View this post on the web at [link removed]
MustReadTexas.com [ [link removed] ] – @MustReadTexas [ [link removed] ]
BY: @MattMackowiak [ [link removed] ]
Subscribe to the daily email here [ [link removed] ]
TUESDAY || 11/5/24 - WEDNESDAY || 11/6/24
Good Wednesday evening.
Thank you for reading as a FREE subscriber.
» Become a PAID subscriber here [ [link removed] ] for $7/mo or $70/yr so you can SAVE TIME and be BETTER INFORMED.
“If something of importance is known in Texas, Matt knows it. With a decline in the number of credible news organizations, the Must Read Texas morning email is indispensable for anyone that wants to continue to be informed.” – Former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX)
AUSTIN NEWSLETTER LAUNCHED
Are you one of the 100,000+ subscribers to ATX Pulse [ [link removed] ], a newsletter that delivers EVERYTHING you NEED TO KNOW about Austin?
Subscriptions are $5/mo, $50/yr or $199/lifetime here: ATXpulsepremium.com [ [link removed] ].
» Read this morning's (free) edition here [ [link removed] ].
>> SUBSCRIBE HERE: ATXpulsepremium.com [ [link removed] ]. ($5/mo or $50/yr or $199 lifetime)
PLEASE NOTE: You are receiving the PAID subscriber version of the Must Read Texas email FOR TODAY ONLY, so you can see what you are missing as a FREE subscriber.
» Become a PAID subscriber for $7/mo or $7o/yr here [ [link removed] ].
TOP NEWS
“U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz defeats Democrat Colin Allred,” Texas Tribune's Matthew Choi and Jasper Scherer — “U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz easily defeated U.S. Rep. Colin Allred on Tuesday, defying another spirited and well-funded effort to turn Texas blue and preserving his status as a leading conservative voice in American politics.
"The results tonight, this decisive victory, should shake the Democrat establishment to its core," he said in a speech to supporters at his campaign watch party in downtown Houston.
The Associated Press called his victory after 10 p.m. as Cruz was leading by more than double digits.
Shortly after, Allred told his supporters at his election night party in Dallas that he had conceded to Cruz.
"Tonight, I called Sen. Cruz and congratulated him on his victory. It shouldn't be remarkable to have to admit defeat, but in today's politics, it's becoming rarer and rarer," Allred said.
After his close scare against then-U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke in 2018, Cruz vowed to enter this election cycle better prepared and more aggressive, determined to avoid the ignominious fate of becoming the first Texas Republican to lose statewide since 1994.
Cruz’s victory once again dashes Democrats’ dream of breaking their decades-long drought in Texas statewide elections. But it was not without a serious challenge: Both candidates raised north of $80 million and attracted millions more from outside groups eager to sway a contest that carried potential to decide control of the U.S. Senate.
In his victory speech, Cruz offered a facetious word of thanks to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, for spending millions trying to flip Texas.
"I want to say, thank you, Chuck," Cruz said. "And I hope we win a few more Senate seats tonight because you wasted so much money in Texas."
Allred, a former NFL linebacker and civil rights lawyer from Dallas, repeatedly broke fundraising records in his campaign, raising more than $80 million by mid-October. He blanketed the state with ads introducing himself as a more bipartisan alternative to Cruz. Meanwhile, it was Cruz’s first election since the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade and Cruz’s effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, giving Democrats hope that he would be vulnerable this year.
Like in 2018, polls in the lead up to Election Day remained close. Allred was repeatedly polling within single digits behind Cruz, with one September poll showing him one point ahead. The Allred campaign revealed internal polling just days before Election Day showing the two tied.
In the end, Allred couldn’t overcome Vice President Kamala Harris’ deficit to Republican nominee Donald Trump atop the ballot in Texas. Though Allred kept his distance from his party’s presidential nominee, Cruz tied the two together at seemingly every turn, telling audiences that “Colin Allred is Kamala Harris.”
