Texas Take

The mounting pressure finally caught up with now-former U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales. After other members of Congress moved to expel him for his affair with a staffer, the San Antonio Republican formally resigned, leaving people from San Antonio to El Paso with no representative in the House for the foreseeable future. San Antonio Express-News political reporter Bayliss Wagner joins host Jeremy Wallace to outline why Gonzales finally relented and what happens next to replace him. Plus, the NRA’s Justin Davis joins the program to explain how they are trying to win back members and why they opposed increased background checks on 18-year-olds after the Uvalde school shooting. Also, while Democrat James Talarico socks away huge money for his November Senate bid, the Republicans in the race continue to fight among themselves and burn GOP donor cash. Finally, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who has never been shy about his ambition to run for president again, is starting to show up outside of Texas in places like California and Iowa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scandal and declining membership have beset the National Rifle Association in recent years, but the group is still expecting 70,000 gun owners to descend on Houston starting Thursday for its annual convention. Justin Davis, Director of Public Affairs for the NRA, sat down with Texas Take Podcast host Jeremy Wallace to discuss how the organization is trying to win back members and what it's done to better watch how money is spent. For just the second time since 2015, President Donald Trump will be a no-show at the event. Davis also defends the NRA’s opposition to red flag laws and the gun safety measures passed in Congress after the Uvalde school shooting in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The THC industry is fighting back against new Texas regulations that threaten to put many of them out of business. Houston Chronicle reporter Isaac Yu joins host Jeremy Wallace to explain key parts of the new regulations, the industry's recent lawsuit and what will happen next. Also, they break down the latest way that Christian nationalism may be seeping into public schools. Later, the Austin American-Statesman’s John Mortiz joins the program to talk about how Texas Democrats are still paying for their attempts to stop the congressional redistricting plan and why U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw is calling out U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Finally, Republican National Committee chair Joe Gruters stops in to acknowledge the tough midterm elections ahead, but insists the party has a plan to defy recent electoral history. Why? "We have no other option. We have to win," he says. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The leader of the Republican National Committee knows he will have to defy history to defend President Donald Trump in Texas and beyond as Democrats vow to retake control of the U.S. House. In an exclusive interview with Texas Take host Jeremy Wallace, RNC chair Joe Gruters said he knows almost every president over the 150 years has lost seats in Congress during midterm elections. But the GOP has to overcome the odds in order to save Trump from an endless stream of investigations and impeachment hearings during his final two years in office. “We have no other option. We have to win,” Gruters said. A big part of that mission is Texas. With the GOP national convention scheduled for Houston in 2028 and a potential midterm convention in Dallas this year, Gruters has been in Texas a lot, preparing to fight Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico and other threats to Trump’s legacy up and down the ballot in the Lone Star State. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott just get snubbed by CPAC in their own backyard? Houston Chronicle reporter Benjamin Wermund joins this week's episode to explain why the crowd favored JD Vance and Marco Rubio over either. Plus with gas prices climbing, Trump voters may be paying more at the pump. In Midland and Odessa, people are pay much more for a gallon of gas than those in Houston, Dallas or Austin - all places Kamala Harris carried in 2024. And host Jeremy Wallace has seen far too many Godzilla movies. He explains why a congressional hearing about deep-sea mining operations of the Gulf Coast has him worried about what lurks beneath the waves. Finally State Sen. Nathan Johnson joins the program for an exclusive one-on-one to talk about his campaign for attorney general, his double life writing music for Dragon Ball Z and his concern over the calcification of power in the governor's office that he says would have alarmed the framers of the Texas Constitution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, are worlds apart politically, but this week both were in the Lone Star State on a similar mission: win over Texans who could become critical if they both run for the White House in 2028. Gallego sits down with host Jeremy Wallace for an exclusive interview in San Antonio, where he says his message is as simple as can be: “no stupid wars, focus on the homeland.” His