Rubio Insists U.S. Authored the Ukraine Peace Plan www.nytimes.com/2025/11/23/u...

A new Second Reading podcast looks at the latest legal turn in Texas redistricting and widespread speculation about the state of Donald Trump's coalition. youtu.be/7LTcYpaDJ2c?...

Texas views from June '25 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: In the conflict btw Russia & Ukraine, who do yu sympathize with more? Rs: Ukraine 41%, Russia 5%, neither 49%, not sure 4% Ds: Ukraine 81%, Russia 1%, neither 13%, not sure 6% Ind: 56%/3%/37%/4% More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...

"Texas economy cools as concerns about tariff, uncertainty persist," via the Dallas Federal Reserve, based on Texas Business Outlook Survey www.dallasfed.org/research/swe... Echoes UT/Texas Politics Project polls this year. Examples below, more data here: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...

Breaking character: I am open to the idea the media's coverage of Biden's age and mental acuity was fair or perhaps not even tough enough. But the fact that it was so much tougher than the coverage of Trump's (more severe) mental decline is damning and I can't see how anyone could argue otherwise.

You think correctly.

Result from the Oct 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll – responses to ""How secure do you think the right to freedom of speech is in America today?" 22% said "completely" (7%) or "very secure," while 32% said "somewhat" & *41%* said "not at all secure." texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/security...

Texas concern about the stock market in the October 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/concern-...

Texas National Guard deployment cost nearly $5 million, report says, via Nicole Cobler for @axios.com axios.com/local/austin... #txlege A little drill down into UT/Texas Politics Project polling linked in post: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/do-you-s... 👇🏽

Texas views of Saudi Arabia, via Dec 2024 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/saudi-ar... #txlege

Via Rick Hasen: Judge Jerry Smith Issues His 104-Page Dissent to Yesterday’s 3-Judge District Court Holding that Texas’s Re-Redistricting is Likely an Unconstitutional Racial Gerrymander. electionlawblog.org?p=153106

Again. www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

Texas assessments of Gov. Greg Abbott's handling of congressional redistricting efforts, from the August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/approval... #txlege #tx2026

Some looks at Texas public opinion on AG & US Senate aspirant Ken Paxton is handling "the effort to redraw Texas' congressional district lines ahead of the 2026 election," via August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project poll. More tabs/graphics: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/approval...

Different looks at Texas approval of how Donald Trump is handling redistricting, via October 2025 UT/@TxPolProject Poll: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/donald-t... #txlege #Tx2025

Looking back to August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: Importance of the #Txlege revising congressional districts in Texas during the special session. Much more on Texas public opinion & redistricting: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear... #tx2026

Texas approval of how Donald Trump is handling climate change, via UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. Different looks in graphics, graphics for other subgroups here: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/donald-t... #txlege #Tx2026

Ted Cruz sets stage for 2028 run with Tucker jabs via @axios.com. www.axios.com/2025/11/17/t... Below: trend in Cruz job approval in Texas, overall & by PID. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ted-cruz... #tx2028 #Txlege

New Second Reading pod: Josh Blank & I look at Gov. Abbott’s (formal) campaign kickoff open.spotify.com/episode/5Adr...

Texas A&M Tightens Rules on Talking About Race and Gender in Classes www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...

A look at the most recent UT/Texas Politics Project poll, and how poll data can be integrated in teaching Texas government using the webtext produced by the Texas Politics Project in conjunction with Soomo Learning. vimeo.com/1135482596?&...

Re: Trump endorsement of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott - looks at job approval for each in Texas via October UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear... #txlege #tx2026

“The pushback on the Plains…” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/u...

Another vivid detainment story from Texas via Michael Hall. www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...

New Second Reading Pod: Joshua Blank Daron Shaw, and I talk over what the just-released August UT/Texas Politics Project poll tells us abt the 2026 elections in Texas. We focused mostly on the U.S. Senate race, but also hit the economy, Trump numbers, & more. Check it out: youtu.be/ODBhASVIURw?...

Graphics for Texas favorability ratings of John Cornyn & Ken Paxton broken down by intensity of conservatism and Republican identification via October UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/john-cor... & texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ken-paxt... #txlege #tx2026

New UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: 43% say their family's economic situation is worse than a year ago, 34% are better off, 35% the same; 61% say the shutdown is bad for the state (but partisans tend to approve of how *their* leaders are handling it.) More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/blog/with-20...