Onstage Tuesday, Cruz congratulated Allred on a "hard-fought campaign" and added, "To all those who didn’t support me, you have my word that I will fight for you, for your jobs, for your safety and for your constitutional rights."" Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
“Republicans reassert their dominance in Texas,” Texas Tribune's Pooja Salhotra — “Republicans reasserted their decades-long iron grip on Texas by securing comfortable victories all over the ballot Tuesday, dashing Democrats’ hopes of an upset and propelling the state further to the right.
No Democrat has won statewide office in Texas since 1994, and Democrats again failed to break through in Tuesday’s elections. At the top of the ticket, former President Donald Trump won Texas for the third time, handily defeating Vice President Kamala Harris by a double digit margin that well exceeded his performances against President Joe Biden in 2020 and Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz shrugged off a well-funded and energetic campaign by U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, a Dallas Democrat, securing what appeared likely to be a double-digit percentage point margin.
Lower down the ballot, Republicans gained seats in the state Legislature and in the judicial system, ensuring an even more conservative government in 2025.
Democrats started the night with the expectation that, even if they lost at the top of the ticket, they’d show they were making progress in turning Texas into the nation’s largest swing state. Instead, the GOP seemed to erase any sign of progress its opponents had been making in recent elections.
“Texans sent a clear message,” Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement Tuesday evening. “They want safer streets, a secure border, a strong economy, and the opportunity to choose the best school for their children. And that’s exactly what these Republican candidates will deliver for their constituents, especially our new Republican allies who made history tonight by securing overwhelming victories in South Texas.” ...
The Republican victories reverse a recent trend of Democrats shrinking the statewide Republican margin of victory. In 2012, Republican Mitt Romney won the state over Barack Obama by 16 percentage points. In 2016, Trump beat Democrat Hillary Clinton by 9 percentage points. In 2020, Trump beat Biden by 5.6 percentage points, the closest victory since 1996.
“The Democrats' biennial fever dream of ‘turning Texas blue’ and baseless hopes for a ‘blue wave’ in the Lone Star State have once again crashed against the wall of reality,” conservative advocate Michael Quinn Sullivan wrote [ [link removed] ] on social media. “Millions of out-of-state dollars blown on losers like Colin Allred have helped Republicans nationwide.”
Much of Democrats’ hope that Texas was becoming more competitive was based on demographics. Texas was younger and becoming more diverse, which favored the Democratic Party, partisans argued. But exit polls by Edison Research [ [link removed] ] found that 55% of Hispanic voters favored Trump. And 58% of Asian voters backed the Republican.
Trump outperformed Harris among Texas men by 24 percentage points and performed equally among women, according to the exit polls.
Republicans made considerable gains in South Texas, a region Republicans have zeroed in on as they target Latino voters. Trump won Starr County in the Rio Grande Valley by more than 15 percentage points. It was the first time a Republican won the county in a presidential race since 1896.
Republicans also appeared poised to flip two South Texas state House seats, Republican Denise Villabolos was leading Democrat Solomon P. Ortiz Jr. in District 34, which covers part of Nueces County and has historically been held by a Democrat." Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
2024
“Texas GOP poised to increase its majorities in the Legislature,” Texas Tribune's Zach Despart and Renzo Downey — “Republicans were poised to expand their majority in the Texas House on Tuesday evening, and appeared on track to flip two seats in historically Democratic districts as South Texas continued its dramatic shift to the right [ [link removed] ].
If those results hold, the GOP will control 87 of 150 seats in the lower chamber when the Legislature reconvenes in January. That margin will give Gov. Greg Abbott “more than enough votes” to finally pass a school voucher bill, he said late Tuesday.
Republican Don McLaughlin, the former mayor of Uvalde, was beating Democrat Cecilia Castellano in House District 80, according to incomplete results late Tuesday. The seat was open following the retirement of Democrat Tracy King.
In Corpus Christi’s District 34, Republican Denise Villalobos was on path to defeat Democrat Solomon Ortiz Jr. in a race to succeed retiring Democrat Abel Herrero.
Republicans had their eyes on a third seat, with Democratic state Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. of Eagle Pass trailing Republican Robert Garza for much of the night. But Morales pulled ahead late when the votes were tallied in his hometown Maverick County, giving him another term representing his sprawling border district.
