The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - November 4, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy, folks. Today is Tuesday, November 4th, Election Day, 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, Election Day has kicked off in Texas with ballots posing choices to voters in two special elections, 17 state constitutional amendments, and over. 400 bond proposals and other local propositions. There are two special elections that will be on some Texans' ballots, Congressional District 18 and Texas Senate District 9. CD18's special election follows the death in March of Congressman Sylvester Turner, who is elected for the first full term representing the district after the passing of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in 24, there are now 16 candidates filed to run in the CD-18 special election, seven of whom are

Starting point is 00:01:02 Democrats, including former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards, Harris County Attorney Christian Menifee, former Jackson Lee advisor Isaiah Martin, State Representative Jolanda Jones, Valencia Williams, Stephen Huey, and Feldon Bonner II. Five Republican candidates will also be on the ballot for CD-18, though it retains a rating of D-70% per the Texans' Texas Partisan Index. After the 2025 redistricting effort, CD-18 is projected to sit at D-79%, but that map is not in effect for this election. Next, residents of North and West Terrant County will be glad to know that the ad and mail onslaught from the Senate District 9 special election will soon end. But they'll be disappointed to know that the race is barreling toward a runoff, ensuring the continuation of the

Starting point is 00:01:54 political blitz that's marked the county this fall. Former state senator Kelly Hancock was appointed as acting comptroller of public accounts by Governor Greg Abbott, opening his legislative seat for a special election. Three candidates are vying for the open SD-9 seat, former Southlake Mayor John Huffman, veteran and union president Taylor Remitt, and former head of Patriot Mobile Pack, Lay Wamsgans. Huffman and Wamsgans are both Republicans and Remit, a Democrat. But being a special election, the race is a jungle primary, and the top two finishers, regardless of party, will move on to the runoff to be held at a date yet to be determined. In other news, a West Texas district court has dismissed another lawsuit filed by Oil and Gas Workers

Starting point is 00:02:40 Association founder Matt Koday, part of an ongoing collage of legal actions between Koday and those who say he has both mismanaged the nonprofit, while engaging in deceptive practices and waged a retaliation campaign designed to defame and harass his critics. The latest lawsuit targeted State Republican Executive Committee member Tisha Crowe, who reported him to police for harassment and suspicion of stalking. Coday claimed her report constituted defamation, and in response he sued her, her husband, and her insurance firm for $50 million. The suit also alleged a tortious interference claim because he said she checked his license plate number to verify it was his vehicle in her neighborhood. Coday's entrance into political influence began at the local

Starting point is 00:03:28 level in Odessa after launching the Oil and Gas Workers Association in 2020. Salina Independent School District has placed teacher and coach Neil Phillips on administrative leave in order to investigate allegations of inappropriate conduct with students from his past employment. In a November 2nd email, Salina High School Principal Dr. John Burdett told families that in October 31st social media post alerted the district of Phillips, quote, allegations of inappropriate conduct while he was employed with Melissa ISD. Burdett wrote, quote, immediately upon notice, the district began an investigation, placed Mr. Phillips on administrative leave, sent notice to the Texas Education Agency's State Board for Educator Certification, and referred the matter to law enforcement, end quote. He claimed that Phillips' application, quote, denied any prior investigations, leave with pay, and or resignation in lieu of non-renewal

Starting point is 00:04:27 or termination, end quote, and that his teaching certificate with the TEA SBC has no indication of a past investigation. Burdett said the district will evaluate the discrepancy in these claims, Phillips' hiring process, and the information received during the process. 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.

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - November 4, 2025

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.