Austin, TX
Both presidential candidates to visit Texas Friday as Election Day looms
AUSTIN, Texas — We’re now exactly two weeks away from Election Day and both Vice President Harris and Former President Trump will be making stops in Texas later this week.
Both will be here Friday, with Harris rallying with U.S. Senate Candidate Collin Allred in Houston and Trump visiting Austin to record an interview with Joe Rogan for his popular podcast The Joe Rogan Experience.
Many experts believe seven states will decide who will win the bid for the White House. These are states where the presidential race is so close it’s unclear who will clench the electoral college votes needed to win. Texas is not one of those states, and while some believe the traditionally Red state can be flipped, one political expert I spoke with says either way, Texas is a powerful stage to reach voters in those battleground states.
Travis County GOP Chair Matt Macowiak says the announcement that presidential candidates Kamala Harris AND Donald Trump are coming to Texas is a bit surprising, given how close we are to the election.
“Texas is not a state that either side is competing in at the presidential level,” Macowiak said. “These are the latest visits we’ve had in a very long time among nominees of either party. Generally, the presidential nominees come in Texas to raise money, and that’s about it.”
Travis County Democratic Chair Pooja Sethi is hopeful and believes it’s a sign the historically Republican state can still be flipped.
“People think Texas is not in play, Texas is in play,” Sethi said. “It’s always been in play, and we’ve always treated like it’s been in play.”
Rice University Political Scientist Dr. Mark Jones doesn’t hold the same belief but says Texas could help them reach the seven battleground states many experts believe will decide the election.
“They’re coming to use Texas as a platform to then send back their messages to the key battleground states, Harris on the issue of abortion rights and Trump via the podcast of Joe Rogan,” Jones said.
Vice President Harris will be at the event in Houston that’ll be attended by women affected by the state’s restrictive abortion laws. She’ll be joined by Colin Allred who is challenging Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
“Texas was chosen specifically as an example of what she believes a Trump America would turn into, in regard to abortion rights,” Jones said.
Sethi says reproductive rights are an issue that resonates with voters on both sides of the aisle.
“That’s the country that Trump wants,” Sethi said. “Leave it to the state. Leave it to the state of Texas. We’ve had people die in the state of Texas or be near death.”
Former President Trump will be in Austin at the same time to appear on Joe Rogan’s podcast, which has more than 14.5 million followers on Spotify and more than 17.5 million followers on YouTube.
“There are seven states that are in play, and they’re all on a knife’s edge where each candidate has a realistic prospect of winning in every one of them,” Jones said. “That means that the two candidates are going to be going all out in those battleground states.”
Macowiak thinks his appearance is a smart move, and hopes it will reach younger potential voters.
“Probably not people that have voted consistently in general elections,” Macowiak said. “If Trump can persuade them, he can win some of those votes over and that could be significant.”
Dr. Jones also expects some informal fundraising is likely to take place with both candidates, perhaps quick meetings with big donors and such. No other official campaign stops have been announced by either candidate, but Harris is scheduled to also record a podcast with Texas author Brene Brown.
AUSTIN, Texas – Central Texans gather to celebrate Juneteenth or “Freedom Day” on June 19 and commemorate the end of slavery.
What you can do:
The Greater East Austin Youth Association (GEAYA) is hosting the Central Texas Juneteenth Parade and Festival today (6/19).
It’s free and taking place at Rosewood Park in East Austin located at 2300 Rosewood Ave.
The schedule for the events is as follows:
- ACME Juneteenth FunRun – 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Juneteenth Historical Parade – 10 AM – 12 PM
- Park Celebration and Fireworks – 12 PM – 9:45 PM
Other events
On June 20, the Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition will be taking place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural, and Genealogy Center located at 1165 Angelina Street.
It will be a day of celebration and remembrance and there will be BBQ plates and music as well as vendors and hands-on activations.
The backstory:
Juneteenth commemorates the end of formal slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and more than one month following the end of the American Civil War.
Colloquially known as “The Black 4th of July,” Juneteenth marks the beginning of an African American journey to carve a new place in society for free people to shape identities independent of racial caricature, eradicate slave culture, promote ethnic pride, and create economic prosperity.
The Source: Information from City of Austin and Greater East Austin Youth Association and reporting by Jessica Rivera.
Juneteenth celebrations are happening across the city this weekend. The events will mark the 161st anniversary of the day Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce that more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. The announcement on June 19, 1865, came more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19 — known as Juneteenth — became a federal holiday in 2021.
From historical bike rides to Austin’s annual parade, here are seven events taking place in Austin.
Annual Juneteenth FunRun, June 19
The city of Austin’s African American Cultural and Heritage Facility will host a fun run starting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at East Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Leona Street, and concluding at Hargrave Street near the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex. Participants will have one hour to complete the course. The route is the same as the parade through the African American Historical Cultural District that will start later that morning. Runners and walkers of all ages and levels can participate.
Central Texas Juneteenth Parade & Festival, June 19
The annual Juneteenth parade will take place Friday and begin at 10 a.m. at East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Leona Street and will travel down to Chicon Street before turning on Rosewood Avenue. The parade will feature floats, live music and performers.
A Very Juneteenth Comedy Jam, June 19
The Velveeta Room, Austin’s longest-running comedy club, will have shows highlighting Black voices Friday night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The 18+ event will feature comedians like Freddy Do Less and Roderick McDaniel. Tickets for both shows are around $23.
Sistas Walk And Talk: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
Texas Sistas Society will host a 3-mile walk and talk Saturday at 515 S. Pleasant Valley Road starting at 7:45 a.m. Texas Sistas Society is an Austin-based community created for Black women and women of color. Attendees are encouraged to wear Juneteenth colors: red, yellow, green or black, and to RSVP ahead of time.
The Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
The George Washington Carver Museum in Austin is dedicated to creating a “space where the global contributions of all Black people are celebrated.” The museum is hosting a free celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with barbecue plates, live music, vendors and activities for all ages.
Black Auteur Film Festival, June 20
The Black Auteur Film Festival, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Black filmmakers in Texas, is hosting its third annual film festival to showcase short films directed by Black Texans at AFS Cinema on Saturday. One filmmaker will win the $1,000 “Best of Fest” award, and attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win Austin Film Society memberships and movie tickets. The festival runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $14.
Juneteenth Social Ride, June 21
Black History Bike Ride, an Austin nonprofit teaching people about the city’s Black history through cycling, is hosting its seventh annual Juneteenth ride starting at the Haskell House on Saturday at 10 a.m. Austin-based historian Harrison Eppright will serve as the ride’s guide. Registration is required for all attendees. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.
Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That
When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.
“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”
Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.
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