James Henson
@jhenson.bsky.social
Director of the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin. (Profile image is detail from a painting by Harry Underwood.)
A new Second Reading podcast looks at the latest legal turn in Texas redistricting and widespread speculation about the state of Donald Trump's coalition. youtu.be/7LTcYpaDJ2c?...
Texas Redistricting Blows Up (Again); the State of the Trump Coalition
YouTube video by Texas Politics Project
youtu.be
November 21, 2025 at 8:29 PM
A new Second Reading podcast looks at the latest legal turn in Texas redistricting and widespread speculation about the state of Donald Trump's coalition. youtu.be/7LTcYpaDJ2c?...
Texas views from June '25 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: In the conflict btw Russia & Ukraine, who do yu sympathize with more?
Rs: Ukraine 41%, Russia 5%, neither 49%, not sure 4%
Ds: Ukraine 81%, Russia 1%, neither 13%, not sure 6%
Ind: 56%/3%/37%/4%
More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...
Rs: Ukraine 41%, Russia 5%, neither 49%, not sure 4%
Ds: Ukraine 81%, Russia 1%, neither 13%, not sure 6%
Ind: 56%/3%/37%/4%
More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...
November 21, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Texas views from June '25 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: In the conflict btw Russia & Ukraine, who do yu sympathize with more?
Rs: Ukraine 41%, Russia 5%, neither 49%, not sure 4%
Ds: Ukraine 81%, Russia 1%, neither 13%, not sure 6%
Ind: 56%/3%/37%/4%
More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...
Rs: Ukraine 41%, Russia 5%, neither 49%, not sure 4%
Ds: Ukraine 81%, Russia 1%, neither 13%, not sure 6%
Ind: 56%/3%/37%/4%
More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...
"Texas economy cools as concerns about tariff, uncertainty persist," via the Dallas Federal Reserve, based on Texas Business Outlook Survey www.dallasfed.org/research/swe...
Echoes UT/Texas Politics Project polls this year. Examples below, more data here: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...
Echoes UT/Texas Politics Project polls this year. Examples below, more data here: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...
November 21, 2025 at 4:49 PM
"Texas economy cools as concerns about tariff, uncertainty persist," via the Dallas Federal Reserve, based on Texas Business Outlook Survey www.dallasfed.org/research/swe...
Echoes UT/Texas Politics Project polls this year. Examples below, more data here: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...
Echoes UT/Texas Politics Project polls this year. Examples below, more data here: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear...
Reposted by James Henson
Breaking character: I am open to the idea the media's coverage of Biden's age and mental acuity was fair or perhaps not even tough enough. But the fact that it was so much tougher than the coverage of Trump's (more severe) mental decline is damning and I can't see how anyone could argue otherwise.
NYT isn’t worth reading because they are in the bag for Trump
November 21, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Breaking character: I am open to the idea the media's coverage of Biden's age and mental acuity was fair or perhaps not even tough enough. But the fact that it was so much tougher than the coverage of Trump's (more severe) mental decline is damning and I can't see how anyone could argue otherwise.
You think correctly.
Bathroom sex, slut-shaming, and a fight over the size of someone’s engagement ring—I’d like to think this story has a little something for everyone.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
(Some) MAGA Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
What does it mean to be female and conservative in 2025?
www.theatlantic.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:20 PM
You think correctly.
Result from the Oct 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll – responses to ""How secure do you think the right to freedom of speech is in America today?" 22% said "completely" (7%) or "very secure," while 32% said
"somewhat" & *41%* said "not at all secure." texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/security...
"somewhat" & *41%* said "not at all secure." texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/security...
November 21, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Result from the Oct 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll – responses to ""How secure do you think the right to freedom of speech is in America today?" 22% said "completely" (7%) or "very secure," while 32% said
"somewhat" & *41%* said "not at all secure." texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/security...
"somewhat" & *41%* said "not at all secure." texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/security...
