The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - September 15, 2025

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy, folks, today is Monday, September 15th, 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, Congressman Michael McCall will bow out from the congressional scene once he concludes his current 11th term representing his central Texas district. McCall said in a press release on Sunday announcing his forthcoming retirement, quote, It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent the people of Central Texas and to chair the prestigious Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs Committees. McCall's current Congressional District 10 includes College Station, the home of Texas A&M University, neighboring Bryan, and cities such as Brenham and LaGrange. Prior to the recently past GOP favored redistricting map, CD10 was a Republican stronghold with a rating of R-64% per the Texans' Texas Partisan Index. It's now projected as a slightly lower R-62% following the map's changes, shifting the district westwards, drawing down its Huntsville portion, and adding a fraction of Austin.

Starting point is 00:01:17 Next, the Texas Education Agency has received approximately 180 complaints related to its letter sent out last week asking for reports of, quote, reprehensible, end quote, content shared by educators after the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. The Texan has learned that the TEA is already conducting reviews of submissions and that Commissioner Mike Marath will also be recommending to the State Board of Educator Certification that individuals found to be in violation, quote, have their certification suspended and be rendered ineligible to teach in a Texas public school. Marath stated, quote, while all educators are held to a high standard of professionalism, there is a difference between comments made in poor taste and those that call for and incite further violence, the latter of which is clearly unacceptable. In a letter issued to Texas Public School

Starting point is 00:02:15 superintendents last week, the TEA stated it had become aware of comments from educators shared on social media that are, quote, reprehensible and inappropriate, end quote, and that the agency is documenting the incidents so further investigations can be conducted. The, quote, vile content, end quote, will be directed to the educator investigations division of the TEA. And if the educator's posts are found in violation of the educator's code of ethics, it could result in sanctions. In other news, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is encouraging his colleagues on the city council to submit budget amendments that would reduce spending and consequently allow for a reduced tax rate. Johnson wrote in a memorandum to council members, quote, I challenge each of you to propose

Starting point is 00:03:03 budget amendments that cut non-essential spending and direct those savings towards reducing the tax rate. Johnson not only challenged his fellow council members to propose cuts, but offered two himself. The city's next and final budget meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 17th, when any proposed budget amendments would be considered and adopted. The new fiscal year begins on October 1st. Last but not least, on the latest episode of Send Me Some Stuff, reporter Cameron Abrams and I discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk, breaking down the timeline from the shocking video on Wednesday to the subsequent arrest on Friday, as well as how the 26th U.S. Senate race is shaping up in Texas now that State Representative James Tala Rico has stepped in.

Starting point is 00:03:49 Visit the Texan. News or wherever you get podcasts to listen now. 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 - September 15, 2025

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