Progress Texas Podcasts

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Special Live Pod: Texas Democratic Convention, Day 1 Jun 27, 2026

Show notes

Progress Texas hosted a whirlwind revolving door of interviews today from the expo hall of the 2026 Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi! Settle in for short and super fun conversations with:

:00 - Bobby Pulido, Democratic Congressional Nominee, CD 15

7:49 - Lesley Briones, Harris County Commissioner

15:50 - Letitia Plummer, Democratic Nominee for Harris County Judge

22:49 - State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, Democratic Nominee for Texas Comptroller

35:08: Alison Campolo, Tarrant County Democratic Party Chair, and Kevin Burge, Democratic Congressional Nominee, CD 24

43:12: Evan Hunt, Democratic Congressional Nominee, CD 3

50:29: J.D. Gins, Fair Shot PAC, Texas AFL/CIO

1:01:49: Rodney Lee, candidate for Tarrant County JP 4

1:06:04: Danny Minton, Democratic Nominee, CD 6

1:11:47: Josh Wallenstein, Democratic Nominee, Texas House District 133

In Progress: Our Corpus Christi Wishlist Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

The team is in Corpus Christi for the 2026 Texas Democratic Convention, and we roll in with high hopes for a terrific event. With the Gulf Coast wind at their sails, Texas Democrats still have a difficult course to navigate - it's going to take brains, and heart, and guts, and unity to get it done.

Progress Texas is very proud to be the official media partner of the Texas Democratic Convention - watch our feeds for all the fun! Learn more about the event at https://www.texasdemocraticconvention.com/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 6/25/26: The Texas Democratic Convention - See Y'all In Corpus! And More Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The Progress Texas crew is headed for the coast as the official media partner of the 2026 Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi: https://www.kut.org/politics/2026-06-25/texas-democrats-statewide-optimism-november

...With a once-in-decades opportunity for statewide Democratic wins, maximum mobilization and a strong unified front are required results from the weekend: https://www.chron.com/politics/article/texas-democrats-mcgee-harrison-22318915.php

...Michelle Davis at Lone Star Left covers the particulars of the Democratic platform: https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/the-2026-tdp-resolutions-headed-to

...Learn more about the convention: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.texasdemocraticconvention.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

...And, we're co-hosting a warmup happy hour tonight, Thursday June 25, at The Goldfish with the Texas Progressive Caucus: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.texasprogressivecaucus.org/2026_convention_happy_hour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Daily Dispatch 6/24/26: Extreme Prairieland Sentences A Dire Threat To Protest Rights, And More Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

New polling reveals a virtual tie between James Talarico and Ken Paxton, more typical leads for other statewide Republican candidates - but a strong lean towards the Democrats among independents: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article316233304.html

Huge, multi-decade sentences have resulted in the trial of a group of protestors who took part in an incident in Alvarado last year - far exceeding any sentences handed out over January 6: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/23/prairieland-ice-protesters-texas-sentenced

...These outsized sentences send a chilling message to leftist protestors: their standard practices and behaviors have now been formally criminalized: https://www.texasobserver.org/prairieland-antifa-verdict-threatens-anti-trump-resistance/

It's going to cost Texas taxpayers $8.4 million to fix and reprint a huge amount of Bluebonnet school materials, which were riddled with factual errors and copyright violations: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/texas-pay-8-4-million-fix-errors-bible-infused-22316957.php

...Meanwhile the overhaul of social studies curriculum being considered this week by the Texas SBOE will severely undermine historical instruction, leaving future adult Texans with lackluster understanding - and thus with a greater propensity for manipulation: https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/why-texas-fight-over-social-studies-standards-has-national-consequences/2026/06

Progress Texas is the official media partner of the 2026 Texas Democraic Convention in Corpus Christi: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.texasdemocraticconvention.com⁠⁠⁠

...And, we're co-hosting a warmup happy hour on Thursday June 25 at The Goldfish with the Texas Progressive Caucus: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.texasprogressivecaucus.org/2026_convention_happy_hour⁠⁠⁠⁠

Daily Dispatch 6/23/26: The Initial Draft Of The Texas Democratic Party Platform, And More Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The initial draft version of the Texas Democratic Party platform - to be debated and modified during this week's convention in Corpus Christi - covers a broad variety of topic areas, providing a launchpad for what promises to be a spirited session. The final version, as of the conclusion of the session, should be posted here: https://www.texasdemocrats.org/platform

A harrowing story from Round Rock shows that Texas women facing problematic pregnancies are still subject to severe health risks due to the reluctance of doctors to treat them under our state's abortion laws: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/22/texas-miscarriage-abortion-ban-hospital-complaint/

No surprise here - FEC filings show that, as suspected, money flowing through "Lead Left PAC" into the campaign of flawed Democratic candidate Maureen Galindo - and others like her across the country - originated with a conservative financial source: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/21/fec-republican-meddling-democratic-primaries-00969281

Progress Texas is the official media partner of the 2026 Texas Democraic Convention in Corpus Christi: ⁠⁠https://www.texasdemocraticconvention.com⁠⁠

...And, we're co-hosting a warmup happy hour on Thursday June 25 at The Goldfish with the Texas Progressive Caucus: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.texasprogressivecaucus.org/2026_convention_happy_hour⁠⁠⁠

Happy Hour 293 - Texas Democratic Convention Preview with Chair Kendall Scudder Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

All of us at Progress Texas are packing gear for this week's Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi, which is promising to be a terrific time amidst a highly encouraging year for progressive folks across Texas! And we're proud to welcome back Chair Kendall Scudder for a quick preview of what to expect. Progress Texas is the official media partner of the convention this year - stay tuned for loads of updates on the proceedings.