In the Senate, Republican Adam Hinojosa claimed victory against Sen. Morgan LaMantia, D-Palm Valley, in the only battleground of the upper chamber. ...
Once members know the makeup of the House, their focus will shift to the 2025 legislative session — and the speaker’s race. Texas House Republican Caucus bylaws call on the Republican caucus to meet in December to endorse a candidate for speaker.
Republican state Rep. David Cook is running against [ [link removed] ] sitting House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, to lead the lower chamber. Cook claims to have support from a majority of the incoming Republican caucus, although a speaker candidate must achieve three-fifths support within the caucus to earn its official backing.
Cook, a former mayor of Mansfield, defeated Democrat Ebony M. Turner in District 96 on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
Also on Tuesday, Republicans were holding on to two seats Democrats had hoped to flip. Two were in Bexar County. Marc LaHood, who ousted incumbent Republican Steve Allison in the spring Republican primary, was leading Democrat Laurel Jordan Swift in District 121. John Lujan was narrowly beating Democratic challenger Kristian Carranza in District 118.
Democrats were falling short where they hoped to defeat incumbent Republicans in suburban seats elsewhere. In Dallas County, it appeared Republican Angie Chen Button would survive her faceoff with Averie Bishop in District 112. Also in Dallas County, incumbent Morgan Meyer was winning over Democrat Elizabeth Ginsberg in District 108.
In Harris County, Republican incumbent Lacey Hull was easily beating back a challenge from Democrat Stephanie Morales in District 138. Caroline Harris Davila, R-Round Rock, cruised to a second term in District 52 over Democrat Jennie Berkholz, according to The AP.
Tuesday did not appear to be a complete disappointment for Democrats. The party was holding on to the District 115 seat, vacated by Julie Johnson who was elected to the U.S. House. Democrat Cassandra Hernandez was leading over Republican John Jun in the open contest.
Democrat Mihaela Plesa, who eked out a win in her District 70 race in 2022, was again narrowly leading in the race for the Dallas County seat against Republican Steve Kinard, who was one of 48 Republican nominees Cook says are supporting him in the race for speaker." Texas Tribune [ [link removed] ]
“Austin Mayor Kirk Watson poised to win re-election but race still too close to call,” Austin American-Statesman's Ella McCarthy — “Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is on track to win his re-election bid outright but the race is so close that even a few thousand yet-to-be-counted ballots could change the outcome.
Candidates must get over 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff election against the next-highest vote-getter. Unofficial final results from Travis, Williamson and Hays counties put Watson at 50.01% in the five-way race.
Coming in second was community organizer Carmen Llanes Pulido, with 20.1% of the vote.
The number of outstanding ballots is unclear but Watson’s campaign estimates there are 3,200 uncounted provisional ballots in Travis County alone. A spokesperson for the county clerk said Wednesday the office would be accepting military and overseas ballots until Nov. 12 and working to process provisional ballots ahead of a Nov. 19 canvassing deadline. The office also will need to tally any last-minute mail-in ballots that arrive Wednesday.
Clerks in Williamson and Hays counties will go through the same process.
“We knew from the beginning that with five candidates and a presidential race it would be extraordinary to get over 50 percent,” Watson said in a statement Wednesday, which noted that he had received about 100,000 more votes than Llanes Pulido. “We will continue to build support — with or without a run off.”
Should he fall below the 50% threshold needed to win outright, Watson would face off against Llanes Pulido in a Dec. 14 runoff election.
“We are waiting patiently,” Llanes Pulido, a longtime community organizer and executive director of the nonprofit Go Austin/Vamos Austin, told the Statesman in the wee hours Wednesday.
Former Austin City Council member Kathie Tovo came in third in the race with 16.6% of the vote. The other two candidates, Jeffery L. Bowen and Doug Greco, each received less than 10% support." AAS [ [link removed] ] ($)
“Dallas HERO Amendments: Props S, U passed,” Fox 4 Dallas' Lori Brown — “Despite bipartisan opposition from current and former Dallas city leaders, voters approved two controversial city charter amendments.