target audience in the Alamo City was clear: Latinos and veterans. Plus, University of Houston political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus explains that it’s not just Texas BBQ bringing would-be presidential candidates to Texas. He explains why the state is such a proving ground for candidates of both parties. Also, Austin American-Statesman political reporter John Moritz drops in to relay what Democrat James Talarico said in response to a Tennessee pastor who called for God to kill him. All that, plus Conroe’s Parker McCollum, shows how a Houston rodeo concert is supposed to end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The longer President Donald Trump drags out his endorsement of either Sen. John Cornyn or Ken Paxton, the more it is costing GOP donors as the two Senate combatants continue to throw money at each other instead of turning their attention to Democrat James Talarico. Host Jeremy Wallace breaks down the latest in the drama to court Trump’s political love. Plus, what exactly did James Talarico say about veganism that has Republicans vowing to defend BBQ? Finally, Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Greg Casar force their way onto the show by verbally sparring in the pickup line at the airport – all in front of Wallace. The reason? Who is to blame for long TSA lines at airports around the nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Texas shattered voting turnout records in a wild primary season that saw James Talarico defeat Jasmine Crockett, and Sen. John Cornyn pushed into a runoff election with Ken Paxton. Gromer Jeffers of the Dallas Morning News and John Moritz of the Austin American-Statesman join host Jeremy Wallace to break down all the results including hot races for Congress, the Texas Legislature and statewide offices. Plus, Bayliss Wagner of the San Antonio Express-News joins with the latest on U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose career in Congress will be coming to an end after he confirmed that he had an affair with a staffer who later died after setting herself on fire. Finally, Wallace looks at how President Donald Trump used a stop in Corpus Christi to tout gas prices being down 10 cents, only to see them shoot up 20 cents days later after he ordered the attack on Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Months of ads, rallies and campaign travel have brought us to this. On Tuesday, Texas will know whether Jasmine Crockett or James Talarico will be the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. And on the Republican side, will U.S. Sen. John Cornyn survive the toughest GOP primary of his career against Ken Paxton and Wesley Hunt? John Moritz of the Austin American-Statesman joins host Jeremy Wallace to break down the closing arguments of all the top candidates and look at the record pace of early voting, with shocking turnout numbers in Harris, Bexar and Collin counties, to name a few. Plus, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales is vowing never to resign despite new evidence related to an affair he had with a congressional aide who killed herself last year. Finally, President Donald Trump heads to Corpus Christi to tout the economy despite continued criticism that he hasn't done enough to address affordability in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico got a sudden boost from Stephen Colbert in his Democratic primary battle against Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. New evidence has emerged related to an alleged affair U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales had, which has changed his re-election prospects. And did Wesley Hunt vote for President Donald Trump in 2016 or not? John Moritz of the Austin American-Statesman, Bayliss Wagner of the San Antonio Express-News and James Osborne of the Houston Chronicle all join host Jeremy Wallace to break it down. Plus, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and his GOP primary opponent Nate Sheets both drop by to jab at each other, talk about their showdown and explain how they plan to manage the future of THC and hemp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the start of in-person early voting in Texas about to get underway, attack ads are filling up television sets around the Lone Star State. Host Jeremy Wallace breaks down some of the hottest primary races in Texas and plays a ton of attack ads from various races to show just how intense things have gotten. Can Mayes Middleton catch Chip Roy in the race to replace Ken Paxton as Attorney General? Is Don Huffines about to defeat Gov. Greg Abbott's preferred choice for the state's top accountant job? The Houston Chronicle's Isaac Yu joins the program to explain why so much is at stake for Abbott in the that race. Plus, San Antonio Express News reporter Bayliss Wagner stops in to talk about the proxy war in San Antonio that has the most vicious ads in the state filling the airwaves of the Alamo City. And Drew Landry, who teaches government at South Plains College in Lubbock, joins to break down the most wide-open GOP primary for Congress playing out in West Texas. Finally, could the only Latina ever to represent Houston on Capitol Hill be in jeopardy on March 3? