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Good morning,

As you'll learn below, several lawmakers want to strip funding from state universities that push leftwing ideologies as part of their curriculum. A pre-budget debate One Click Survey seeks your thoughts on their approach.

This is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Paxton Announces Challenge to Cornyn for Senate Seat Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has officially announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the upcoming 2026 Republican Primary. Brandon Waltens has the story [[link removed]].

Cornyn has served as a U.S. Senator from Texas since his initial election in 2002. Prior to that, he served as the Attorney General of Texas for one term and as a member of the Supreme Court of Texas.

Paxton was first elected to the Texas House in 2002, followed by a stint as a member of the Texas Senate before taking office as the state's 51st Attorney General.

"It's definitely time for a change in Texas." – Ken Paxton [[link removed]] Lawmakers Move To Slash Funding for Universities Promoting DEI As legislators continue to crack down on leftwing propaganda in state institutions, several lawmakers have filed budget amendments aimed at cutting funding for state universities that support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Will Biagini looks at what they are intending to do [[link removed]] when the House begins deliberation on the state budget tomorrow.

For example, State Rep. Shelly Luther (R-Sherman) will be offering an amendment to the budget aimed at striking appropriations and provisions regarding funding to Texas A&M. She is taking the action because the university has been offering a program pushing radical gender ideologies instead of biological realities.

A similar amendment, authored by State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington), takes the same approach to the University of Houston.

Both of their amendments would direct the money to property tax relief.

An amendment by State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) would defund the presidents’ and chancellors’ offices of multiple universities in which the leadership has allowed degree programs to become inundated with both LGBTQ and DEI curricula. EXPERTS: Media Carveout Won’t Save Texans From Speech-Chilling Lawsuits Adjustments to a measure proposed in the Texas Legislature that strips citizens’ protections against frivolous defamation lawsuits would still hurt Texans, according to some free speech advocates. Luca Cacciatore breaks down the story [[link removed]].

Legislation pushed by the influential lobby group Texans for Lawsuit Reform and authored by State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) was originally set to strip Texas’ protection against lawsuits designed to silence public participation. A new version would include exceptions for members of the “electronic or print media” but still cut into the protections for citizens.

A study produced by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press found that individuals brought an estimated 53 percent of Texas Citizens Participation Act claims, businesses and organizations were responsible for about 37 percent, and media defendants accounted for only 10.5 percent.

“TLR’s bill would take the ‘Citizens’ out of the Texas Citizens Participation Act,” said Tony McDonald [[link removed]], a Fort Worth-based lawyer specialized in First Amendment cases. “In an age where every citizen can be a journalist just by logging on and reporting about what is happening in their local communities, creating a special carveout for institutional media companies is a non-starter.” Senators Move to Mandate Uniform Election Dates In an effort to eliminate voter confusion and increase electoral efficiency, members of the Texas Senate have passed legislation consolidating the state's elections. As Sydnie Henry reports [[link removed]], the measure keeps the primaries in March and runoffs in May, but it requires local elections and most special elections to be held in November alongside the general election.

The legislation was authored by State Sen. Byran Hughes (R-Mineola). It was adopted by the Senate by a vote of 20-10, and now heads to the Texas House.

“Elections are costly and they’re resource intensive, and since each election has a substantial fixed cost, the cost per vote increases significantly in a low turnout election,” explained Hughes [[link removed]].RELATED ELECTION NEWS Joseph Trimmer reports [[link removed]] that a special election to fill the Houston-area congressional seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner will be held on November 4. Gov. Greg Abbott said the date was chosen to give Harris County officials enough time to plan and execute an orderly election. “No county in Texas does a worse job of conducting elections than Harris County.” – Greg Abbott [[link removed]]

Candidates who wish to have their names placed on the special election ballot must file their applications with the Texas nsecretary of state no later than September 3. Early voting will begin on Monday, October 20. Navasota ISD Teacher Sentenced to 5 Years for Possessing Child Porn Daniel Byrd was a teacher at Navasota High School when he was arrested for sharing child sexual abuse material showing young boys being assaulted. As Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]], Byrd pleaded guilty in November 2024 and has now been sentenced to sixty months in federal prison.

State records show Byrd’s teaching certificate is currently under review by the Texas Education Agency. Today In History

On April 9, 1895, Howard E. Butt was born in Tennessee but his family moved to Kerrville, Texas, when he was young. His mother started a small grocery store, which he then took over after World War I and began opening locations around south Texas. In 1946, he changed the name to his own initials: "H-E-B."

Number of the Day

435

Number of H-E-B stores, as of September 2024, operating in Texas and Mexico.

[Source: Retail Today [[link removed]]]

Quote-Unquote

"I want the people of America to be able to work less for the government and more for themselves. I want them to have the rewards of their own industry. This is the chief meaning of freedom."

– Calvin Coolidge​

One Click Survey

When members of the Texas House take up the state's biennial budget tomorrow, multiple amendments will be offered that would defund [[link removed]] the state's universities if they continue to allow leftwing indoctrination programs—like DEI—to operate.

Do you think it is appropriate to defund a university over its DEI program?

YES, stop the indoctrination [[link removed]]

... or ...

NO, find a more measured response [[link removed]]

Once you’ve clicked an answer, reply to this email with any thoughts you’d like to share!

Directory of Your Current U.S. & Texas Officials [[link removed]]

This information is automatically inserted based on the mailing address you provide to us. If you'd like to update your contact information, please visit our subscriber portal [[link removed]].

​ U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

John Cornyn - R

(202) 224-2934

U.S. Senator [[link removed]]

Ted Cruz - R

(202) 224-5922

Governor of Texas [[link removed]]

Greg Abbott - R

(512) 463-2000

Lt. Governor [[link removed]]

Dan Patrick - R

(512) 463-0001

Attorney General [[link removed]]

Ken Paxton – R

(512) 463-2100

Comptroller [[link removed]]

Glenn Hegar – R

(512) 463-4600

Land Commissioner [[link removed]]

Dawn Buckingham – R

(512) 463-5001

Commissioner of Agriculture [[link removed]]

Sid Miller – R

(512) 463-7476

Railroad Commissioners [[link removed]]

Wayne Christian – R

Christi Craddick – R

Jim Wright – R

(512) 463-7158

State Board of Education [[link removed]], District

Update your address ( )

Main (512) 463-9007

U.S. House [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Congressional Switchboard (202) 225-3121

Texas Senate [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Capitol Switchboard (512) 463-4630

Texas House [[link removed]], District

Update your address ()

Capitol Switchboard (512) 463-4630

Speaker of the Texas House [[link removed]]

Dustin Burrows (R)

(512) 463-1000

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