The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - August 22, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy, folks. Today is Friday, August 22nd, and you're listening to The Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans assistant editor Rob Lauchess, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, the Texas Senate is currently debating House Bill 4, which would enact new congressional maps in Texas before the 26 midterm elections. It's taken a couple of extra weeks and a second special session, the first having been killed by House Democrats' two-week-long quorum break, but Texas's new congressional map with a projected five-seat GOP gain is nearly across the finish line. Much of the back and forth between State Senator Phil King, the bill's sponsor, and the Chamber's Democratic members took a similar route to those in the House, prefacing the legal fight to come. Both state senators Jose Menendez and

Starting point is 00:00:58 Carol Alvarado questioned King about whether he used any racial data to draw the maps. He maintained that he did not, looking only at political performance and compactness. The Democrats' line of questioning is meant to set the table for the coming court fight over the map, a lawsuit that is sure to be filed as soon as Governor Greg Abbott signs the bill. Alvarado announced on social media Friday afternoon that she intended to filibuster the bill, writing, quote, going to be a long night. In other news, five-term state representative Briscoe Cain is expected to announce his run for the new 9th Congressional District on Friday, after the Texas House gave final passage to the map that turns the seat from solidly blue to solidly red. The new 9th Congressional District goes from a D-63% rating in the Texans' Texas Partisan Index to R-60%.

Starting point is 00:01:53 One of the five expected flips under the new map requested by President Donald Trump. Almost all of Cain's House District 128 in western Harris County falls within the boundaries of the new 9th Congressional District. Congressman Al Green currently holds the district that encompasses much of South Houston. But under the redraw, the 18th Congressional District is moved down closer to its historic borders that existed when Congresswoman Barbara Jordan held the seat. That paired Green and the currently vacant 18th while moving Green's district west into redder territory. Green will now have a decision of whether to retire, run in the 18th congressional district,

Starting point is 00:02:34 or face an ill-fated bid to keep his current seat. Last but not least, Congressman Lloyd Doggett announced that after serving in Congress for over 30 years, he will not seek re-election if the courts preserve the new district lines under the GOP's mid-decade redistricting map. The press release hit inboxes on Thursday after the Texas House successfully passed the Republican five-seat gain congressional redistricting map. Doggett wrote in his press release, quote, if the courts give Trump a victory in his scheme to maintain control of a compliant house, I will not seek re-election in the reconfigured CD 37, even though it contains over two-thirds of my current constituents. Doggett stated he plans to stay in the race if, quote, this racially gerrymandered Trump map is rejected as it should be.

Starting point is 00:03:26 But if this new map remains viable and is implemented for the 26 midterm election, it would pit Doggett against Congressman Greg Kasar due to the newly drawn districts forcing them to run against each other in the Democratic primary. Dogget said that he and Kasar have not talked since the announcement. Cassar posted on social media Thursday after Doggett made his announcement about the future of his campaign for Congress, quote, Lloyd Doggett is an Austin institution. I've learned so much from him. I'm grateful to him. The fight for democracy continues, end quote. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure to visit the texan. News and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts. Thank you.

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - August 22, 2025

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