This Week in Texas: Recent Episodes
Texas Scorecard
Start your week off right and in the know as Jeramy Kitchen delivers a preview of the action in the Texas Legislature.
Conservatives notched a ton of victories on election night with a handful of moderates holding on. We break it all down today.
While at the Texas GOP convention we had the opportunity to sit down with Dan Patrick about all things Texas.
Grassroots candidates are closing with positive messages while the moderates continue with numerous last minute attacks. The Texas GOP is also meeting this week to make some big decisions.
This week Democrats and liberal Republicans completely lost their mind when conservatives called out Dade Phelan for how he acquiesced to Democrats, who fled Texas in an attempt to try to kill election integrity policy.
Today, we sit down with Matt Rinaldi and discuss his 3-year tenure as Texas GOP Chair. We also discuss how the Party has been positively reformed, what we need to do in the future, and how we have become a model for other states.
Moderate candidates are struggling in their debates. Democrats are also running on their own abortions.
Texas Scorecard’s new documentary was just released. We talk about that and overview a bunch of the runoffs going on in Texas.
Some House conservatives are setting the tone for next session early. Also, what questions should you ask candidates for RPT Chair?
Today we have a discussion with Tom Oliverson on why he’s running for speaker and the structural changes he believes should occur to reform the Texas House.
A decade-long political witch hunt concluded this week and Ken Paxton won. Tom Oliverson announced his candidacy for the speaker, and Dade Phelan revealed his plan to indoctrinate all the incoming freshmen.
A liberal Senator is trying to neuter incoming Republican freshmen. Immigration policy is being thwarted by federal courts and a local establishment mayor is giving us a great window into the broken establishment mindset that leads them to backing the wrong candidates.
Dennis Bonnen, Jordan Berry, Dustin Burrows and their whole crew are in crisis mode to save their Democrat coalition in the Texas House.
Today we give you an overall idea of how the primary elections turned out. Texas is moving in the right direction.
First off, I wrote a new song. More on that at the end. Donald Trump has endorsed several more conservative candidates and the Austin swamp is has poured over […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv7ksEMMmrU Speaker Dade Phelan has been caught up in a scandal where records show he is overcharging Texas taxpayers to rent one of his buildings. Also, Donald Trump is […]
Abbott continues to attack incumbents who are now using immigration to defend their Democrat policy positions. Kuempel doesn’t think Democrat chairs are real and Shaheen would vote for Daffy […]
Dade Phelan is in a free fall and his liberal cohort is being attacked across the state. Greg Abbott came out strongly against Democrat chairs, Dan Patrick is communicating Dade’s […]
Donald Trump jumped into his first Texas House race this cycle following polling that shows Dade Phelan under water for re-election. Establishment R’s are working hard to take back […]
Seriously, one liberal Republican challenged Sid Miller to a duel. Lynn Stucky also botched his answer on Ken Paxton at a recent debate. A lot is going on across […]
Chorazin had a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee, but an even better view of history of history in the making. They squandered both.
Today we start the show with a commemoration of Jill Glover’s life. We also answer the question about whether or not State Representatives in Texas voted to raise their own […]
Too often, conservatives cede the selection of the rhetorical battleground to the left. It is why we are losing.
Today we talk about all the movement going on across the state and break down all of the conservative challengers to liberal Republican incumbents.
Austin swamp member, Kelly Hancock, recently publicly criticized Ken Paxton for opposing fellow Austin swamp member, Stephanie Klick. Brian Harrison left the Freedom Caucus after a national media clip […]
People who cower and cringe rarely fight back. The political elite wants us to live lives full of anxiety so that we can be more easily controlled.
Let’s finish off the new year with some impactful year end donations to some great conservative causes.
Today we talk about a few state representatives who continue to fight against conservatives and for the Austin swamp. We also talk about polling that is showing Dade Phelan […]
Stop waiting for a politician to do your job. It is up to us to re-take our government and our culture.
