Texas
High-stakes campaigning, party in-fighting: This Week in Texas Politics
Campaigning, party in-fighting: TX Politics
This Week in Texas Politics involved some high-stakes campaigning, party in0fighting, party line votes and a rare alliance between two long-running political adversaries.
AUSTIN, Texas – This Week in Texas Politics involved a lot of digging in, indicating that it may be a very long and hot summer here in Texas.
FOX 7 Austin’s Rudy Koski and our panel of political analysts discuss.
Campus protests, AI deepfakes: Texas politics
The politics in Texas this week went beyond confrontations on college campuses. FOX 7’s Rudy Koski and our political panel discuss some of the top stories.
RUDY KOSKI: Let’s get our headlines this week, and we’ll start first with Brad Johnson with the Texas News. Brad, what’s your headline?
BRAD JOHNSON: The GOP circular firing squad takes San Antonio.
RUDY KOSKI: Annie Spilman with Main Street Relations. What’s your headline?
ANNIE SPILMAN: Unlike other states, Texas lags behind in toll discounts.
RUDY KOSKI: Political analyst Mark Wiggins: your headline for the week.
MARK WIGGINS: The Convention of Chaos.
One month until TX runoff elections: FOX 7 Focus
Sunday marks one month until the runoff elections here in Texas. Following a very contentious primary day back in March, several established Republicans in Legislature were forced into runoffs thanks to political retribution from Governor Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Texans concerned about economy, immigration: poll
RUDY KOSKI: Early voting in the primary runoffs wrapping up this week with all eyes focused on the race involving House Speaker Dade Phelan. Brad, a lot of money is being pumped into this one. Are you surprised?
BRAD JOHNSON: I’ve heard that it’s possible we’ll see upwards of $12 million spent on both sides of it, including all, you know, outside groups.
ANNIE SPILMAN: I mean, it was a good session for business groups. There was a lot of regulatory relief that happened under the leadership of Speaker Phelan. He got a big get-out-the-vote rally with former Governor Rick Perry, who was very business friendly. Still is.
RUDY KOSKI: Well, certainly that race is a big topic statewide and also a big topic at the Republican state convention that is underway this week. And, you know, there’s a lot of obsession over the House Speaker. It seems like that that’s the main topic, going on down there. And there’s nothing else. But there is a lot more. Right, Mark?
MARK WIGGINS: Under the current leadership, you know, the RPT has lost staff. It’s lost funding. And quite frankly, it’s lost relevance. I mean, especially when it’s spending money attacking other Republicans. So if Republicans are going to continue to be successful in the state, especially in those down ballot races, they’re going to have to start growing the party instead of purging it.
UT protests, voting issues: Texas politics
It was a head-spinning week in Texas politics with a lot of hot issues, confrontations, flip flops and parting shots. FOX 7’s Rudy Koski has this wrap up with our panel of analysts.
MORE: Texas Sen. Ted Cruz files bill to protect IVF
RUDY KOSKI: The Texas Democrats have been throwing a lot of shade at the Texas Republicans in the convention. But, you know, they’re involved in their own meltdown, too. And so, while those parties are trying to figure out who they are, the Texas Lyceum poll came out this week with a poll and a survey saying Texans are more focused on the economy. And I know that business groups there really have been screaming a lot lately in regard to, it’s about the economy, it’s about the inflation. Do something.
ANNIE SPILMAN: The poll really pointed to economic anxiety, and inflation has increased the cost of pretty much everything in the state of Texas. Anxiety and uncertainty can really cripple our local businesses and its impact on our community.
RUDY KOSKI: Hard liners digging in, is just not a Republican thing. Six Texas Congressional Democrats voting on Capitol Hill against a House resolution to ban non-citizens from voting in DC elections. Greg Casar, Lloyd Doggett among those now on record supporting the idea. Non-citizens participating in a local election. Mark that may not hurt them with their base, but that isn’t really good for the overall party, right?
MARK WIGGINS: Well, you just got to look back to that same Lyceum poll and many, many polls beforehand. Rudy, the border remains a top issue for Texans, and that doesn’t matter what party you’re in or how close you live to the Rio Grande. If I’m consulting Democrats, I’m going to tell them you need to have a strong position on that issue.
RUDY KOSKI: The Texas Lyceum poll also showed that Donald Trump has a ten-point lead here in Texas. So, Ted Cruz, while he was in state, Trump being in state last week, and he’s coming back next week, several Texas Republicans went up to New York for the last day of Trump’s hush money trial. Brad, is that just political coat tailing or is there a real strong purpose for that?
BRAD JOHNSON: I think it’s more of them, you know, showing their support for the president. In the current situation, going forward, that will be returned again, I’m sure.
MARK WIGGINS: You know, I think as more people start to think Trump may win this thing, you’re going to see more of them do what is required to get into his good graces.
Man lights self on fire outside Trump trial
A full jury has officially been set in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, and this includes six alternates. Outside the court, a man set himself on fire this afternoon.
MORE ELECTION NEWS
RUDY KOSKI: As for the border battle, Gov. Greg Abbott on social media this week has been providing updates on the new base camp that’s being built along the Rio Grande and the border wall construction. Annie, is this, the governor just simply saying “Come and Take it?”
ANNIE SPILMAN: Well, I don’t know how many of you remember MTV Cribs, but this reminds me of one of those episodes with the governor welcoming the president virtually, into his view, aerial view, of the forward operating base in Eagle Pass. He’s definitely flaunting his Texas-built base camp and challenging the feds to come and take it.
