The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - April 9, 2025

Episode Date: April 9, 2025

Want to support The Texan and help us continue providing the Lone Star State with news you can trust? Subscribe today: https://thetexan.news/subscribe/Learn more about the Data Center Coalition at: https://www.centerofyourdigitalworld.org/texasThe Texan’s Daily Rundown brings you a quick recap of the latest stories in Texas politics so you can stay informed with news you can trust.Want more resources? Be sure to visit The Texan and subscribe for complete access to our in-depth articles, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, videos, podcasts, and more.Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to subscribe and leave a review!

Howdy folks, today is Wednesday, April 9th, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lauschus, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made his long-rumored bid for U.S. Senate official, looking to knock off Senator John Cornyn from the seat he's held for two decades. Paxton said on Laura Ingraham's Fox News show

on Tuesday night, quote, "'I'm excited to do this here. I am running for U.S. Senate against John Cornyn. We have a great Senator and Senator Ted Cruz, but it's time we have another one who stands up for America and stands by Donald Trump. In the brief interview, Paxton hit Cornyn over his 2022 gun reform package that resulted in the Senator being booed on stage at the Texas GOP convention and the senior senator's

quote, opposition to funding a border wall. Paxton's official campaign statement read, quote, I'm running for U S Senate to fight for president Trump's agenda and take a sledgehammer to the D C establishment. John Cornyn has been in Washington for over two decades and he has turned his back on president Trump and the America first agenda time after time. Next, with all the expected fanfare, the Texas House rejected state representative Brian Harrison's latest attempt to remove Speaker Dustin Burroughs from the chair. Harrison filed House Resolution 823 on Tuesday evening, calling for the removal of Burroughs as Speaker. It was tabled overwhelmingly by 141 members out of 150 across both parties and all the factions therein.

Two members voted against the motion to table, State Representative David Low and Harrison himself. Five members registered present not voting. State Representatives John Bryant, Gina Hinajosa, Christina Morales, Ana Maria Rodriguez Ramos, and Mike Schofield. Stay tuned for more news updates after this short message. Data centers fuel 364,000 Texas jobs, generate $3.5 billion in state and local taxes, and power essential services like banking,

healthcare, and video calls. With 21 connected devices per household and soaring data demands, these hubs drive Texas' booming economy, shape its technological future, and keep your data here in the U.S. To learn more, visit centerofyourdigitalworld.org. slash Texas.

Now returning to your daily Texas news. In other news, budget night in the Texas legislature always provides moments where the future of policy will be determined in dollars and cents. And the issue of school choice would have once again received a test vote regarding appropriations for such a program. Ahead of Thursday, April 10th, nearly 400 amendments were proposed in the lower chamber. And one by Representative Donna Howard would have blocked additional appropriations of funds outside

the $1 billion already set aside this biennium to be spent on any type of school choice program, including education savings accounts, private school choice, or home school choice. On Wednesday, Howard indicated that she will be withdrawing the amendment, telling the Dallas Morning News, quote, My amendment was meant to provide guardrails around the cap and was not intended to be a voucher test vote. I will be withdrawing the amendment as it more appropriately should be attached to SB2. Senate Bill 2, now in the form of a committee substitute,

is a fully universal school choice option that utilizes education savings accounts. Also, the Texas House gave initial approval to priority legislation intended to build upon the Doge craze at the federal level, creating the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office and another to beef up Sunset reviews. Senate Bill 14 by State Senator Phil King passed the Texas Senate on March 26th with only five votes against it, four Democrats and one Republican. Under the bill, the TREO would review agencies, their procedures, and the rules

by which they abide with the aim of reducing inefficiency. The office would create a manual to be published regularly that provides economic analysis and another that advises on the reduction of regulations. It would also require the creation of a searchable website that maintains agency procedure and ancillary materials needed for citizens to navigate their processes. Last but not least, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement of Houston deported 174 criminal aliens to Mexico, 24 of whom are gang members, over two weeks, accounting as a group for 610 criminal convictions and over 400 prior removals from the US. ICE deported these criminal aliens between March 17th and 28th, which they announced on April 3rd,

amid a wave of various other deportation operations being conducted across the country. Among the most notable of the 610 criminal convictions noted by ICE were two convictions for homicide-related crime, four for rape or other forms of sexual assault, and five for child sexual assault. Thanks for listening. To support The Texan, please be sure to visit thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.