One requires a dramatic increase in the police force as well as an increase in investment in the police and fire pension.
The other opens the city of Dallas to lawsuits if someone suspects the charter or state laws aren't being followed.
Former and current Dallas city leaders warned that the so-called HERO amendments [ [link removed] ] sound good but could have disastrous results. However, voters approved two of them anyway.
Proposition S was approved with 55% of the vote. It gives Dallas residents the right to sue the city if it doesn't comply with the city charter, city ordinances, and state law.
Proposition U was approved with just over 50% of the vote. It focuses on public safety, requiring 50% of all new city revenue to go to police and fire pensions and a minimum of 4,000 police officers, which is 900 more officers than the current force.
Monty Bennett, CEO and chairman of the Ashford Group of Companies, provided a lot of the money behind the Dallas HERO amendments campaign.
"We were pleasantly surprised and stunned," he said. "There was so much pushback from the Dallas political establishment."" Fox 4 Dallas [ [link removed] ]
“6 San Antonio city charter measures approved in 'slam dunk' election,” San Antonio Report's Iris Dimmick — “While most eyes across the U.S. were trained on the presidential election Tuesday night, many in San Antonio were closely watching results from the bottom of the ballot on six local charter amendment propositions [ [link removed] ].
Early vote totals released Tuesday showed general enthusiasm for the measures that could affect the local political landscape for years to come. That enthusiasm grew as the Election Day results started to trickle in.
“It shows that San Antonio voters are thoughtful, they’re smart, and they make good decisions about the future of the city,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg, who established a commission aimed at getting five of the measures on the ballot. “These props were crafted with consideration from a cross-section of our community about major issues related to the governance of our city.”
Prop C, which would remove pay and tenure caps for the city manager — and has received the most attention [ [link removed] ] and money [ [link removed] ] of the six — received approval from just over 54% of voters as of 12:30 a.m.
Earning more than half of local voters’ approval was a “slam dunk,” Nirenberg said.
“The community has spoken,” said Joe Jones, president of the firefighters’ union, which fought to keep the caps it fought for — and voters approved — in 2018. Firefighters and paramedics wore bright yellow T-shirts to the polls, encouraging voters to vote against Prop C.
“We did a very deliberate and fair job of educating the public and at the end of the day, they voted in favor of it,” Jones said. “We respect that.”
As of 12:30 a.m., with nearly all vote centers reporting:
Prop A, which modifies the purview and funding of the city’s Ethics Review Commission, received nearly 72%
Prop B, which cleans up outdated charter language, received about 68%.
Prop D, which allows city employees to participate in local political campaigns, received nearly 63%
Prop E, which increases city council salaries and ties future increases to the area median income, received nearly 64%.
Prop F, which increases city council terms from two to four years, received about 53%." SA Report [ [link removed] ]
STATE GOVERNMENT
“TxDOT intervenes at White Rock Lake crash site,” Dallas Morning News' Amber Gaudet — “A hike-and-bike trail at White Rock Lake that has been the site of several crashes will soon see greater protection from road traffic.
A Texas Department of Transportation contractor will begin work installing a permanent traffic barrier on the west side of Garland Road from East Lawther Drive to San Rafael Drive. The project will replace temporary water barriers that were put in place after a speeding driver was killed when they lost control of their vehicle and careened across the adjacent path [ [link removed] ] in April 2023. Just over a week later, a Dallas fire truck hydroplaned on the wet road and wound up in the middle of the trail [ [link removed] ].
“Both of those incidents helped focus the attention on identifying something to protect the trail there,” TxDOT spokesperson Tony Hartzel said.
City of Dallas officials met with TxDOT following the accidents since Garland Road is a state-owned roadway.
“TxDot agreed to design and install a permanent concrete barrier, a process that would take almost a year to be completed,” a city of Dallas spokesperson said in a statement. “Until a permanent barrier is designed and installed, a request was made by the Park Board and City Council to provide an interim solution. Dallas Park and Recreation has installed interlocking water barriers to prevent vehicular access to the trail.”
