The hits keep coming as Election Day nears in the March primaries.
Editor's note: Mike Ward, who appeared on this podcast, was a reporter for the Houston Chronicle whose reporting was called into question in August, 2018. Although the podcasts were primarily analysis of current events, in the interest of disclosure, we thought it wise to include this information.
The Houston Chronicle retracted eight reports and issued corrections in multiple others, saying they were based on fabricated information, after an outside investigation revealed 44 percent of people quoted in Ward’s stories did not appear to exist. Ward resigned earlier this year while the investigation was underway.
The Texas primary season is nearly over as early voting closes Friday and election day is Tuesday. On this week’s edition of the Texas Take Podcast, Quorum Report Editor Scott Braddock and Texas Public Radio Capitol Reporter Ryan Poppe went in-depth on the latest political news.
All across the state, Texans have been turning out in record numbers for a non-presidential election, with huge enthusiasm on the Democratic side.
Meantime, Texas House Speaker Joe Straus says business leaders need to be asking candidates three questions:
- Do you support more investment in public schools?
- Do you support local control?
- Would you vote for a bathroom bill if it comes up in the 2019 session of the Legislature?
Gov. Greg Abbott this week told President Trump about the state’s school marshal program as a possible model for the national following the tragic school shooting in Florida. Trump was happy to hear about the program created through legislation by Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas.
Candidates across Texas spent big out of their campaign accounts for things like SUVs, Christmas ornaments, and paper weights. Yes, paper weights.
Oh, and one way a candidate raised money for her campaign raised quite a few eyebrows – she received deer semen donations to auction off netting more than $50,000.
Our sponsor this week: The Texas Association of Counties.
With Mike Ward, the Houston Chronicle's Austin Bureau chief, and Scott Braddock, editor of the Quorum Report, it's Texas' leading podcast about Lone Star politics -- coming to you in collaboration with Texas Public Radio.
