Good morning, 

With filing underway for spots on the Texas primary ballots, today's One Click Survey looks at the race for comptroller.

This is the Texas Minute for Monday, Nov. 17, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Lawsuit Seeks To Strike Down ‘Anti-Christian’ Restrictions in State Work-Study Programs

• Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a new lawsuit seeking to dismantle three state-run higher-education programs he says unconstitutionally discriminate against religious students and faith-based organizations. As Brandon Waltens notes, the lawsuit is notable because Paxton is effectively taking a state agency to court.
     
• At issue are three programs administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Paxton alleges the programs contain “nonsectarian” restrictions that violate the First Amendment and improperly bar Christian ministries and religious students from participating in taxpayer-funded benefits.
     

• Paxton argues these restrictions amount to a “wholesale exclusion” of otherwise qualified students and enterprises based solely on their religious character—something recent U.S. Supreme Court precedent has repeatedly condemned.

Alumni Group Sounds the Alarm on College Athletics Deal

• A group representing alumni and school trustees is urging the governing boards at Big Ten universities to halt a proposed $2.4 billion private equity deal between the conference and UC Investments, the investment branch of the University of California system. Daniel Greer has the details.
     
• The American Council of Trustees and Alumni is raising concerns about transparency and oversight, calling for university regents and trustees to block any final vote on the transaction until their boards are fully informed and authorize participation. The widely reported transaction, proposed earlier this month, would see UC Investments acquire a 10 percent equity stake in a newly created business entity, Big Ten Enterprises. 
     
• The arrangement is designed to extend the conference’s “grant of rights,” effectively binding universities into the conference through 2046. 
      
• ACTA argues that the institutions' governing boards, not athletic directors, presidents, or chancellors, should hold final authority over any future transactions involving the monetization of university assets—including sports deals.

Boeing Sued in Texas Court for Downplaying Danger of Aircraft

• Boeing is being sued in Texas for assuring pilots that its 737 MAX aircraft did not require specialized training. Travis Morgan explains the status of the lawsuit brought by the Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Pilots Association after the aircraft was grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration.
     
• Boeing began delivering the 737 MAX model of jetliners in 2017, marketing it as more fuel efficient than previous iterations. Southwest pilots agreed to fly the MAX aircraft based upon Boeing’s assertions that no further training was required.
     
• Shortly after airlines started flying them, two MAX planes crashed within months of each other. Nearly 400 people were killed. Both crashes were reportedly caused by a new flight-stabilizing feature, which pilots had not been trained on.
      
• The pilots argue they were "fraudulently induced" by Boeing to fly the plane. When the FAA grounded the 737 MAX, Southwest had to cancel hundreds of flights and caused SWAPA pilots to lose wages.

Oncor Pushes $33 Billion Power Project Expansion

• Paige Feild reports that Oncor, the largest energy delivery company in Texas, played a pivotal role in transforming a regional reliability project into a statewide mega-expansion. Critics believe it will drive up Texans’ energy bills while benefiting the company financially.
     
• Without legislative or public consent, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas approved the project in August. It is expected to cost an estimated $200 per year for the average residential consumer in most parts of the state.
     
• Using legislation passed in 2023 to strengthen only the grid in West Texas, records show the project was expanded at the behest of Oncor and others. 

Houston Mayor Defends Police Coordination With ICE

• After previously denying significant involvement, Houston Mayor John Whitmire admitted last week that the city's police department had been cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Michael Wilson has the story.
     
• Whitmire defended the involvement as limited cooperation necessary to avoid "counterproductive" federal intervention.
     
• The mayor said that when Houston police are conducting traffic stops or even making arrests during sting operations, individuals are not asked about their immigration status.

Today In History

On Nov. 17, 1835, residents of Cincinnati, Ohio, inspired by the Texans' fight for independence, began raising funds to purchase two cannons for the cause. They were shipped down the Mississippi and arrived in Texas in April, just in time for the Battle of San Jacinto.

Quote-Unquote

"A good accountant is a good poet. He appreciates the true value of things."

– Robert Frost​

One Click Survey

Filing for the 2026 primary nominating contests is underway, continuing through Dec. 8. Among the statewide races on the 2026 ballot will be the open race for state comptroller. The candidates include:

If the election were held today, which of the declared GOP candidates would you support?

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

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