We'll release new UT/Texas Politics Project polling tomorrow (Wednesday, 10/29) at noon Central Time. Check here tomorrow: texaspolitics.utexas.edu Preview 👇🏽 #txlege

The Peril of a White House That Flaunts Its Indifference to the Law www.nytimes.com/2025/10/24/u...

New Second Reading Podcast: I talk w/ comparative constitutions scholar Zach Elkins abt what current challenges to norms & practices around the separation of powers and checks & balances tells us about the stress on the the constitutional system in the U.S. youtu.be/nOJyF00JLFM?...

Zachary Elkins' (@utaustin.bsky.social) research focuses on issues of democracy; constitutional reform; research methods; and national identity; with an emphasis on cases in Latin America. 🔗 Connect with Elkins: scholars.org/scholar/zach...

How FEMA Is Forcing Disaster-Struck Towns to Fend for Themselves www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/c...

New Second Reading pod: Joshua Blank & I look at the Tx context of the deployment of Texas National Guard troops to IL, and revisit TX attitudes around state response to Jade Helm 15 in 2015. Pod & graphics at the Texas Politics Project site: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/blog/second-... #txlege

Different looks at new entrant in GOP primary for U.S. Senate in Texas Wesley Hunt's favorability ratings (and name recognition) in Texas via August 2025 UT/@TxPolProject Poll. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/wesley-h... #txlege #tx2026 #TxSen2026

New Second Reading Podcast: Joshua Blank & I look at the Texas public opinion context of the shutdown, including attitudes about the national debt, federal deficit, & healthcare. Via YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, & the Texas Politics Project website. www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDF7...

Trend in Texas job approval of the U.S. Congress, overall & by party identification, from our Texas Politics Project poll data archive. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/us-congr... #govtshutdown2025

New Second Reading pod: Joshua Blank & I talk abt the intersection of economic concerns & Trump ratings in Texas + public polling strategies early in the election cycle. On Spotify Apple Podcasts, YouTube & the Texas Politics Project website: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/blog/second-... #tx2026 #txlege

New Second Reading podcast,: Joshua Blank & I look at the arc of views of Trump in Texas & how his numbers intersect persistent economic concerns among TX voters. And: we consider different approaches to (very) early polling in the 2026 U.S. Senate race. On YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGGY...

Americans don't think college is worth it. It is. Via Emily Peck for @axios.com www.axios.com/newsletters/... #axiosam

New Second Reading podcast: Joshua Blank & I look at Texas Politics Project polling on redistricting, marijuana, property taxes, & other priorities in the special #txlege sessions, as well as Tx job approvals. Plus: some data on Texans’ view of political violence. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-yM...

President’s approval rating in Texas. From @jhenson.bsky.social and UT/Texas Politics Project. #txlege

New UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: Texas redistricting: 34% approve/41% disapprove Donald Trump job approval: 43% approve/50% disapprove James Talarico fav/unfav among Tx Dem: 31%/9% TX direction: 38% right direction/53% wrong track Much more: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/blog/texas-v... [fixed link]

Moderated a panel on the #Txlege yesterday w/ Gromer Jeffers, Brad Johnson, Harvey Kronberg & Mark Jones for the Professional Advocacy Association of Texas, who let us use it for a Second Reading podcast. Plus: a preview of new Texas Politics Project polling. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/blog/second-...

Do you think vaccines are safe? Texas responses from Dec. 2024 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/general-... Entirely/mostly safe: All 70%; D 86%; R 58%; I 63% Entirely/mostly unsafe: All 12%; D 3%; R 19%; I12% Neither/DK: D 11%; R 23%; I 25% #txlege

.@AlanGreenblatt lands an interview with @GregAbbott_TX for @GOVERNING www.governing.com/politics/how... #txlege

Texas support for giving individuals additional rights to sue people or entities that helped someone obtain abortion pills in violation of state law (April '25 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll) R: 40% support/37% oppose D: 15% / 75% I: 22%/56% More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/support-... #txlege

Texas approval of how state leaders & the #txlege have handled #abortion policy, by age More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/approval...

Texas approval of how state leaders & the #txlege have handled #abortion policy, among men & women Men: 33% approve / 39% disapproves / 28% neither/dk Women: 23% approve / 51% disapprove / 25% neither/dk More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/approval...

New Second Reading podcast: @TexasTribune co-founder @rossramsey joins me & Joshua Blank to mull the sense of changes in practices & politics at the #txlege that pervades the Texas Capitol. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/blog/second-...