The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - October 8, 2026

Episode Date: October 8, 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 Thursday, October 8th, 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, a new poll suggests Fort Bend County voters are returning in droves to the Democratic Party this year, as State Representative James Talariko leads Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton by 18 percentage points in the race for U.S. Senate, Other Republicans trail significantly in the state's most diverse county. The survey of 1,200 likely voters was conducted between September 9th and October 2nd by pollsters Mark Jones and Michael Adams for the Barbara Jordan School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University and carries a margin of error of 2.83%.

Over half of respondents, 56% said they would vote for Tala Rico, 38% for Paxton, 2% for libertarian candidate Ted Brown, and just 4% were undecided. Governor Greg Abbott also trailed his Democratic Challenger, State Representative Gina Hinojosa, among Fort Bend County voters by 11 percentage points, with just 3% unsure. State Representative John Rosenthal led Republican candidate Beau French in the race for Texas Railroad Commission by 15 percentage points, while 3% planned to vote for libertarian Arthur DiBianka and 12% were unsure. Next, Rosenthal, the Democratic nominee for the Railroad Commission, outraised French in the last three months after trailing him throughout the first half of the year. Rosenthal raised $487,000 in the last reporting period, which runs from July 1st through September 24th, according to his filing, according to his Frieson.

French raised $440,000 in the same period, according to his filing. Rosenthal reported $378,000 in cash on hand, officially known as contributions maintained in his most recent filing. French still has a better stocked war chest with $530,000 in cash on hand. While the fundraising margin between the two candidates is narrow, it abends the strong lead French maintained through the summer. In other news, Wednesday marked the deadline for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to provide a court-ordered update on its promised review. of the chemical abortion drug Mifapristone, an assessment upon which a separate Texas lawsuit against the federal agency hinges. Mifapristone, one of two drugs used in chemical abortions alongside misoprostol, remains approved by the FDA for dispensation without an in-person

prescription requirement, allowing for online sale and shipping, although it is currently banned from being sold in Texas. After President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign promised to conduct a thorough review of the drug and the agency's protocols surrounding its sale, it has remained a point of contention between his administration and his pro-life base. Also, a coalition of Dallas residents has launched a petition drive seeking to put a proposed amendment to the Dallas City Charter on the May 2027 ballot that would preserve the current Dallas City Hall as the seat of city government. The group filed the notice of intent to circulate the petition with the Dallas City Secretary's office on October 2nd, and immediately began gathering signatures.

Present and former government officials, including State Representative John Bryant, Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia, and former city council members were among the first to sign the petition. Current city council members Paul Ridley, Paula Blackmun, Adam Basaldua, and Kara Mendelssohn are supporting

the Save Dallas City Hall Coalition's petition. The referendum would be an amendment to the Dallas City Charter to name the current building as the seat of city government unless and until voters decide otherwise. Last but not least, the Texas General Land Office announced a new partnership on Wednesday with Texas A&M University and the Texas Farm Bureau. According to a press release shared exclusively with the Texan, the initiative aims to develop opportunities for the next generation of Texas farmers and ranchers. The initiative would create a

working group of experts to provide hands-on training and, quote, work together and continue to explore more ways in which the GLO can provide access to state land to producers while generating revenue for the permanent school fund, end quote, according to the press release. Land Commissioner Don Buckingham said in a statement included in the release, quote, food security is national security, and that security starts with making sure we have the people and the land needed to produce the food our families depend on. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure to visit the Texan. News to get full access to all of our articles,

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