Media
Texas Politics Project staff regularly speak with journalists, educators, students, and the public about contemporary Texas Politics with the goal of providing non-partisan, research informed context to what is happening in the lone star state. Below is a selection of recent media that made use of Texas Politics Project resources. You can reach the Texas Politics Project with press inquiries via email.
Greg Abbott Has Taken Texas to the Top
Allen Greenblatt writes that Gov. Abbott has his critics but there's no denying Texas' economic success during his time in office.
12 New GOP seats out of thin air? Republicans are halfway there
Zachary B. Wolf draw on Texas Politics Project polling in an assessment of expectations of potential GOP gains as a result of mid-decade redistricting.
Paxton has higher approval rating than Cornyn, Hunt in Texas: Poll
The Hill reports on favorability ratings in the August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll.
Texas voters have mixed views on redistricting and Trump’s megabill, poll finds
Marijke Friedman reports that the August 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll found that more voters disapprove of the mid-decade redraw than support it, fueled by overwhelming opposition from independent and Democratic voters.
How Greg Abbott Emerged as a Powerhouse Governor
Alan Greenblatt interviews Gov. Abbott about building the power of the governorship and the governor's views of his policy initiatives.
Trump's inroads among Texas Latinos
Russell Contreras and Asher Price use Texas Politics Project Polling data and analysis in a look at Texas Latinos' support for Donald Trump.
Texas Standard for July 17, 2025: Who really got things done at the Legislature?
More than 1,200 bills passed in the regular legislative session – but who did the heavy lifting?
Texas Republicans Are Already Celebrating 2026 Endorsements.
Dan Solomon considers the relative weight of endorsements by political figures in Texas races.
Poll: Trump’s approval falls in Texas, most oppose ban on THC products
A new Texas poll finds growing disapproval of Trump among independents and continued dissatisfaction with the Texas Legislature.
How do Texans rate the Legislature’s performance?
A new poll from the Texas Politics Project finds that only about a quarter of Texans think state lawmakers are doing a good job.
Donald Trump's Approval Rating Goes Negative in Texas
President Donald Trump's approval rating in Texas went negative in a poll of the Lone Star State released this week.
Here are some of the Texas Democrats eyeing statewide runs in 2026
Democrats will need to sort through a pileup of potential candidates who see an opportunity to harness backlash to the Trump administration in next year’s midterms.
Lt. Gov. Patrick's Push to Ban THC Irks Right
Long viewed by Republican activists as a stalwart conservative responsible for driving the Texas Legislature rightward, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been criticized by fellow conservatives for his proposed ban on products with tetrahydrocannabinol
Texas GOP scores legislative wins, shifting immigration, education costs
Molly Hennessey-Fiske provides a wrap up of the 89th Texas Legislature.
Polls show Cornyn faces increasingly uphill primary battle against Paxton
A poll commissioned by a group supporting U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s reelection is showing an uphill battle for the incumbent, as he faces a challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the Republican nomination.
Texas Republicans still give Trump positive job reviews, despite economic concerns
A new poll shows why Texas Republican politicians aren't bucking Trump publicly.
New poll gauges Texans’ feelings on Trump, the economy and more
The Texas Politics Project’s survey gauges how registered Texas voters are feeling about the state of politics on a local and national level.
Donald Trump has a negative economic approval rating in Texas for the first time, poll finds
For the first time, President Donald Trump has a negative approval rating in Texas over his handling of the economy, according to a new poll.
With the border quiet, Texas ponders spending another $6.5 billion on border security
Some are questioning whether lawmakers should commit billions more to border security with illegal crossings dwindling and a Trump immigration crackdown.
Texas House gives initial OK to $1B school voucher proposal, rejects call for referendum
Proponents of a controversial school voucher program cheered early Thursday morning after the Texas House gave its initial approval to a proposal that had for years been roadblocked by the lower chamber.
As Paxton challenge looms, Cornyn seeks traction with hard-right voters
Polls show Attorney General Ken Paxton is stronger with the GOP’s most conservative voters who heavily influence primary elections.
Poll: Texas Republicans say tariffs will help in the long run
Texas voters polled before President Trump's latest round of massive tariffs said they expected prices on consumer goods would increase, but Republican respondents said they will help in the long run, polling shows.
Full List Of Republicans Sounding The Alarm On Trump Tariffs
President Donald Trump is facing mounting opposition from Republican senators over his sweeping plan to impose steep tariffs on nearly 200 countries, including the United States' biggest trading partners and allies.
