Texas special session threat, spying, and the loss of a political giant: TWITP

AUSTIN, Texas - There are a little more than two months left in the Texas legislative session, but not all the top stories came out of the state capitol.

The City of Austin lost a political icon and Texas saw a senior political leader launch what may be his final bid for reelection.

FOX 7 Austin's chief political reporter Rudy Koski and our panel of analysts discuss the big stories from This Week in Texas Politics.

Local perspective:

RUDY KOSKI: The pressure was certainly building under the Capitol dome This Week in Texas Politics. Let's get our headlines from our panel, and we'll start first with political analyst Karina Kling. Karina, what's your headline? 

KARINA KLING: Let the threats of a special session begin. 

RUDY KOSKI: Brad Johnson with The Texan News. What's your headline for the week? 

BRAD JOHNSON: Healthcare CEO gets doged. 

RUDY KOSKI: And business analyst Annie Spilman. What's your headline for the week? 

ANNIE SPILMAN: House Insurance Committee passed a bill that will show legislators the fiscal impact of any health coverage mandates. 

School choice legislation

Local perspective:

RUDY KOSKI: We had a School Choice Unity gathering earlier in the week. It was spearheaded by the Big 3; Governor Greg Abbott, the Lieutenant Governor and the House Speaker. And then later in the week, we had the Lieutenant Governor threatening to shut everything down and to force a special session if some of his key Bills didn't pass. Brad, did that catch you by surprise? 

BRAD JOHNSON: Yeah. On the press conference, I think the question is, is it a show of force for ESAs. Or is it trying to bail out a sinking boat? I think it's probably the former. 

RUDY KOSKI: Karina, Posturing or Panicking here? 

KARINA KLING: Yeah, Rudy.  I don't know that there's been a legislative session that I have covered, that you have covered, since 2009, where there wasn't some kind of threat of a special session. So I guess posturing. 

ANNIE SPILMAN: If they're collectively going to tackle the water infrastructure, property tax, cybersecurity, ESA, teacher pay raise, I don't, it's going to be a really tough argument to bid for a special session for these extracurricular, you know, items. 

More Texas legislative discussions

Local perspective:

RUDY KOSKI: There were several interesting hearings that took place this week in Texas politics, one of the strangest happening in the House with the DOGE committee, the head of a Medicaid provider Superior Health Plan, admitting that his company has hired private investigators to gather information on lawmakers, reporters and even some policyholders. Thursday, the attorney general announced an investigation into the practice. Brad, this sure was an unexpected pop in this session. 

BRAD JOHNSON: There's going to be hell to pay on this. There already has been. The CEO has resigned, and I'm sure there's gonna be a lot more fallout to this.

RUDY KOSKI: Well, there were other big hearings that took place this week in Texas politics, with some familiar topics coming up tweaking the abortion law, modifying the red light camera ban to allow stop arm cameras on school buses. Legislation to rein in the governor regarding his veto power and what he can do during a crisis, and a bill to make Austin a district under state oversight, that bombed, literally bombed in committee, were shut down. Annie, what hearings caught your attention this week? 

ANNIE SPILMAN: The hearing on the bill that caught my eye this week was one that had to do with property owners' rights regarding evictions. We'll see if it makes its way through the House. And I think we'll still see a lot of news coverage on this. 

Sen. Cornyn runs for reelection

Local perspective:

RUDY KOSKI: Senator John Cornyn made it official. He is running for reelection. Cornyn was originally against Trump's return. He's gone full-core MAGA. Now, Brad, is the flipping by Cornyn getting any traction. 

BRAD JOHNSON: I think it's clear he's in for a fight regardless of who jumps in, whether it's Paxton or Wesley Hunt to Ronnie Jackson. Probably the most significant primary of at least his recent career. The question is who gets the Trump endorsement? 

Jasmine Crockett controversy with Greg Abbott

Local perspective:

RUDY KOSKI: Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett's hard-core act on Capitol Hill had a foot in the mouth moment this past weekend. At a speaking engagement, she mocked Governor Greg Abbott, who was paralyzed, calling him Governor Hot Wheels. Karina, I typically say all this will blow over. But her verbal hand grenades have really gotten pretty strong. Yeah, certainly this is going to play into her primary, and maybe then a general election run. 

KARINA KLING: It was an insensitive comment as Republicans are blasting her for. And we'll see kind of what they do to try and use it against her. But I don't know that she's in unsafe territory for reelection. We'll see moving forward.

Carol Keeton Strayhorn's death

Local perspective:

RUDY KOSKI: We lost one tough grandma this week, Carol Keeton Strayhorn passed away. The former Austin mayor, state comptroller, railroad commissioner and gubernatorial candidate was a powerful political player in the state of Texas. Annie, what is the business community saying about her accomplishments?

ANNIE SPILMAN: She was kind of the antithesis of a politician and really the epitome of an independent, tough watchdog. And so for business leaders across the state, it's the, you know, it's the ultimate loss. But it was one of those where when you talk to those that, you know, worked with her in the state, it's like, man, she was a pleasure to work with and one that will never be forgotten. 

This Week in Texas Politics wrap up

Local perspective:

RUDY KOSKI: You can see the full discussion that we've had on the Fox7 YouTube page and on Fox Local. But let's wrap things up with one word for the week, and we'll start off with Karina. What's your word for the week? 

KARINA KLING: Well, in honor of Carol Keeton Strayhorn, I'll say, Tough. 

BRAD JOHNSON: In honor of the Doge situation, I'll make up a word and go with, Insuperior. 

ANNIE SPILMAN: Well, I was going to say in honor of March and Texas politics, Madness. 

RUDY KOSKI: And that is This Week in Texas Politics. 

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