Learn more about the 2026 Texas Democratic Convention at https://www.texasdemocraticconvention.com/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 6/22/26: Ken Paxton, Release The Hoffman Files - And More Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is calling on Attorney General and Republican nominee Ken Paxton to release the files regarding the light sentence delivered to admitted child molestor Adam Hoffman: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/18/texas-senate-james-talarico-ken-paxton-sex-abuse-plea-deal/

...Hoffman's attorney also represents Nate Paul, a central figure in Ken Paxton's prior scandals and imbeachment: https://www.kwtx.com/2026/06/18/release-hoffman-files-james-talarico-calls-paxton-release-details-adam-hoffman-plea-deal/

...Our plugged-in audience knows most of this, but here's a fresh review of Ken Paxton's long history of controversies: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/22/texas-ken-paxton-james-talarico-senate-election-scandals/

The Texas State Board of Education faces two votes this week that will elevate Christian doctrine and scale back diverse voices in school curriculum: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/22/texas-ken-paxton-james-talarico-senate-election-scandals/

...A Houston rabbi says the way the religious material is arranged presents a terrible conflation of context which implies to young readers that the Holocaust was a punishment by God of Jewish people: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/texas-schools-bible-curriculum-22311891.php

A unanimous Texas Supreme Court decision wipes away a years-long effort by local environmental groups in South Texas to preserve constitutional access to Boca Chica beach, in favor of allowing SpaceX to shut it down for launches: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/20/texas-spacex-musk-beach-environmentalists

Progress Texas is the official media partner of the 2026 Texas Democraic Convention in Corpus Christi: ⁠https://www.texasdemocraticconvention.com⁠

...And, we're co-hosting a warmup happy hour on Thursday June 25 at The Goldfish with the Texas Progressive Caucus: ⁠⁠https://www.texasprogressivecaucus.org/2026_convention_happy_hour⁠⁠

Special Live Pod: The Environment Is A Crucial Election Platform Jun 21, 2026

Show notes

We enjoyed a live recording session this last Saturday at La Palapa Mexican restaurant in Austin with our friends and supporters the Northeast Travis County Democrats (or NETCo!) for a deep dive on how environmental issues will interface with the upcoming election - in particular, how the impacts of AI data centers threaten our water, farmland, energy and more - and we also introduce to much of the state a potential data center near the Dog's Head stretch of the Colorado River in East Austin. At Progress Texas, we encourage YOU to find and join the local club that serves your neighborhood or the issue area you are most concerned about.

Learn more about the NETCo Dems at https://www.netcodems.com/.

Learn more about the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club at https://www.sierraclub.org/texas.

Learn more about Public Citizen at https://www.citizen.org/tags/texas/.

Learn more about SolarAustin at https://solaraustin.org/.

Learn more about the Save Our Springs Alliance at https://www.sosalliance.org/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

In Progress - The State Party Conventions: A Study In Contrast Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

The Texas Republican Convention in Houston last weekend set brand new standards for regressive, stupid, bigoted and just straight up bad policy ideas. The bar has been set low for the Democrats, who convene next weekend in Corpus Christi - though in all the ways that matter, it's all on the line this year for the Dems. We unpack the GOP event and look forward to the Democratic event - of which Progress Texas is proudly the official media partner!

Learn more about the Texas Democratic Convention at https://www.texasdemocraticconvention.com/.

Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.

Daily Dispatch 6/18/26: Juneteenth's Origin Story, And More Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

Here's hoping you have a chance to recharge for the resistance tomorrow, on Juneteenth - it's important for all of us to understand the history behind the holiday: https://www.history.com/articles/juneteenth-emancipation-proclamation-texas

Local officials in Presidio have sued the Trump adminstration over border construction plans they say will compromise essential flood control infrastructure in their community: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/06/17/texas-border-wall-presidio-county-lawsuit-big-bend/

Senator Ted Cruz is on the guest list of a secret society co-founded by Peter Thiel focusing on "Navigating WWIII", "Battlefield Technologies", and "How's Your Sex Life" - while also providing an elite matchmaking service: https://www.sacurrent.com/news/texas-news/new-report-outs-ted-cruz-as-member-of-peter-thiel-led-secret-society/

Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke at UT Austin recently on his book calling for Republicans to resist Trumpian populism - but couldn't bring himself to recommending against voting for Ken Paxton: https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/pence-says-gop-needs-to-rediscover-its-conscience/

Progress Texas is the official media partner of the 2026 Texas Democraic Convention in Corpus Christi: https://www.texasdemocraticconvention.com

...And, we're co-hosting a warmup happy hour on Thursday June 25 at The Goldfish with the Texas Progressive Caucus: ⁠https://www.texasprogressivecaucus.org/2026_convention_happy_hour⁠

We're hosting a live podcast taping on the environmental issues facing Texas this election year with the Northeast Travis County Democrats on Saturday June 20 at 12 noon at La Palapa in northeast Austin: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1RgQFygbpY/⁠

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