The Texas Business Boom
Speaking to Newsweek, several experts on the Texan economy or politics attributed this primarily to low taxation and business-friendly regulations.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threatens special session if THC ban, bail reform not passed
In an interview with The Texas Tribune, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced plans to force a special session of the Texas Legislature if bail reform and a THC ban, two of his top 40 priorities, don’t pass.
The Unchecked Authority of Greg Abbott
Jonathan Blitzer goes deep on Greg Abbott, Operation Lone Star, and the expansion of gubernatorial power in Texas.
New poll explains a lot about what's happening in the Texas legislature
Phil Prazan looks at Texans' views on items on the legislative agenda captured in the February 2025 University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll.
Gov. Greg Abbott steps up online attacks as support builds for school vouchers
The Houston Chronicle's Benjamin Wermund looks at Gov. Abbott's recent attacks on opposition to school choice legislation.
Texas to Become Biggest State by 2045 As Center of Gravity Shifts South
Texas is on track to overtake California and become the most populous state in the Union by 2045, a shift that could have a profound impact on the politics and culture of not just Texas but the United States as a whole.
After teasing border security rollback, Texas plunges in deeper
Texas’ border spending exploded after Joe Biden’s election, then state leaders signaled a new willingness to reduce it when Trump won. That didn’t last long.
Gov. Greg Abbott sets an agenda that could succeed, but the Capitol is a volatile place
Gromer Jeffers, Jr., writes looks at the prospects for the agenda Gov. Abbott unveiled in his State of the State Address.
President Trump's immigration policy prompts economic tensions with Colombia and beyond
In the days before and since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has made lots of promises on immigration.
Texas Republicans look to crack down on abortion pills in 2025 session. Here's how.
The Lone Star State has some of the toughest abortion restrictions in the nation, with the procedure banned unless a pregnant person faces a "life-threatening condition."
GOP pushes for penalties after Burrows wins Speaker race: ‘We’re going to keep our word’
A contentious vote Tuesday ended a months-long battle that divided Texas lawmakers.
How Texans feel about Elon Musk, Jerry Jones, Joe Rogan, Beyonce and more
A new poll asked Texans how they feel about some Texas celebrities.
Poll shows what Texas voters think lawmakers should be focused on this legislative session
As the 89th legislative session gets underway at the Texas State Capitol, a new poll is revealing what Texans want lawmakers to focus on the most.
State lawmaker again files bill to give Texas control of Austin
Texas lawmakers are reigniting an effort to allow the state to control Austin.
Donald Trump, Kamala Harris are visiting Texas. Does that mean Senate race is in play? Read more at: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/election/article294479779.html#storylink=cpy
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris’ trips to Texas signal a Texas Senate race that is in play, political science experts say.
Kamala Harris to rally with Colin Allred in Houston days before Election Day
Harris’ surprise visit comes in the closing weeks of a campaign in which she has largely focused her efforts on other states.
Texas’ top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes office
With Donald Trump returning to the White House, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have both recently signaled new openness to winding down the state’ border security operation.
Why Democrats’ abortion messaging failed to resonate in Texas, despite unpopular bans
Texas’ strict abortion bans made it “ground zero” for Democrats hoping to rile up their base, but voters prioritized economic issues.
Donald Trump and Ted Cruz scored big wins in Texas, but the president-elect outperformed the senator on his own turf
Cruz beat his challenger by 9 points, while Trump prevailed over his by 14 points. Still, Cruz performed better this year than he did in 2018
How Republicans managed to flip the Rio Grande Valley
Perhaps the biggest Texas takeaway from the presidential election is that more counties went Republican this cycle — specifically in the Rio Grande Valley and surrounding areas. Experts say it’s the culmination of a years-long GOP strategy.
What a close race in Texas means for Democrats in red states
Is this Democrats’ year? Perennial promises of a blue Texas have fallen short.
Republican advantage grows with Trump and Cruz still favored to win in Texas, pollster says
A new poll shows the potential for very little movement in the competitive Texas Senate race between Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Colin Allred of Dallas.
Democrats' Expensive Texas Gamble
At a National Press Club appearance, Senator Gary Peters, chair of the DSCC, said his party was making a "multimillion-dollar investment" in TV advertising in a bid to win Senate races in Texas and Florida.
Texas politics may be predictable, but that doesn’t mean they’re boring
According to Gromer Jeffers Jr., Democratic candidates must focus more on local and state issues if they want to be competitive in Texas.
Can You Trust the Polls That Say Texas Could Go Blue?
Lone Star State Democrats have a history of polling well, and falling short, so we looked at whether this year might be different.