversation featuring Houston Chronicle/San Antonio Express-News political writer Jeremy Wallace.

  1. 3D AGO

    Gavin Newsom Answers Greg Abbott

    Nine weeks after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott gave President Donald Trump the redistricting map he wanted in Texas, California Gov. Gavin Newsom roared back with an improbable victory on Election Day that will allow the Golden State to negate everything Abbott and Trump thought they were gaining in Texas. California political reporter Monica Madden and Texas House Democratic Leader Gene Wu both join host Jeremy Wallace to explain how much harder of a lift for Newsom this really was — with a lot of help from Texans, at least financially. It partly explains why Newsom is taking a victory lap in Houston to celebrate his victory. Plus, reporter Taylor Goldenstein joins the program to help make sense of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's somewhat awkward speech to college students, where he focused heavily on his own legal troubles and the attempt by fellow Republicans to oust him from office two years ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    50 min

  2. OCT 31

    A Battle That Never Ends

    Even after 189 years, the tale of the Alamo remains one of the most debated pieces of Texas history. And it continues to produce casualties to this day. Just this week, the person at the center of the reconstruction around the Alamo was forced out after Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick objected to something she wrote for her college dissertation. Columnist Chris Tomlinson joins the show to talk about the latest drama around the iconic mission. Plus, reporter Ryan Nickerson digs into who might be the next member of Congress from Texas. And finally, Houston Democrat Andrew White stops by the show to explain why he is running for governor again and what lessons from his father’s winning 1982 campaign have been incorporated into his bid to defeat Greg Abbott next year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    49 min

  3. OCT 28 · BONUS

    An Exclusive with Wesley Hunt

    One of the rarest things to do in Texas politics is to defeat an incumbent U.S. Senator in a primary. It has only happened once since World War II, yet Houston Republican Wesley Hunt is jumping headfirst into the 2026 GOP primary convinced he can beat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. In this special episode of the Texas Take, Hunt explains why he’s running, talks about the role President Donald Trump has played in the campaign so far and defends his voting record after having a higher missed vote percentage than most members of Congress from Texas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    22 min

  4. OCT 24

    Greg Abbott’s $90 million gamble

    Listen to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pledge to spend “most of” his $90 million campaign warchest in and around Houston to turn the area “dark red.” Given he’s lost Harris County by larger margins every time he’s been on the ballot since 2014, it seems like a fool's errand. But reporter Benjamin Wermund joins host Jeremy Wallace to dig into why the Republican might be so confident even in one of the state’s bluest counties. Plus, they break down who his top donors are by name, detailing where they came from, and what some have received in return for their loyalty. Also State Sen. Paul Bettencourt joins the show to talk about the surprising drop in voter registrations in Texas. Since last year, Texas saw the voter rolls shrink by 130,000 people - the biggest drop since 2012. And finally, the show looks at why a South Texas Republican is calling for Congress to extend Obama Care tax credits. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    27 min

  5. OCT 17

    Battling the Billionaires

    Democrat Gina Hinajosa says she is no sacrificial lamb. In a one-on-one sit-down interview, the Rio Grande Valley native explains how she thinks she can beat Gov. Greg Abbott. In short, she says Abbott has let billionaires have too much influence over Texas while the working class struggles. Plus, the state’s 8th-largest city is so close to running out of water that it’s tearing apart the community to the point that people were getting arrested at a recent city council meeting. We'll play what happened. Reporter Megan Kimble joins host Jeremy Wallace to explain why the city's struggle has broad implications statewide and could be replicated in more Texas cities in the future. Finally, Eric Dexheimer provides details on why and how a small group of mostly out-of-staters is attempting to take over the government in the tiny Loving County. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    50 min

  6. OCT 10

    Marching on Chicago

    Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker slammed Gov. Greg Abbott for allowing Texas National Guard soldiers to be deployed in the Windy City without their permission. Reporters Benjamin Wermund and Bayliss Wagner join host Jeremy Wallace to break down the tension and dig into how Abbott is responding. Plus, political reporter John Moritz joins the program to assess the latest in the red-hot U.S. Senate race in Texas. Does Wesley Hunt really has a shot in the GOP Primary and why is Jasmine Crockett doing so well in polls on the Democratic side, despite not being in the race? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min

  7. OCT 3

    Shutdowns and Showdowns

    Why is the new mayor of Texas’s second-largest city publicly fighting people in her own party and a guy known as Spurs Jesus? Express-News reporter Molly Smith gets behind the scenes of the turmoil of Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’s tumultuous first 100 days in office. Plus U.S. Reps. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, and Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, join the program to explain their frustration at the other side over the government shutdown and what's at stake for millions of Texans. Castro also hints at his political future. Will he run for the U.S. Senate? Governor? Finally, tune in for an update from Alamo expert Scott Huddleston on what is happening around the historic battle site that has been heavily debated for years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    47 min

  8. SEP 26

    Revenge and Retribution

    Texas Republicans and their national brethren were settling a lot of scores this week. While the Texas GOP officially threatened the political future of fellow Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows, the Trump White House went after comedian Jimmy Kimmel to the objection of notable Texas Republicans like Sen. Ted Cruz. Reporters Benjamin Wermund and Taylor Goldenstein join host Jeremy Wallace to assess how much danger Burrows is in and what Cruz had to say at The Texas Youth Summit amid the Kimmel controversy. Plus, state Sen. Carol Alvarado joins the program to slam Republicans for threatening the political career of the only Latina to ever represent Houston in Congress. Listeners will also hear what Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett said during a speech in Austin and why it was so important. Finally, listen to Cruz break into his favorite characters from his favorite movie -- a flashback to when he was once the president of his high school drama club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min
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4.6
out of 5
374 Ratings

About

Go behind the headlines for a look at what's really going on at the Texas Capitol and in Washington with the state's #1 political podcast: Texas Take. Join the conversation featuring Houston Chronicle/San Antonio Express-News political writer Jeremy Wallace.

Information

  • Creator
    Houston Chronicle
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2025
  • Episodes
    222
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2023 Houston Chronicle

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