Y'all-itics

In the April 5 episode, state Rep. Carl Tepper, R-Lubbock, says annexing part of New Mexico is no joke. He explains what it might take to get it done. Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne on the House Republicans rare pushback against the President, the Senate and Speaker Johnson, plus Dallas Council Member Paul Ridley on whether he still has confidence in the city manager after new revelations on the future of the iconic city hall building.

NASA’s Artemis II mission is a go. And four astronauts will soon travel farther from Earth and closer to the Moon than any human in more than 50 years. The mission will be full of “firsts” and “farthests” in an effort to get humans ready to once again step foot on the lunar surface and eventually travel to Mars. In this early release episode of Y’all-itics, retired, and highly decorated, NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy explains why it matters, what it means when the astronauts wave across the ditch, and how in the world they take a toilet break among four people inside a studio apartment traveling at speeds up to 25,000 mph. GUEST Chris Cassidy, Retired NASA Astronaut

The deadline to drop out of the runoff has come and gone, so Republican voters in Texas will have a Cornyn vs. Paxton ballot in the May 26 Primary runoff election. And just like the gladiatorial combat made famous in the Mad Max series - - this political grudge match has already been vicious and unrelenting. In this episode of Y’all-itics, our political experts tell the Jasons this is only the beginning, and it will get nastier. Meantime, by the fall, the U.S. Senate race could become a $200 million campaign, a spending level never reached before. GUESTS Vinny Minchillo, GOP Consultant/Glass House Strategy Andrea Coker, North Texas Commission Chief Advocacy Officer

In the March 29 episode, U.S. Representative Craig Goldman explains why he’s not opposed to the war in Iran and whether he’d support boots on the ground. State Representative Ramón Romero Jr. tells us why he supports the new FWISD Superintendent installed by the state and why he’s okay with Texas removing the name Cesar Chavez. And former DISD Board President Miguel Solis discusses the district’s proposed $6.2 billion bond, which would be the largest in state history.

China has become, by far, the epicenter of new mega battery storage projects for its electric grid. But after that, the most compelling ramp up of battery power is happening in Texas, says Michael Thomas. He’s the founder of Cleanview.co, a site that tracks an expansive constellation of new and planned battery farms that harvest power when electricity is abundant and feeds that juice back into the Texas grid when supply is short. He joined the Jasons from his Colorado base to explain how batteries are making Texas electricity more reliable and cheaper…and why much more of it will be needed here. Guest: Michael Thomas, Founder and CEO Cleanview

00:00 Sarah Eckhardt’s Path to Texas Comptroller 00:28 Tarrant County Legislative Race: Arman Mazani vs Kate Brennan 00:56 May Runoff Election Explained + Key Voting Rules 01:52 Sarah Eckhardt Interview: Why She Wants to Be Comptroller 02:57 Managing School Vouchers & Public School Concerns 03:34 Debate Over State Audits and Government Oversight 04:40 Can Democrats Flip the Texas Comptroller’s Office? 07:37 School Voucher Applications & Who Benefits 09:40 Arman Mazani on Winning the Republican Primary 11:11 Religion, Values, and Representing Diverse Voters 13:19 Kate Brennan’s Strategy to Win a Deep Red District 16:55 Cornyn vs Paxton Runoff & The Battle for Republican Voters

00:00 – Inside Texas’ Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) 01:05 – How PEP Is Changing Lives Behind Bars 02:20 – Meet Michael Etcheson: From Prison to Leadership 03:45 – Why Texas Supports This Unusual Prison Program 05:10 – Sharing Life Dreams in a “Tough on Crime” State 06:40 – What Makes the Prison Entrepreneurship Program Elite 08:05 – Business Skills and Leadership Training in Prison 09:30 – 100% Job Placement After Release: How It Works 10:55 – Why PEP Graduates Are Less Likely to Reoffend 12:20 – The Support System Waiting After Prison 13:40 – Bipartisan Support and Interest From Other States 15:00 – The Future Expansion of PEP Across Texas

00:00 Show Preview: Dallas City Hall Fight, TX-33 Runoff, Corpus Christi Water Crisis 01:01 Show Open – Inside Texas Politics 01:06 Headlines: Corpus Christi Water Shortage & Possible State Takeover 01:30 Wise County Pushes Back on Texas Data Centers 01:56 Republicans Target Democrat James Talarico 02:21 TX-33 Democratic Runoff: Colin Allred vs Julie Johnson 02:49 Colin Allred on Criticism of Political Opportunism 05:37 Allred on Senate Race, Service, and James Talarico 06:36 Julie Johnson on Trailing Allred in the Primary 07:50 Johnson on Key Differences Between Her and Allred 09:15 Debate Over DHS Funding and ICE Policy 10:22 Roundtable: Could the TX-33 Runoff Be Close? 11:16 Gas Prices, Iran Strikes, and Political Fallout 13:16 Dallas City Hall Controversy & Possible NBA Arena Site 13:42 Dallas Councilman Maxie Johnson on Future of City Hall 18:11 Roundtable: Texas Water Crisis and Data Center Growth

00:00 – Cold Open: “Je ne sais quoi” debate 00:31 – Texas Primary Election: Biggest Surprises 01:27 – Chris Turner’s Upset Loss Explained 02:16 – Who Is Junior Ezeonu? The 26-Year-Old Rising Star 03:39 – A New Generation in Texas Politics 05:13 – Junior Ezeonu Interview: Why He Challenged Chris Turner 07:08 – How Canvassing Won the Race 10:04 – Policy Priorities: Schools, Housing & Small Business 11:03 – Is 26 Too Young for the Legislature? 17:47 – Chris Turner Reacts to the Election Results