"We have placed a Trojan horse (the cellphone) in the palm of everyone’s hand that provides direct access to the minds of millions...that consultants in both parties, campaigns and foreign actors will use to manipulate and divide in the ends-justify-the-means political culture."
Bill King’s Public Policy Spring 2026 Blog Readers Conference was a BIG success, with over 200 attendees!
I was on a concluding political issues panel with @BillKingHouston, Dr. @MarkPJonesTX of Rice @BakerInstitute, and Houston Professor @ateas talking about political party primary results, especially the upcoming race for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination between Senator @JohnCornyn and Attorney General @KenPaxton. I noted that the polling did not keep up with the final result, where the incumbent, Cornyn, outpolled challenger Paxton 42-41. The panel generally agreed that a Republican runoff traditionally favors the more conservative candidate…
Same underpolling existed in the Democratic primary, where nominee Rep. @jamestalarico won by several points over U.S. Rep. @JasmineForUS. This also ran counter to polling, as it appears some voters told pollsters one thing and then voted for what they considered the more electable candidate in the voting booth.
Clearly, the U.S. Senate race is the one to watch in November, with estimates ranging up to $100 million being spent by the @DNC and affiliated groups trying to flip a traditional Texas Senate seat from red to blue.
Also listened to Commissioner @TomSRamsey2’s panel on Harris County flood maps and his usual good P.E. comments on flooding. #txlege
@orlando_sanchez@jrcd98
“The government has also argued that I must accept this as true because they said it, and they are the government…I respectfully suggest that the petition is frivolous.”
The judge who wrote this is a Bush appointee and two-time Scalia clerk.
The message of Trump’s letter to the prime minister of Norway signals that the president “genuinely lives in a different reality, one in which neither grammar nor history nor the normal rules of human interaction now affect him,” @anneapplebaum argues. https://t.co/hNLMZ7JYQ9
On the latest edition of “What’s Your Point?” Commentator @ateas contends Tariffs have consistently failed to work in the past and as imposed by @realDonaldTrump without Congressional approval, are likely to be invalidated by SCOTUS. @FOX26Houston more at https://t.co/g3ph9QrJs2
On the latest edition of “What’s Your Point?” Commentator @ateas says Texas is the national epicenter of Americans without healthcare insurance, but also says a majority of voters have no appetite for universal, government funded coverage. @FOX26Houston
On the latest edition of “What’s Your Point?” Commentator @ateas offers explanatory metrics to explain why @realDonaldTrump is under water with voters. Groceries, Childcare, Housing -all up substantially as affordability gap widens. @FOX26Houston
Great Saturday panel discussion with Moderator @BillKingHouston and @jw_diamond of the @BakerInstitute for Public Policy about the State of the Texas Budget, future economic trends, and tax public policy in front of a really smart crowd of 300 from the thousands who read Bill’s blog! All-star lineup included Houston Mayor @whitmire_john, who made the right decision not to raise property taxes in Houston versus watching a 20% rate hike go down in flames in Austin by Austin voters! (68% No to 32% Yes).
Good infrastructure panel with Commissioner @TomSRamsey2 and former Harris County Judge Ed Emmett @EdEmmett. Political panel with Rice’s @MarkPJonesTX and @ateas! Audience was packed with public policy heavyweights like Robert Eckels (@JudgeEckels), Charles C. Foster (@charlescfoster), Orlando Sanchez (@orlando_sanchez), media members, etc… Excellent event! #txlege #kingblog
Good reminder today that not everything is a partisan issue as we talked about how decisions made in the recent session will impact West Houston businesses with @LaceyHullTx and @VoteAnnJohnson at the @HoustonWestCOC Legislative Lunch