We are now officially in campaign season. The Senate has now removed the last remaining Democrat chair from a committee and we are seeing GOP internal party victories across Texas. […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58qoM42AOqc Governor Greg Abbott is endorsing Mike Olcott. Dan Patrick explains a rule for how the Senate decides what to vote on. Dade Phelan has no list of public supporters. […]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTZfQuock2I&t=1s We have numerous retirements and actions from Abbott and Patrick that are laying the groundwork for next year. We also spent time today reflecting on everything that Conservatives […]
Every generation must shrug the vestiges of socialism if we are truly thankful for liberty.
Last Friday, the Texas House of Representatives killed an effort to bring school choice to Texans. On this week’s Liberty Café, Bill talks about why killing the proposal was actually […]
The field is now set and we know that 21 Republicans are willing to vote with their Democrat partners to protect liberal teacher unions. Now Dade Phelan and his […]
Last week Texans voted to increase state spending by $13.8 billion. This week on the Liberty Cafe, Bill looks at how this will centralize power in Texas government at the […]
Did you know that many are calling the last session the most pro-Muslim session in Texas history? That’s because Dade Phelan empowered Democrats while the Texas Senate shut them down! […]
On Veterans Day, we should thank those who served… and make sure we are building a republic worth serving.
Dade Phelan has broken his deal with Greg Abbott and is getting called out by Dan Patrick. The special session is wrapping up with so much left to do. https://youtu.be/SZVeMusDGXo Transcribed by […]
Feeding an irksome “frenemy” to an alligator in the fray of an internecine fight might feel good, but it ignores that the alligator will next be looking to feed on you.
-The House kills school choice efforts yet again, despite the push by Gov. Greg Abbott -Lawmakers accuse House Speaker Dade Phelan of violating the constitution -600,000 known ‘Gotaways’ reported at […]
One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist or philosopher to understand that some very unhealthy things are going on in our world today. On this week’s Liberty Cafe, Bill […]
https://youtu.be/DOdfdJ21zCw Jeff Leach got trounced by conservatives when they caught him in a lie. Ann Johnson admitted that they constantly give R’s “little wins” to try to keep primary voters […]
The world tells us that the ends justify the means if we make them sound righteous enough.
On November 7, Texans will vote whether to spend $13.8 billion of taxpayer money. On this week’s Liberty Cafe, Bill examines how Texas corporations are doing all they can to […]
Jeff Leach continues to show himself as an entirely unserious lawmaker. Today we break down in detail just how silly he is. We also discuss why it shouldn’t surprise any Texas Republican […]
Self-pity is a bottomless pit when we make our lives about ourselves. INTRO: In this week’s reflection, Michael Quinn Sullivan writes that rather than star as the martyrs in our […]
https://youtu.be/wfJUEK-mQhs With Texas House District 2’s seat now vacant, a special election will be held to fill it on the November ballot. With just over a month to go, […]
Political purity czars are a lonely lot and rarely as pure as they perceive themselves.
Greg Abbott has significantly increased the list of conservative policies being addressed this special session. Today we overview all of those policies and what their passage would mean […]
America watched as church leaders in 2020 put the gathering of the saints on par with the meeting of the Rotary Club.
Texans have an opportunity to cut state spending by up to $13.8 billion on November 7. And Texas politicians can do nothing about it. On this week’s Liberty Cafe, Bill explains how eight constitutional amendments on the ballot provide voters this opportunity.
The Republican Party of Texas has called on Dade Phelan to resign and Nate Schatzline is uniting with conservatives who are all coalescing to demand conservative policy wins for the […]
The Huffines Liberty Foundation is out with a new white paper that estimates Texas has spent well over $50b on educating illegals in the last 10 years. The Republican Party […]
Donald Trump had one of the most successful, conservative administrations in U.S. history. On this week’s Liberty Cafe, Bill will discuss some signs that suggest a second Trump administration may not be as conservative.
The Texas Senate did the right thing. They acquitted Ken Paxton. Not only did they do that, but the entire trial revealed just how much of a sham this impeachment […]
All law is a matter of morality; the only question is if that law is in keeping with, or foreign to, the moral precepts of holy scripture.
Last week, Texas experienced its first electric grid emergency since Winter Storm Uri. On this week’s Liberty Cafe, Bill explains why the emergency would have never occurred on a grid without renewable energy.
