The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - October 6, 2026

Episode Date: October 6, 2026

The 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? Visit The Texan for complete access to our in-depth articles, newsletters, videos, podcasts, and more.Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to follow us and leave a review!

Well, howdy, folks, today is Tuesday, October 6th, and you're listening to The Texans' Daily Rundown. I'm the Texan senior editor Rob Lauchess, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, State Representative Denise Villalobos, who is running for re-election in Texas House District 34 against Democratic challenger, Stephanie Sines, joined the Texans reporter Meredith Dyer to discuss her campaign. Via Lobo spoke on some of the biggest issues facing her South Texas district, focusing especially on water issues in Corpus Christi and property taxes. Visit the texan.News or wherever you get podcasts to listen now. Next, state senator Angela Paxton apparently wants her husband, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, to be the state's next U.S. senator despite their pending divorce, according to a new campaign ad. In the ad, she begins, quote,

People have asked my thoughts about this election, and it turns out I have some. Let's talk about the elephant in the room, end quote. That elephant is that she filed for divorce from her husband in 2025. While Angela Paxton is seeking to end the marriage, she still implied support for her husband's U.S. Senate candidacy, even though she did not name him in the ad, saying, quote, In a general election, it's not as much about the individual players on the team. It's about getting the whole team across the finish line. The message echoes what she told a gathering of the Texas Federation of Republican Women in Round Rock on September 22nd. In other news, while the Texas

governor's race has focused largely on affordability, both candidates prioritized public safety in their messaging last week. Incumbent Governor Greg Abbott and his Democratic challenger, state Representative Gina Hinojosa issued advertisements on public safety issues within a day of each other, with each candidate criticizing the other for insufficiently supporting law enforcement. Hina Hosa released a video advertisement on Wednesday that depicted several police officers claiming that Abbott, quote, loves law enforcement on camera, but that, quote, off camera, were on our own. The video referenced an April article by Houston Public Media on Abbott's warning to Houston concerning the city's ordinance prohibiting police from holding suspects based on

U.S. immigration and customs enforcement administrative warrants. The next day, Abbott released an ad that called Hina Hosa a, quote, defund the police radical. Abbott's video cites House Bill 1900, a 2021 state law intended to keep cities from defunding their police departments, and Senate Bill 9, a 2025 state law prohibiting personal recognizance bonds for certain offenses. Hinojosa voted against both bills, according to the Texas House Journal. Also, a federal judge ordered a halt to border construction in Big Bend on October 2nd, amid an enduring dispute over the federal government's bid to build in the sector. The court ordered an immediate halt to the Department of Homeland Security's

construction of border infrastructure until DHS complies with, quote, all applicable laws, end quote, including environmental considerations. Clara Benson, Director of Communications for No Big Bend Wall and board member of Conserve Big Bend, a group involved in a separate lawsuit with related claims, announced the court's decision. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone granted a preliminary injunction after an evidentiary hearing, finding that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits of their claims. The judge also found it likely that the plaintiffs would, quote, suffer serious, irreparable harm without an injunction,

and that the balance of the equities and the public interest weigh in their favor. Last but not least, a Texas House Agriculture and Livestock Committee hearing on Friday, October 2nd, covered a range of topics affecting the state's agricultural industry, including New World Screwworm, celebrating the success of the state in stifling its spread and warning about a surge of cases in Mexico. The U.S. Department of Agriculture lists 52 cases of this flesh-eating livestock pest in the country since the first confirmation in June, 51 of which were found in Texas. Based on the USDA's Interactive NWS case dashboard and the Texas Animal Health Commission's map of NWS zones, the majority of cases are located in West Texas, in counties including Valverde, Edwards, and Crockett, while a significantly smaller portion is clustered. near Roma in South Texas. During the hearing, the committee heard testimony from various leaders

in the state's agricultural sector, who discussed a few interim charges assigned by Texas House Speaker Dustin Burroughs for lawmakers to study ahead of the 90th legislative session. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure to visit the texan.News to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.