Good morning,

This is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, October 16, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Allred Forced to Debate Himself by Cruz 

• For the first and only time before the election, Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democrat rival, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, met to debate on Tuesday night. Brandon Waltens reports the topics ranged from abortion policy to the border crisis.
       

• One of the biggest issues playing out in the campaign in recent days has been Allred’s flip-flop on allowing boys to compete against girls in sports.
       

• The potency of the issue, which has been the target of Cruz’s campaign ads, is evidenced by Allred's campaign being forced to respond with its own TV ad. In the TV spot, Allred paints himself as a champion of girls' sports—in contradiction to his previous record of voting against legislation protecting girls' sports.
         

• Pressed repeatedly to clarify his position on the issue, Allred first described Cruz's accusation as “ridiculous” before apparently reverting to his previous position. “What I think is that folks should not be discriminated against.”
       

• Early voting starts on Monday, Oct. 21. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Migrant Caravans Leaving Southern Mexico Headed North for Border

• Valerie Muñoz reports thousands of migrants are leaving Tapachula, a city in southeast Mexico, and are believed to be headed to the U.S. border.
       
• Todd Bensman, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, said the caravans' movement comes despite an alleged Biden-Harris pact with Mexico that has prohibited the migrants from traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border.
       
• Back in January, Bensman suggested the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to significantly cut border crossings were likely done to help the Biden presidential re-election campaign. Although Kamala Harris took Biden’s place on the Democrat ticket, the pact was believed to still be in place.
      
• Under Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, that deal appears near its end. This means the number of illegal border crossings could spike again.
        
• "I suspect that they’re probably leaving Tapachula and heading to the border now because they feel like if Trump wins, they’re gonna close the gates up there at the U.S." – Todd Bensman

Water Fight: Eminent Domain Plan for Reservoir Draws Opposition

• A proposed reservoir engulfing nearly 70,000 acres of land in East Texas would provide drinking water for about 3 million people. The project is drawing opposition from people who say it would oust area families, kill wildlife, and crush the area’s timber industry. Addie Hovland reports the water would be used to meet needs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. 

       
• Besides taking land for the reservoir itself, WFAA has reported that an additional 130,000 acres would need to be acquired by eminent domain to offset the environmental impact.
      
• For water planning purposes, the state is divided into 16 regions. While the region covering DFW supports the reservoir's construction, the region covering East Texas opposes it. If the two regions cannot resolve their differences, the Texas Water Development Board will be required to make a decision about the project.
      
• The cost of constructing the reservoir is estimated to be $7 billion.

Democrat Sheriff Accused of Accepting Pay-to Play Donation

• A half-million dollar contract recently issued by Williamson County with Family Hospital Management Company has watchdogs calling foul. Adam Cahn reports that county officials awarded the contract just days after Democrat Sheriff Mike Gleason received a $20,000 campaign donation from the company's founder and CEO.
      
• Gleason recommended the contract to the county commissioners for "Jail Inmate Psychological Services."
      
• Gleason is being challenged in the 2024 General Election by Republican Matthew Lindeman, a retired Texas Ranger. Gleason did not respond to requests for comment.
       
• The Williamson County Republican Party criticized the timing of the donation and contract. Chairwoman Michelle Evans described Gleason as "awarding lucrative contracts to his donors."

Texas GOP Endorses Conservatives in Key Local Races

• As Texans prepare to vote in the upcoming November election, the Republican Party of Texas is again endorsing conservative candidates running in critical local races across the state. Erin Anderson has the details.
      
• While ostensibly "non-partisan" races, the Texas GOP has worked with county parties to help elect conservatives in down-ballot races for several cycles.
     
• In addition to city council and school board candidates, the party is also backing contenders for positions in county hospital and emergency services districts and even a regional water authority.

Nearly 50 Principals Left Fort Worth ISD During the 2023-2024 School Year

• During the last school year, 49 principals and assistant principals across 41 campuses in the Fort Worth Independent School District left their jobs, with 21 retiring and 28 resigning. As Emily Medeiros reports, the departures occurred during the term of the disgraced outgoing superintendent, Angélica Ramsey.
        
• FWISD trustees allowed Ramsey to resign earlier this month and agreed to pay her a half-million dollars through the end of August 2024.
       
• Residents and teachers had accused Ramsey of creating a toxic environment and failing Fort Worth students. 

Quote-Unquote

"The market is a more powerful and more reliable liberating force than government can ever be."

– Margaret Thatcher​

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