Back in may, Andrew Murr, Ann Johnson and the leadership in the Texas House promised that Ken Paxton was a felon. That he was a criminal. They promised that even […]
As a self-governing nation, each of us are supposed to be the leaders. Do we act like it?
On this week's Liberty Cafe, Bill talks with Julie McCarty and Fran Rhodes of the True Texas Project about the first day of Ken Paxton's Senate trial and why the impeachment and trial pose a threat to the liberty of Texans.
If you’re wondering just how frustrated I am with the liberal alliance between Republicans and Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives, then you’ll have to listen to the song […]
Texas politicians had a problem this year: they had more money than they could legally spend. On this week’s Liberty Cafe, Bill explains how the Texas Legislature skirted an important constitutional spending limit without having to explain to anyone what they did.
How does the Bible apply to America today? That can be a controversial topic. On this week’s Liberty Café, Bill examines this question in the context of how we might […]
Today I respond to Jacey Jetton and Stan Kitzman's written defense to my op-Ed and show that criticized their pro-trans vote. I'm also joined by Joe Hyde, the publisher of San Angelo Live, who wrote a criticism of my article and show.
The issues facing our republic are deadly serious, but that doesn’t mean we always have to be.
Many conservatives have cheered recent state and federal antitrust enforcement efforts against Google. On this week's Liberty Cafe, Bill questions whether supporting these efforts is the best way to secure our liberty.
11 Republicans voted for transgender social transitioning to be subsidized while one of those 11 also recently had a town hall meeting where he revealed the bully tactics of team Phelan.
Like Hunter Biden, wealth and political status were intertwined for the rich young man in the often misquoted New Testament story.
Last week, the Public Utility Commission of Texas voted to raise Texas’ electricity tax by $500 million a year. On this week’s Liberty Café, we’ll learn how the PUC and […]
Gov. Greg Abbott’s board of regents are making some very strange and troubling decisions. Transcribed by Otter.Ai News, politics and special guests with a Texas twist. That’s the goal of the […]
Corruption is endemic within Texas government. On this week’s Liberty Cafe, Bill uses Amos 5 to help us understand how Texas government is full of politicians “who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate.”
Jane Nelson and the secretary of state's office is under fire this week from Harris County Judge candidate Alex Mealer and many local Republicans who are furious that the county's election audit is not taking place.
The gooey, saccharine-sweet niceness demanded of us by politicians isn’t found anywhere in the Bible.
Even many atheists understand that Christianity has something that society needs. On this week’s Liberty Cafe, Bill uses Amos 5 to help us understand that what we Christians have that we all need-including when we are evaluating the rulers of our civil governments-is God’s Word.
Establishment forces are coming together. Also, Biden is going to file a lawsuit against Texas, and that is a very good thing.
A Muslim shrine built in the form of a Christian church on the ruins of a pagan temple built on the ruins of a Jewish temple, built on the rock designated by God for a sacrifice.
Is the Bible a valid option for developing and judging the laws and policies of modern American government? On this week’s Liberty Cafe, Bill discusses why using laws and commentary on laws from the original Law Giver in this way is a really good idea.
Phelan is mad that Republicans don’t like him and marxists are worried about the lack of tenure being handed out at Texas A&M.
The Texas Legislature finally agreed on a plan to provide property tax relief to Texans. Don Huffines joins Bill this week to examine the deal and give his thoughts on whether it hurts or helps efforts to eliminate school property taxes entirely.
There is a huge battle going on for the freedoms of Texans to decide whether they have to revive a vaccine, or whether they even get to have a doctor who thinks freely. Today, we interview Michelle Evans with Texans for Vaccine Choice.
What factors do you consider when casting your vote in a general election? Will the Texas Legislature continue to fund people who hate you, who hate Texas, and who are chipping […]
“Be Prepared” is the well-known motto of the Boy Scouts of America. It’s also a pretty good admonition for successful living.
Issues Left Outstanding * Despite the Legislature convening four separate times, many Republican Party of Texas legislative priorities (as well as legislation addressing vaccine mandates) remain undone. * Republican Party of Texas Legislative priorities left unaddressed:
- Protecting children from gender modification
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Abolition of abortion
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Texas Heartbeat Act passed and is now law, but it still allows for abortions up to a certain point.
