The head of the Texas Democratic Party has resigned following controversial comments about transgender rights and the issue’s role in elections. Lauren McGaughy of the Texas Newsroom joins us with the latest. He’s Texas’ senior senator for now, but could he soon be known as Senate Majority Leader John Cornyn? We’ll hear more, as well as a who’s who…

Even though the words “Remember the Alamo” are available on t-shirts, bumper-stickers, and kitchen kitsch, the Alamo wasn’t always remembered with the reverence it is today. For a long time, the Alamo was used mostly as a warehouse. Even the church, which people rather universally think of as the Alamo, was used as an army depot for decades. Texas …

The words “historic election” have been far overused, but they’re worth considering when examining results out of Starr County. A look at a political shift in South Texas. Texas’ oil and gas regulators requested an emergency influx of $100 million dollars in state money to address oil well blowouts and contamination. What’s happening in the oilfiel…

A historic election cycle ends with significant gains for the GOP statewide. What do the results add up to for the future of Texas? A closer look at the U.S. Senate race in Texas and a wider re-election victory for incumbent Ted Cruz, compared with 2018. The largest school bond proposal in Texas history was rejected in Houston, seen by many as a re…

lection Day 2024 has arrived, and we’re checking in with reporters across the state as Texans cast their ballots. Plus, what to keep a close eye on tonight after the polls close. A new survey predicts Dallas-Fort Worth is poised to become the hottest real estate market in the country in 2025. What it means for the people living there. A new book, “…

We’ll have the latest details the 400-acre Hudson Fire in Bastrop County, which has prompted the voluntary evacuation of about 65 homes. On this day before elections, what we’re hearing about early turnout numbers. Twenty-six states, including California, have citizen-led ballot initiatives – but Texas doesn’t. The Standard’s Sarah Asch brings us t…

Hanif Abdurraqib’s latest book centers the sport, but from there spins meditations on mortality and “making it.” The full transcript of this episode of Texas Standard is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps. The post Texas Extra: ‘There’s Always This Year’ goes be…

It’s possible the most closely watched statewide race in Texas this election cycle could also be the closest once the ballots are counted. How Ted Cruz and Colin Allred are making a final push in the days before Nov. 5. In San Antonio, plans to demolish a building once part of a World’s Fair might be put on hold because of its history. Jack Morgan …

Reporters have now identified a Texas woman experts say died because of the state’s restrictive abortion ban. As early voting continues across Texas, we’ll check in with some LGBTQ+ voters about what’s on their minds as they head to the polls. Also, some of the people removed in Gov. Greg Abbott’s voter roll purges were eligible voters. Apple’s lat…

A new public TV documentary titled “Our Texas, Our Vote” delves into the diversity of Latino voters’ perspectives and priorities. For over 18 months, the nuns of an Arlington monastery have clashed with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth. Now, a Vatican-appointed overseer has dismissed the sisters from their duties. A Houston ISD basketball c…

Why Texas billionaires are spending big on judicial races with flashy political ads. Some religious leaders touch on political issues – but how does this align with U.S. tax rules and the separation of church and state? A new book from political science professor John Domino explores the history of privacy laws in Texas and what they mean today. Te…

The story of the TFWU is one of epic strikes and marches, but also one that occasionally brushes up against controversy. But what this documentary ultimately aims to do is simply share a story few Texans know from history. The full transcript of this episode of Texas Standard is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also ava…

With early voting underway, reporters in Ted Cruz’s homebase of Houston and Colin Allred’s congressional seat in Dallas asked voters what they think of the candidates and what issues matter to them the most. More than six months after the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed avian flu cases in dairy cows in Texas, experts are still trying to de…

With less than two weeks until Election Day, presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are both making high-profile stops in Texas today. A nonprofit is helping Black farmers in Texas build a home-grown community. Filmmakers share the story behind “Subtopia,” a new Texas-based mockumentary about HOA drama. And: Remembering Sister Angel…

Areas around Austin, San Antonio and North Texas set records for the first day of early voting this week. But the story was different in El Paso. A Democrat won a state House seat in Collin County last election cycle – but Republicans think they can flip it back. What it means that decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana possession is on the bal…

Why an arrangement to care for an aging millionaire is raising questions about a Texas Supreme Court Justice and state ethics rules. More and more college-age students are steering clear of campus life and turning to “microcredentials” as a path to employment. We’re talking with Nico Lang, author of “American Teenager,” a new book on growing up LGB…

It’s a state power struggle with life-and-death consequences: The latest on the Robert Roberson death penalty case. The biggest statewide race on the ballot is the U.S. Senate race between Ted Cruz and Colin Allred. Today: A profile of Allred, a Democrat who has mounted a massive effort to unseat the incumbent Republican senator. How the school vou…

As early voting gets underway in Texas, here’s what you need to know as you prepare to cast your ballot. The biggest contest on the ballot, after the presidency, is the U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred. We’ll be profiling them both on the Standard, starting today with Cruz.…

After a series of extraordinary moves, the Texas Supreme Court issued a stay of execution for Robert Roberson, convicted in the 2002 shaking death of his child. He’s been subpoenaed to testify before a House committee next week. We’ll hear from Republican state Rep. Brian Harrison, who was instrumental in the last-minute temporary reprieve. Why is …

The execution of Robert Roberson, scheduled for tonight, has been subject to appeal upon appeal. Now, a surprise subpoena from a House subcommittee has left his fate uncertain. Why a commissioners court race could be an indicator of future politics in Tarrant County. Persistent dry weather means wildfire risk is high – and the governor has declared…

Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, sparred in their only debate last night. We’re taking a look at some of the highlights and takeaways. Our exploration of the intersection of religion and politics in Texas takes us to a Black church outside Sulphur Springs. Why part of the story in the fight for Te…

Tonight, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Democratic challenger Colin Allred face off in their one and only debate. We’ll have a preview of what to expect. A new tool gives Texas high school students a look at universities that will accept them before they fill out an application. In the next part of our series on the history of the Texas Farm Workers …

Over a span of 13 years, federal Judge Janis Jack repeatedly demanded that state officials do more to fix Texas’ troubled foster care system. Now, she’s been ordered off the case. As Election Day nears, political polls are everywhere. Many are done by phone. But with so many people ignoring calls labeled “political survey,” who’s actually participa…

With immigration a major issue in presidential politics, the Fifth Circuit takes up Texas’ challenge to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. North Texas car dealerships accused of racially discriminatory practices are now suing the Federal Trade Commission, saying their interference is unconstitutional. A new study finds Black and La…

Sometimes things happen in the world that just seem too coincidental to be coincidental. We have lots of words to describe these moments — luck, serendipity, maybe fate or destiny, perhaps a miracle? Texas Standard Commentator WF Strong remembers one of these moments he just can’t explain. The full transcript of this episode of Stories from Texas i…