TxDOT also lowered the speed limit on several stretches of the road in September 2023 after hearing concerns from residents, Hartzel said.
“What we found is that speeds were up and down in increments of five miles per hour in some areas, so what this did was basically lower it to the lowest common denominator across the corridor roughly from I-30 to 78,” Hartzel said.
The inside southbound lane of Garland Road will be tentatively closed in the work zone. Existing water barriers will be moved further back to protect trail users during construction, which will narrow the trail by about two feet in the section adjacent to Garland Road. TxDOT does not expect the trail to close during construction.
The project should wrap up in March 2025." DMN [ [link removed] ] ($)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
“Whitmire, council hire Garcia to chair Houston sports authority,” Houston Chronicle's Abby Church -- “Houston City Council voted unanimously to hire Juan C. Garcia to chair the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority on Wednesday.
Garcia is the first Hispanic person to chair the agency, which is in charge of financing the city’s sports facilities and leasing them out to the area’s sports franchises. His appointment was also approved by the Harris County Commissioners Court last Tuesday.
Garcia thanked council members for the opportunity Wednesday, and said he was looking forward to moving the sports authority forward and usher in a new era of redevelopment that needed to take place with the city’s major sports organizations and facilities.
“I promise you, I’ll make y’all look good,” Garcia said.
Garcia will replace former chair J. Kent Friedman, who has been on the board since 2003. Friedman told the Chronicle he planned to step down from his position, but Mayor John Whitmire sent a letter to Friedman last week removing him from his position effective Oct. 30, according to the Mayor’s Office.
Friedman’s departure follows CEO Janis Burke’s exit a few weeks ago [ [link removed] ] after 18 years of service. Whitmire and other top sports executives across the region expressed a need for the organization to go in a new direction under fresh leadership in a news conference.
“We want to show our people and our energy, our diversity, and how great a city we are, but we can only do that if we get the sports authority single focused on working with these organizations and FIFA," Whitmire said in the news conference. "I’m not trying to point the blame to anyone. I’m just saying, we have an opportunity to right the ship."
Burke was criticized for an apparent lack of transparency and facility maintenance concerns, but those claims surprised her. She later defended her tenure." Houston Chronicle [ [link removed] ] ($)
“Councilman Marc Whyte takes plea deal in drunken driving case,” San Antonio Express-News' Megan Rodriguez -- “District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte has taken a plea deal in his drunken driving case [ [link removed] ].
Prosecutors on Wednesday dropped a charge of driving while intoxicated against Whyte, 44, and he in turn pleaded no contest to one count of obstruction of a highway.
The Northeast Side councilman was fined $850, charged $270 in court fees and must complete 48 hours of community service.
Whyte got six months of probation and deferred adjudication, meaning that if he follows the terms set by County Court 11 Judge Erica Peña, the charge will be dismissed. He's prohibited from drinking alcohol or using drugs in the next half-year. He will be required to take urine tests twice a month.
“It’s time to move forward,” Whyte said as he left the courtroom. “As I mentioned day one, I hope positives can come from this. Everybody needs to learn the lessons I’ve learned. I’m ready to move forward. I’ve got a lot of work to do for District 10 and the city of San Antonio, so I’m glad we’re putting this behind us today.”
He declined to answer questions about the terms of his agreement or why he accepted a plea deal." SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
OTHER NEWS
“UTSA student dies at campus parking garage, school reports,” San Antonio Express-News's Annasofia Scheve -- “A University of Texas at San Antonio student died Wednesday morning at a campus parking garage, according to a university social media post.
At 10:21 a.m. Wednesday, UTSA posted to Facebook [ [link removed] ] reporting a police presence at Bauerle Road Garage, a parking garage next to the UTSA Main Building and Business Building. The university asked students to avoid the area.
In an update around 11 a.m., UTSA said it was "deeply saddened" to report that a student died at the garage Wednesday morning.