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Monument protection
- School choice for all
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Ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying
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The issue of prohibiting vaccine mandates also remains addressed, despite the fact that the issue was added to the agenda for the third special legislative session, executive orders issued by TX Gov. Greg Abbott, and judicial action on the issue.
- All of this happened, despite the fact that Republicans control all statewide offices and majorities in the Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives.
Social Media Twitter: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Facebook: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Candidate Filing Deadline * The candidate filing deadline is Monday, December 13, 2021. * Almost all Statewide elected officials have multiple challengers from within their own party. * 5 Senate Races are notable, Senate Districts 10, 11, 24, 27, and 31. * Multiple liberal House Republican lawmakers like State Rep. Travis Clardy (Nacogdoches), State Rep. Kyle Kacal (College Station), and State Rep. Ernest Bailes (Shepherd) all have multiple Republican challengers. * You can find the 3 part series with an exhaustive listing/explanation here:
- Part 1: Statewide Races Taking Shape
- Part 2: Texas Senate Races Taking Shape
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Part 3: Texas House Races Taking Shape
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Unofficial candidate list for Congressional districts, statewide offices, Texas Senate and Texas House of Representatives, and Texas State Board of Education.
Social Media Twitter: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Facebook: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Conservative Leader Award Recipients * The Conservative Leader Awards gala took place on Saturday, December 4 in Irving, Texas. The following activists were honored:
- Ammon Blair, Ashley Brickett, Betty Anderson, Don Dixon, Dorothy Boyett, Hilary Raebler, Joe Murphy, Joy & Terry Putnam, Konner Earnest, Mary Trammel, Michelle Bishop, Rafael Cruz, Sue Evenwel, and Tom Glass.
- Julie McCarty was awarded the Torch of Freedom Award.
Growing List of State Lawmakers Not Seeking Re-election * Republican State Rep. Jeff Cason (Bedford) announced last week he would not be seeking re-election to his House District 92 seat. * Republican State Sen. Larry Taylor (Friendswood) announced last week he would not be seeking re-election to his Senate District 11 seat. * Republican State Rep. Mayes Middleton (Galveston) filed to run for the seat vacated by Sen. Taylor, thereby creating an open seat for House District 23. * There are currently 31 state lawmakers who have announced they are not seeking re-election to their current elected positions.
- This includes 26 House lawmakers, made up of 15 Republicans and 11 Democrats.
- This includes 5 Senate lawmakers, made up of four Republicans and one Democrat.
Filing Deadline Approaches * Several incumbent lawmakers have already received filed/announced primary and general election challengers. * The candidate filing deadline is Monday, December 13 for candidates up and down the ballot. * All current statewide elected officials have multiple primary challengers, with the exception of Republican Comptroller Glenn Hegar. * Hotly contested races in Texas Senate appear to be for Senate Districts 10, 12, 11, 24, and 31. * Liberal Republicans like State Rep. Travis Clardy (Nacogdoches), Kyle Kacal (College Station), and Ernest Bailes (Shepherd) have received multiple primary challengers. * You can find the three-part series with an exhaustive listing/explanation here:
- Part 1: Statewide Races Taking Shape
- Part 2: Texas Senate Races Taking Shape
- Part 3: Texas House Races Taking Shape
More Lawmakers Announce They Are Not Seeking Re-election * Currently, 28 lawmakers are not seeking re-election to their current positions.
- 24 in Texas House of Representatives (13 Republicans and 11 Democrats)
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4 in Texas Senate (3 Republicans and 1 Democrat)
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Freshman Democrat State Rep. Jasmine Crockett (Dallas) announced she will be running for Texas Congressional District 30 to fill the seat being vacated by longtime Democrat Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson.
- Republican State Rep. Matt Krause (Haslet) announced he was suspending his campaign for Texas attorney general. Instead, he is running for Tarrant County district attorney.
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Longtime East Texas Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert made his candidacy for Texas attorney general official last week, joining the already crowded Republican field of those challenging Republican incumbent Ken Paxton.
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Notably, Republican State Sen. Bryan Hughes (Mineola) and Republican State Rep. Matt Schaefer (Tyler) have already announced re-election intentions for their current positions.
