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Good morning,

We're less than three months out from the Primary Election. Today's One Click Survey asks about the GOP nomination for Agriculture Commissioner.

This is the Texas Minute for Monday, Dec. 15, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Texas A&M Project Seeks To ‘Mitigate’ Pro-Life Victories While Texas law protects unborn children, Texas A&M University and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board have approved funding for research explicitly aimed at “mitigating” the pro-life Dobbs decision under the premise that abortion facility closures harm young women’s education and earnings. Adam Cahn has the details [[link removed]].

According to documents obtained by Texas Scorecard, a professor at Texas A&M's School of Public Health intends to study the relationship between the closure of abortion facilities in Texas and a variety of academic and economic indicators. Both Texas A&M and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board tried to keep these records from public review; the Office of the Attorney General recently ordered TAMU to release them.

The professor, Daniel Marthey, said he believes the closure of abortion facilities has harmed young women’s education and earnings. His research—approved by the leadership of Texas A&M as well as the Higher Education Coordinating Board—will seek to determine “academic achievement and eventual labor market earnings” for young women in localities where abortion facilities have closed.

Part of Marthey's research plan is to use the data he collects “to inform State policymakers and administrators on the potential effects of restricting access to reproductive health services on the academic performance of young people, with a particular focus on policy recommendations.”

In other words, under the guise of "research," A&M will be using taxpayer resources to lobby for more abortions. Sam Houston State Accused of Violating New Homeschool Credit Law Michael Wilson reports [[link removed]] that a Huntsville-area mother has filed suit against Sam Houston State University, alleging the school is excluding homeschool students from the full range of dual-credit courses.

According to Autumn Selman, the university is refusing to comply with a new law that guarantees equal treatment for homeschool students seeking to enroll in college-level coursework. Selman’s son was allegedly told he could only sign up for a limited set of dual-credit classes, while public school students have access to the full core curriculum.

Selman is asking the court to order Sam Houston State to provide her son with full access to its dual-credit catalog, just as it would for any other student. TEA Announces Takeover of Three More School Districts The Texas Education Agency is taking over the school districts in Beaumont, Connally, and Lake Worth. As Sydnie Henry reports [[link removed]], the action follows campuses in each district receiving failing academic ratings for at least five consecutive years.

Under Texas law, Education Commissioner Mike Morath must either appoint a new school board or close a campus after five years of consecutive failing ratings under the state’s A–F accountability system. In all three cases, Morath has opted to replace the elected school boards with appointed boards of managers and to install conservators with broad authority over academics, governance, and finances. ​

These three takeovers follow TEA’s 2023 seizure of Houston ISD and its more recent announcement that Fort Worth ISD is set to face a similar fate. The timeline for returning control to local boards will depend on how quickly each district can move struggling campuses off the state’s “unacceptable” list and keep them there. Lampasas ISD Band Teacher Gets 12 Years for Sex With Student Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]] that a now-former band teacher in the Lampasas Independent School District was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to having sex with a female student.

Jeremy Lyndell Flint was arrested in July after the parents of a 17-year-old girl reported allegations that she was involved in a sexual relationship with the man. Flint had been allowed to resign from his position as the Lampasas Middle School band director when the allegations first surfaced. Showdown Set in Case of Booted Lubbock County Commissioner A court hearing this week will focus on a Lubbock County commissioner booted from his office [[link removed]] after announcing a run for the U.S. House. Jason Corley is fighting back after County Judge Curtis Parrish installed a new commissioner, claiming the state's "resign to run" provision applies to county commissioners.

Corley disagrees, saying it does not apply when seeking a federal office. Corley was first elected in 2018, but last week, sheriff's deputies made him clean out his office after Judge Parrish swore in Mark Meurer. To reclaim the post, Corley is now suing Muerer as required by law.

Corley also believes Parrish’s action is politically motivated [[link removed]]. In 2024 and 2025, Corley and other commissioners blocked property tax increases backed by Parrish.

Earlier this month, Corley announced he was running for the seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington (R–Lubbock). Meanwhile, Parrish will face Wesley Houck in the March Republican primary for Lubbock County Judge. Today In History

On Dec. 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights was ratified when Virginia became the tenth state to ratify those first amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Congress had sent 12 amendments to the states for consideration. In that original order, the first was never adopted while the second was not ratified until 1992 as the 27th Amendment.

Quote-Unquote

"When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization."

– Daniel Webster​

Number of the Day

78

The number of days until the March 3, 2026, Primary Election.

[Source: Texas Secretary of State; calendar]

One Click Survey

Texas is home to a multi-billion-dollar ag industry, with more farming operations than any other state. It is reported [[link removed]] that more than "4.4 million Texans work in jobs connected to agriculture."

In 2026, the race to be the Republican Party's nominee for the state's agriculture commissioner pits incumbent Sid Miller [[link removed]] against Dallas businessman Nate Sheets [[link removed]].

If that election were held today, who would you support?

Sid Miller [[link removed]]

... or ...

Nate Sheets [[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

Acting Comptroller

Kelly Hancock – 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

* The new congressional boundaries for representational purposes will not take effect until January 2027.

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