The university said it was still gathering information and will release updates when they become available." SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> TX TRIB: "Donald Trump wins Texas’ 40 electoral votes" TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
> TX TRIB: "Republican Christi Craddick declares victory for Railroad Commission, the state’s oil regulatory agency" TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
> TX TRIB: "Monica De La Cruz retains GOP control of South Texas congressional district" TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
> TX TRIB: "Paxton’s picks appear on track to cement Republicans’ hold on Texas’ highest criminal court" TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
> TX TRIB: "Amarillo voters reject abortion “travel ban,” a rare rebuke of anti-abortion movement in Texas" TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
> TX TRIB: "Three Republicans are poised to keep their seats on Texas Supreme Court, despite efforts from anti-abortion groups" TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
> TX TRIB: "U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar secures another term as criminal trial looms" TX TRIB [ [link removed] ]
> AP: "Republicans again make gains on Texas-Mexico border and hang onto a US House seat" AP [ [link removed] ]
> FWST: "Defendant tried to contact, threaten jury in Tarrant death penalty trial, authorities say" FWST [ [link removed] ]
> VALLEY CENTRAL: "Minority Children in the Foster System" VALLEY CENTRAL [ [link removed] ]
> HOU CHRON: "More than 60 Houston OB/GYNs demand changes to Texas abortion law after deaths" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act coverage begins, local organizations encourage Texans to apply" COMMUNITY IMPACT [ [link removed] ]
> HOU CHRON: "LyondellBasell on track to close Houston refinery by first quarter of 2025" HOU CHRON [ [link removed] ]
> DMN: "Dallas to cut greenhouse gas emissions with new battery-powered and automated equipment" DMN [ [link removed] ]
> MRT: "Oil and gas companies struggle with rising insurance costs, coverage issues" MRT [ [link removed] ]
EXTRA POINTS
Recent Texas sports scores:
Mon
> NCAAB: #4 Houston 97, Jackson State 40
> NCAAB: #6 Gonzaga 108, #8 Baylor 63
> NCAAB: UCF 64, #13 Texas A&M 61
> NCAAB: Ohio State 80, #19 Texas 72
> NCAAB: UT-Arlington 90, UNT-Dallas 55
> NCAAB: Purdue 90, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 73
> NCAAB: Northwestern State 96, Dallas Christian 55
> NCAAB: Xavier 78, Texas Southern 69
> NCAAB: Houston Christian 86, Avila 59
> NCAAB: Iowa 89, Texas A&M-Commerce 67
> NCAAB: Nebraska 87, UT-Rio Grande Valley 67
> NCAAB: Texas State 64, Eastern Michigan 44
> NCAAB: TCU 105, Florida A&M 59
> NCAAB: UTSA 103, Trinity 77
> NCAAB: SMU 96, Tarleton State 62
> NCAAB: Stephen F. Austin 85, Dallas 51
> NCAAB: Nevada 91, Sam Houston State 75
> NCAAB: California Baptist 83, Incarnate Word 78
> NCAAB: UTEP 102, Sul Ross State 55
> NCAAB: Abilene Christian 107, Howard Payne 74
> NBA: Houston 109, New York 97
> NBA: Indiana 134, Dallas 127
> NBA: LA Clippers 113, San Antonio 104
Tues
> NCAAB: North Texas 80, Evansville 63
> NCAAB: Texas Tech 94, Bethune-Cookman 61
> NCAAB: Rice 77, Florida International 70
Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
> 7pm: NBA: San Antonio at Houston
> 7:30pm: NBA: Chicago at Dallas
HOUSTON TEXANS: "Houston Texans: 'Battle Red' uniforms debut against Detroit Lions" Houston Chronicle [ [link removed] ] ($)
TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL: "Texas A&M football: What Aggies must work on during the bye week" AAS [ [link removed] ] ($)
TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL: "Texas A&M football: Reaching SEC title game hinges on better tackling" Houston Chronicle [ [link removed] ] ($)
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: "Spurs' Jeremy Sochan set for surgery" SAEN [ [link removed] ] ($)
HOUSTON ASTROS: "Alex Bregman had bone chip removed from elbow" Houston Chronicle [ [link removed] ] ($)
Unsubscribe [link removed]?