The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - October 6, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy, folks, today is Monday, October 6th, 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 top of the ticket on the Republican side in Texas is now a three-way race, as Congressman Wesley Hunt made his long-rumored challenge to Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton official on Monday. Hunt told the Associated Press, quote, what I've seen in polling over the past few months is people want an alternative, and I'm going to give it to them. Hunt, a U.S. Army veteran, is a second-term congressman from Harris County's 38th congressional district. He's allied himself with President Donald Trump since running for the new district in 2022

Starting point is 00:00:54 after the previous year's post-census redistricting. launching with a campaign video, Hunt said in a press release, quote, This campaign is about defending the timeless conservative values that built this state and this nation. My convictions do not waver, they do not falter, and they do not bend to political pressure. I will fight for Texas with the same courage and resolve with which I once fought for our country in combat, end quote. Cornyn and Paxton have long established their campaign lanes, the former backed by Senate leadership and the more established part of the Republican Party, the latter supported by conservatives unhappy with the incumbent for various reasons. But Hunts Lane is less clear, potentially taking from both candidates

Starting point is 00:01:39 already in the race. Next, Governor Greg Abbott authorized the potential federal deployment of up to 400 Texas National Guard members into multiple other states in response to concerns over increased protests and attacks against U.S. immigration and customs enforcement officers. amid a federal court's order against federalization of state guards. U.S. District Judge Karen Imbergut granted Oregon, in a lawsuit later joined by California, a temporary restraining order against President Donald Trump's deployment of the Oregon Army National Guard into what the president dubbed war-ravaged Portland. Late on Sunday night, the judge expanded the TRO to prevent Trump from sending any state's National Guard units into Portland, Oregon,

Starting point is 00:02:25 whether through deploying or relocating the guardsman. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker stated on Sunday night via an ex post that he was aware of Trump ordering, quote, 400 members of the Texas National Guard for deployments to Illinois, Oregon, and other locations within the United States. In other news, nearly three years after challenging Harris County's chaotic 2022 election, Republican Tammy Pierce will take the reins of a criminal district court after being appointed to the bench by Governor Greg Abbott. But the legal dispute over the election remains pending before a state appeals court. Pierce said in a statement to the Texan, quote,

Starting point is 00:03:06 it is an incredible honor to be appointed by the governor to serve Harris County as a district court judge. I am committed to upholding the law with fairness and integrity with respect to all who appear before me in court. The Republican nominee for the 180th criminal district court in 2022, Pierce filed an election contest after Harris County reported that incumbent Judge Deshawn Jones had won the race by a mere 449 votes. Last year, a lower court determined that 1,430 illegal votes had been cast in the election and another 321 votes were cast in invalidated after-hours voting. Visiting Judge David Peoples ordered a new election to take place in May 2025.

Starting point is 00:03:51 Last but not least, Fort Worth Independent School District adopted the state-designed Blue Bonnet Learning Language Arts Curriculum with six votes for and three against during its September 23rd meeting. Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Karen Molinar said that last year the district put into place a solid phonics program and that this new curriculum is the second layer and continuation of what has already been established. She added that it aligns with the state's English language proficiency standards for English learners and is embedded within research-based science of reading instruction. Molinar said, quote, literacy is my passion. I have been studying Blue Bonnet. I have been reading the lessons. I have been looking at each one and I get

Starting point is 00:04:37 excited about what this can offer not only our students, but the benefits, as I said, for our employees and our staff as well, end quote. The district held voluntary teacher feedback sessions in April with over 300 teachers attending from different grade levels. 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 - October 6, 2025

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