Here’s the crowd of about 1K just before he took the stage

Talarico kicked off his campaign earlier today with a video message and media blitz.

Yesterday John Moritz and Taylor Goldenstein reported on how Dems who were on the run have announced they are coming back and will turn to the courts next if they can stop the maps in the House. They are unlikely to stop the maps given they are in the minority

But the battle is far from over. Gov. Greg Abbott already announced the start of another special session starting at noon to address all the legislation that just died in the first special session.

Green reminded me that the maps are far from final. He said the first order of business is to fight the maps because they target Black and Hispanic communities.

www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/tex...

The 18th is vacant because of the death of Sylvester Turner though 20+ candidates have filed to replace him on a special election in Nov.

Also note that Green would live in the 18th under the proposed redraw if it goes through.

This all illustrated to me how ruthless the politics have become. The very people who eulogized Turner are being asked to do something they KNOW he’d have fought them tooth and nail over.

Turner’s Congressional District was specifically mentioned in Gov Greg Abbott special session call as a reason to redraw districts

There are still members of the Texas House around who served WITH Turner when he was a member of the Texas House before he was Houston’s mayor

And more here

Here are Texas radio stations that received grants from Corp for Public Broadcasting in 2024.

14 public radio stations at HBCUs nationwide got grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. With these cuts by Congress on Friday those grants will cease.

More on all of this in the Texas Take Newsletter tonight. Tonight's is definitely worth signing up for. Port Arthur, Boca Chica, Waco, Jacksonville and of course Houston and San Antonio will all be represented! www.houstonchronicle.com/newsletters/...

Castro told me the US has a history of supporting Israel, but said he doesn’t believe Iran was an imminent nuclear threat.

“Benjamin Netanyahu started something he knew they could not finish,” Castro said.

Israel simply didn’t have the types of weapons to hit the facilities like the US has and needed Trump to jump in.

“And Donald Trump took the bait,” Castro, D-San Antonio, said.