Texas concern about the stock market in the October 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/concern-...
November 20, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Texas concern about the stock market in the October 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/concern-...
Texas National Guard deployment cost nearly $5 million, report says, via Nicole Cobler for @axios.com axios.com/local/austin... #txlege
A little drill down into UT/Texas Politics Project polling linked in post: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/do-you-s... 👇🏽
A little drill down into UT/Texas Politics Project polling linked in post: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/do-you-s... 👇🏽
November 20, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Texas National Guard deployment cost nearly $5 million, report says, via Nicole Cobler for @axios.com axios.com/local/austin... #txlege
A little drill down into UT/Texas Politics Project polling linked in post: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/do-you-s... 👇🏽
A little drill down into UT/Texas Politics Project polling linked in post: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/do-you-s... 👇🏽
Texas views of Saudi Arabia, via Dec 2024 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/saudi-ar... #txlege
November 20, 2025 at 4:29 AM
Texas views of Saudi Arabia, via Dec 2024 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/saudi-ar... #txlege
Via Rick Hasen: Judge Jerry Smith Issues His 104-Page Dissent to Yesterday’s 3-Judge District Court Holding that Texas’s Re-Redistricting is Likely an Unconstitutional Racial Gerrymander. electionlawblog.org?p=153106
Judge Jerry Smith Issues His 104-Page Dissent to Yesterday's 3-Judge District Court Holding that Texas's Re-Redistricting is Likely an Unconstitutional Racial Gerrymander. Along the Way He Calls Out t...
You can find the dissent at this link. It begins with a remarkable attack on Judge Brown (a Trump appointee) explaining that Smith was not responsible for any delay in issuing the decision: In my 37 y...
electionlawblog.org
November 19, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Via Rick Hasen: Judge Jerry Smith Issues His 104-Page Dissent to Yesterday’s 3-Judge District Court Holding that Texas’s Re-Redistricting is Likely an Unconstitutional Racial Gerrymander. electionlawblog.org?p=153106
Texas assessments of Gov. Greg Abbott's handling of congressional redistricting efforts, from the August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/approval... #txlege #tx2026
November 18, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Texas assessments of Gov. Greg Abbott's handling of congressional redistricting efforts, from the August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/approval... #txlege #tx2026
Some looks at Texas public opinion on AG & US Senate aspirant Ken Paxton is handling "the effort to redraw Texas' congressional district lines ahead of the 2026 election," via August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project poll. More tabs/graphics: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/approval...
November 18, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Some looks at Texas public opinion on AG & US Senate aspirant Ken Paxton is handling "the effort to redraw Texas' congressional district lines ahead of the 2026 election," via August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project poll. More tabs/graphics: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/approval...
Different looks at Texas approval of how Donald Trump is handling redistricting, via October 2025 UT/@TxPolProject Poll: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/donald-t... #txlege #Tx2025
November 18, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Different looks at Texas approval of how Donald Trump is handling redistricting, via October 2025 UT/@TxPolProject Poll: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/donald-t... #txlege #Tx2025
Looking back to August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: Importance of the #Txlege revising congressional districts in Texas during the special session. Much more on Texas public opinion & redistricting: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear... #tx2026
November 18, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Looking back to August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: Importance of the #Txlege revising congressional districts in Texas during the special session. Much more on Texas public opinion & redistricting: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear... #tx2026
Texas approval of how Donald Trump is handling climate change, via UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. Different looks in graphics, graphics for other subgroups here: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/donald-t... #txlege #Tx2026
November 18, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Texas approval of how Donald Trump is handling climate change, via UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. Different looks in graphics, graphics for other subgroups here: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/donald-t... #txlege #Tx2026
Ted Cruz sets stage for 2028 run with Tucker jabs via @axios.com. www.axios.com/2025/11/17/t...