RUDY KOSKI: Well, Texas and the feds fighting: That’s certainly nothing new, but this week, Ken Paxton teamed up with the Biden administration DOJ and a lawsuit against LiveNation, the parent company of Ticketmaster. Brad, should we be checking the temperature and hell, what’s going on?
BRAD JOHNSON: This Ken Paxton and Taylor Swift uniting together? I don’t know. You know, one thing that caught my eye with this, the release from the attorney general he was touting. It’s the 75th lawsuit against the Biden administration. That marketing just goes perfectly for him. And obviously, he’s taken advantage of it. That’s the big takeaway, I thought.
MORE THIS WEEK IN TEXAS POLITICS
RUDY KOSKI: All right, let’s end it there. And we’re going to wrap up this week with one word. And we’ll start first with Mark. Mark, your word.
MARK WIGGINS: Chaos.
ANNIE SPILMAN: Graduation.
BRAD JOHNSON: Circus.
RUDY KOSKI: And with that, we’re wrapping up another Week in Texas Politics.
The Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius is anchored off Praia, Cabo Verde, May 6, 2026. Cabo Verde on Wednesday carried out an air evacuation of three passengers suspected of hantavirus infection from the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius, which had been anchore
AUSTIN, Texas – Two Texas residents who were monitored for possible hantavirus exposure after traveling aboard an Antarctic cruise ship have completed their observation period without developing symptoms, Texas health officials said Saturday.
Antarctic cruise hantavirus outbreak details
What we know:
The Texas Department of State Health Services said the passengers reached 42 days since their last possible exposure to the Andes strain of hantavirus, the longest known period between exposure and the onset of symptoms. The agency said neither person showed signs of infection and no longer faces any public health recommendations related to the exposure.
Cruise passengers clear 42-day quarantine
The passengers had traveled aboard the MV Hondius, where several people later became ill with the Andes strain of hantavirus. The Texas residents had already left the ship and returned home before the outbreak was identified.
What they’re saying:
State health officials recommended monitoring for all passengers who had been aboard the vessel. In Texas, the two passengers were isolated at home and received twice-daily in-person evaluations by public health workers throughout the monitoring period.
“I’d like to thank the passengers for their willingness to collaborate with public health throughout the monitoring period,” Chief State Epidemiologist Dr. Varun Shetty said in a statement. “I would also like to thank the many dedicated public health professionals who worked on this situation and work every day to keep their fellow Texans safe.”
Hantavirus Symptoms and Transmission
What you can do:
Hantaviruses are typically spread through contact with infected rodents or their droppings. The Andes strain, found primarily in South America, is notable because it can spread between people, unlike most other hantaviruses.
Texas health officials did not report any infections among the monitored passengers.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the Texas DSHS.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The first week of June brought rare challenges to the forefront of Texans’ minds.
From the battle against New World screwworms in Texas to an ultra-rare genetic disease, here’s what you may have missed this week.
First, second case of New World screwworm discovered in Texas
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the state’s first case of the New World screwworm (NWS) in South Texas. It was the first case in Texas since 1966.
The case was found in the umbilical cord of a three-week-old calf in La Pryor, Texas.
The parasitic fly, which lays eggs in the wounds or orifices of animals, can be fatal for livestock. Experts said the NWS has the dangerous potential to wreak havoc on the cattle industry in Texas.
On Friday, a second Texas case of the New World screwworm was confirmed. The case was also discovered in South Texas.
Officials said the latest case was identified in a calf in Zavala County, which is about 100 miles southwest of San Antonio.
State and federal agencies were working to contain the spread and have established a 20-kilometer control zone around the affected area, put quarantine measures in place and imposed restrictions on animal movement.
In response, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an updated declaration to help speed up sterile fly production.
The sterile fly method, which disrupts the life cycle of the parasite, was used to eradicate the NWS from the United States 60 years ago. However, previous outbreaks needed 500 million sterile flies weekly to eradicate the parasite.
It’s illegal to buy and sell human bones in Texas, but what about owning them?
A man in Kyle was recently arrested for allegedly attempting to sell a human skull via Facebook Marketplace. He faces a charge of purchase or sale of human organs, a felony under Texas law. But what is considered a “human organ”? And is it illegal to own one, too?
According to Texas law, the following are considered “human organs”: human kidney, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, eye, bone, skin or any other human organ or tissue.
State law — Sec. 48.02 and 48.03 of the Texas Penal Code — prohibits the purchase and sale of human organs, point blank.
There are some exceptions, though, mostly relating to medical practices and organ donation.
Texas family races to save baby with ultra-rare disease as scientists work on cure
A Travis County family is racing against time to save their baby boy from an ultra-rare genetic disease – one so uncommon, fewer than 50 people in the world are known to have it.
Everett Blomstrom was born prematurely at 31 weeks and spent 143 days in the hospital when doctors diagnosed him with a condition affecting his hexokinase (HK1) enzyme.
The disease keeps a critical enzyme stuck in the “on” position, triggering a dangerous chain reaction in his body. “It’s all gas, no brakes,” his mother said.
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Everett Blomstrom lies on his playmat at his home. He only leaves when going to the doctor due to his weakened immune system.(Eric Henrikson/KXAN) -
Marissa Blomstrom holds her son, Everett Blomstrom. They rest in this chair most of the day.
(Eric Henrikson/KXAN) -
Scientists at Rare Labs use robots to speed up the development of treatments. (Eric Henrikson/KXAN)
Experts said the mutation causes a toxic buildup that damages the brain, leading to seizures and neurological decline, eventually resulting in childhood dementia.
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