List of Lawmakers Supporting a Fourth Special Legislative Session Continues to Grow * Thus far, 24 Texas House and Texas Senate Republican lawmakers have publicly voiced support for a fourth special legislative session to address a prohibition on employer vaccine mandates.
Social Media Twitter: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Facebook: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Prohibition on Employer Vaccine Mandates * The list of Republican lawmakers calling for a fourth special legislative session is slowly growing. It now includes 21 Republican state senators and state representatives. * The Republican Party of Texas has routinely called for a fourth special legislative session to address the issue of prohibiting employer vaccine mandates, among other issues left on the table from previous legislative sessions. * Republican leadership in the state has ignored the issue so far. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order issued in October has routinely been ignored by companies across the state. * The list of other states addressing this issue continues to grow. It now includes Florida, Iowa, Tennessee, Utah, and Ohio, which have all recently passed legislation with varying approaches.
Social Media Twitter: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Facebook: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Candidate Filing Period Begins * Saturday kicked off the candidate filing period for candidates hoping to seek election in 2022. * The filing period will last until Monday, December 13, 2021. * Unofficial list of currently announced/filed candidates for U.S. Congress, statewide office, and the Texas Legislature.
Guillen Switches Party Affiliation * Monday, State Rep. Ryan Guillen (D–Rio Grande City) announced he will be switching party affiliations from Democrat to Republican, making him the 85th Republican in the Texas House of Representatives. * Guillen was first elected in 2002 and has recently voted as one of the most conservative lawmakers among his now-former Democrat colleagues. * He recently voted in favor of the Texas Heartbeat Act and constitutional carry in the 87th regular legislative session earlier this year. * It is likely, however, that this move is more about personal preservation than personal politics. The new district boundaries for Guillen's district are much more favorable to a would-be Republican candidate.
List Grows for Non-Returning Lawmakers * Currently, 23 lawmakers have announced they will not be seeking re-election to their current positions. + 19 from Texas House of Representatives + 4 from Texas Senate * Republican State Rep. John Cyrier (Lockhart) announced last week he would not seek re-election to Texas House District 17. He was first elected in 2015. * Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert announced he was "exploring" a run for Texas attorney general. If so, reports have indicated that Republican State Rep. Matt Schaefer (Tyler) will likely run, opening up yet another House seat.
Social Media Twitter: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Facebook: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Grassroots Organizations File Suit * Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF), Grassroots America – We The People (GAWTP), and the True Texas Project (TTP) filed a lawsuit against the Texas Secretary of State regarding the language used for the recently passed Proposition 2 on the November 2, 2021, ballot.
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They allege that the language was substantially misleading due to the removal of the phrase “ad valorem tax increases.”
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Proposition 2 passed 63 percent to 37 percent.
5th Circuit Stays Vaccine Mandate Order * The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily put a stay on the Biden administration’s COVID-19 employer vaccine mandate being implemented via a rule by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which requires employers with 100 or more employees to require they receive the COVID-19 vaccination or implement weekly testing. * The court cited “grave statutory and constitutional issues” with the mandate.
List Grows for Non-returning Lawmakers * Currently, 21 lawmakers have announced they will not be seeking re-election to their current positions.
- 17 from Texas House of Representatives
- 4 from Texas Senate
Social Media Twitter: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Facebook: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Texas Heartbeat Act * The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in the two legal cases filed against the Texas Heartbeat Act. * One legal case is brought by the federal government. * The other case is brought by abortion providers. * It's likely a ruling will not be immediate in the case. * The third called special legislative session concluded with a few things left undone. One of those things includes prohibiting employer vaccine mandates.
Constitutional Amendments * Election day is Tuesday, November 2, for eight ballot propositions to amend the Texas Constitution. * Most controversial propositions seems to be Proposition 2. * Texas GOP came out in opposition to the ballot proposition.
Non-Returning Lawmakers List Grows * Currently, 18 lawmakers have announced they will not be seeking re-election to their current positions. * Fifteen of these lawmakers are from the Texas House of Representatives. * Three of these lawmakers are from the Texas Senate.
Social Media Twitter: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK
Facebook: * @TexasScorecard * @OpinionatedK