Below: trend in Cruz job approval in Texas, overall & by PID. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ted-cruz... #tx2028 #Txlege
Below: trend in Cruz job approval in Texas, overall & by PID. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ted-cruz... #tx2028 #Txlege
November 17, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Ted Cruz sets stage for 2028 run with Tucker jabs via @axios.com. www.axios.com/2025/11/17/t...
Below: trend in Cruz job approval in Texas, overall & by PID. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ted-cruz... #tx2028 #Txlege
Below: trend in Cruz job approval in Texas, overall & by PID. texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ted-cruz... #tx2028 #Txlege
New Second Reading pod: Josh Blank & I look at Gov. Abbott’s (formal) campaign kickoff open.spotify.com/episode/5Adr...
Spotify – Web Player
open.spotify.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:56 PM
New Second Reading pod: Josh Blank & I look at Gov. Abbott’s (formal) campaign kickoff open.spotify.com/episode/5Adr...
Texas A&M Tightens Rules on Talking About Race and Gender in Classes www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
Texas A&M Tightens Rules on Talking About Race and Gender in Classes
www.nytimes.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Texas A&M Tightens Rules on Talking About Race and Gender in Classes www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
A look at the most recent UT/Texas Politics Project poll, and how poll data can be integrated in teaching Texas government using the webtext produced by the Texas Politics Project in conjunction with Soomo Learning. vimeo.com/1135482596?&...
Texas Politics Webinar: October 2025 Poll Data with James Henson
Preview the Texas Politics webtext today and see for yourself how we use polling data to engage students!
vimeo.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:49 PM
A look at the most recent UT/Texas Politics Project poll, and how poll data can be integrated in teaching Texas government using the webtext produced by the Texas Politics Project in conjunction with Soomo Learning. vimeo.com/1135482596?&...
Re: Trump endorsement of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott - looks at job approval for each in Texas via October UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear... #txlege #tx2026
November 12, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Re: Trump endorsement of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott - looks at job approval for each in Texas via October UT/Texas Politics Project Poll. More: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/polling/sear... #txlege #tx2026
“The pushback on the Plains…” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/u...
Kansas Redistricting Was on the Fast Track. Then Some Republicans Said No.
www.nytimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:22 PM
“The pushback on the Plains…” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/u...
Another vivid detainment story from Texas via Michael Hall.
www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
He Was a Beloved Dog Trainer and an Asylum Seeker. Why Was He Detained?
The humans love him, and so do the canines. What happened when ICE took Seyre Mussa Traore away.
www.texasmonthly.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Another vivid detainment story from Texas via Michael Hall.
www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
www.texasmonthly.com/news-politic...
New Second Reading Pod: Joshua Blank Daron Shaw, and I talk over what the just-released August UT/Texas Politics Project poll tells us abt the 2026 elections in Texas. We focused mostly on the U.S. Senate race, but also hit the economy, Trump numbers, & more. Check it out: youtu.be/ODBhASVIURw?...
New UT Polling and the Current Texas Landscape for the 2026 Election
YouTube video by Texas Politics Project
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 2:04 AM
New Second Reading Pod: Joshua Blank Daron Shaw, and I talk over what the just-released August UT/Texas Politics Project poll tells us abt the 2026 elections in Texas. We focused mostly on the U.S. Senate race, but also hit the economy, Trump numbers, & more. Check it out: youtu.be/ODBhASVIURw?...
Graphics for Texas favorability ratings of John Cornyn & Ken Paxton broken down by intensity of conservatism and Republican identification via October UT/Texas Politics Project
Poll. More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/john-cor... & texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ken-paxt... #txlege #tx2026
Poll. More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/john-cor... & texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ken-paxt... #txlege #tx2026
October 29, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Graphics for Texas favorability ratings of John Cornyn & Ken Paxton broken down by intensity of conservatism and Republican identification via October UT/Texas Politics Project
Poll. More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/john-cor... & texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ken-paxt... #txlege #tx2026
Poll. More tabs: texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/john-cor... & texaspolitics.utexas.edu/set/ken-paxt... #txlege #tx2026