Blog

Second Reading Podcast: The Paxton impeachment & assessments of the Texas Legislature in the June 2023 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll

| By: Texas Politics Project

In a new Second Reading Podcast, Jim Henson talks with fellow members of the Texas Politics Project Poll Daron Shaw and Joshua Blank about Texanss' attitudes toward the impeachment of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and how the Texas legislature has handled major issues, including grid reliabillity, school safety, property taxes, and more.

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After a surplus-fueled session, Texans give mixed reviews to legislative policy making

| By: Jim Henson and Joshua Blank

After an active legislative session fueled by a historic budget surplus, the latest University of Texas/Texas Politics project poll finds Texans giving legislative policy efforts mixed reviews amidst complex cross-currents in attitudes about policies, politics, and government.

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Keywords: 88th Legislature

New University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll finds little confidence in the legislature’s efforts to address key issues

| By: Jim Henson and Joshua Blank

After a regular legislative session that found lawmakers attempting to use a historic budget surplus to address major fiscal issues and infrastructure needs while also pushing some cultural hot buttons, the latest University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll found Texas voters with low expectations of the impact of their actions, and dim views of the legislature’s responsiveness.

When asked in general terms about their confidence in legislative efforts to address areas deemed critical by voters in Texas Politics Project polling conducted earlier in the session, most Texas voters lacked confidence in lawmakers’ efforts. Fewer than one in five voters was willing to say they were ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ confident that the legislature had increased the reliability of the electric grid or the water supply, improved the safety of Texas’ public schools, or improved security along the Texas-Mexico border.

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New UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: Half of Texas voters say the impeachment of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton was justified

| By: Jim Henson and Joshua Blank

As the Texas Senate begins the historically unprecedented process of trying the suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton on 31 articles of impeachment, a majority of Texas’ registered voters think the House was justified in impeaching the three-term incumbent, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll.

Asked whether they thought the Texas House of Representatives was justified in impeaching Attorney General Ken Paxton, 50% said it was justified, 17% said it was not, and a third (33%) had no opinion.

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Second Reading Podcast: Split-screen bill signings and the politics of the Trump indictment in Texas

| By: Texas Politics Project

In the latest Second Reading Podcast, a look at the impact (or lack of it) of the Trump indictment and the Paxton impeachment on public opinion and politics in Texas.

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Second Reading Podcast: Patrick vs Abbott & Phelan...for now

| By: Texas Politics Project

In the latest Second Reading Podcast, a look at how the failure to reach a consensus on a property tax plan during the regular session of the legislature has resulted in open conflict between Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Governor Greg Abbott.

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Texans’ views of Ken Paxton in UT/Texas Politics Project polling as the Texas Attorney General faces impeachment

| By: Jim Henson and Joshua Blank

With the Texas House of Representatives poised to consider 20 articles of impeachment against Attorney General Ken Paxton, we’ve pulled several looks at voters’ views of the Attorney General from the Texas Politics Project archives.

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Second Reading Podcast: A brief sine die in the wake of the Paxton impeachment

| By: Texas Politics Project

In the latest Second Reading Podcast, a conversation about the end of the regular session and the impeachment and pending trial of Ken Paxton.

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Why Transgender Politics are So Irresistible to Republicans in the 88th Texas Legislature

| By: Joshua Blank and Jim Henson

Any issue that finds partisans on one side in overwhelming agreement over the fundamentals of an issue pitted against a divided opposition is one that provides major political advantages for the unified side. Legislating the lives of transgender people is one of those issues. 

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Second Reading Podcast: Vouchers, property taxes, and other things dividing Republicans in the Texas Legislature

| By: Texas Politics Project

In the latest Second Reading Podcast: a look at what the latest University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll tells us about the suprising movement of a bill that would raise the legal age for purchasing some firearms from 18- to 21 years of age, and Gov. Abbott's latest actions on the US-Mexico border.

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