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A North Texas shocker has turned Lone Star State politics on its ear. Host Jeremy Wallace and the Austin American-Statesman’s John Moritz explain the wide ramifications of Democrat Taylor Rehmet’s victory from a truly Texas perspective. President Donald Trump quickly distanced himself from the debacle. Plus, the newest member of Congress wasted no time reporting for duty after a dominating win in a Houston runoff battle, and it’s already messing with House Speaker Mike Johnson’s math. In San Antonio, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro takes us behind the scenes of his late-night drive to a detention facility to personally escort 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father to freedom in Minnesota. Finally, you’ll hear exclusive audio from U.S. Reps Greg Casar and Jasmine Crockett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Texas congressional members are demanding that the Trump administration release a 5-year-old Minnesota boy and his father from a detention camp near San Antonio. Host Jeremy Wallace meets up with U.S. Reps Jasmine Crockett and Joaquin Castro, who talk about visiting the boy and his father this week in Dilley, Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott is among the Republicans suggesting that it may be time for the White House to “recalibrate” its mission as tensions boil over in Minnesota and beyond. Plus, reporter John Moritz of the Austin American-Statesman joins the program to help break down the first debate between Crockett and James Talarico. In addition, Wallace hits Houston's 18th Congressional District, where Amanda Edwards and Christian Menefee are making their final push to win that seat on Jan. 31. Finally, Houston Chronicle columnist Joy Sewing drops by to make sense of why U.S. Rep. Al Green is so upset with what she wrote recently. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recorded live at Stubb’s in Austin, Texas Take host Jeremy Wallace sits down with Beto O’Rourke for a conversation about why he chose not to run for office this cycle and what he’s doing instead. O’Rourke talks about his work with Powered by People, efforts to register and turn out new voters across Texas, and why down-ballot races matter as much as marquee contests. The discussion also touches on Democratic primary dynamics where O'Rourke weighs in on the race between Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico, voter suppression, the stakes of the 2026 midterms, and the unexpected parallels between grassroots politics and punk rock, drawing on O’Rourke’s time as a musician. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn joins host Jeremy Wallace to talk about his campaign and what President Donald Trump told him about a potential endorsement for the U.S. Senate. Plus, a week after podcaster Shawn Ryan said he was disinviting Rep. Dan Crenshaw on his show, the Houston Republican drops in to respond to Ryan. Finally, San Antonio Express-News reporter Bayliss Wagner jumps aboard to help break down how the military action in Venezuela affects Texas oil and the border, and how Democrats are struggling to present a coherent response. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw sits down for an interview with host Jeremy Wallace to discuss why he supported President Donald Trump’s actions in Venezuela, but why he doesn’t believe U.S. soldiers will be needed on the ground there. The Houston Congressman is a member of the House Intelligence Committee and partly grew up in neighboring Colombia when Venezuela was a prosperous tourist destination. Also, Crenshaw responds to popular conservative podcaster Shawn Ryan, a fellow Navy SEAL, who has gone somewhat viral for accusing Crenshaw of threatening him - a charge Crenshaw calls bogus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who made the biggest splash in Texas politics in 2025? And who saw their fortunes take a turn for the worse? In this week’s end-of-year episode, host Jeremy Wallace channels the legendary Casey Kasem to count down the 7 politicians who saw their political stocks climb the most and those who saw theirs tumble. Which lists did Greg Abbott, Ted Cruz, John Cornyn and Jasmine Crockett end up on? Plus, reporters Taylor Goldenstein and John Moritz join the program to break down the biggest stories of the week. Finally, you’ll hear a tribute to some big names in Texas politics that the state lost in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The future of THC in Texas is once again in jeopardy. Reporters Isaac Yu of the Houston Chronicle and John Moritz of the Austin American-Statesman join host Jeremy Wallace to dig into how the industry is bracing for a new effort to destroy their businesses. Plus, what impact will U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett have on the U.S. Senate race if the outspoken Democrat jumps in, as expected. Finally, U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia stops by the program to vent about how nothing has happened a year after President Donald Trump said he wanted to work with Democrats to help ‘dreamers.” The Houston Democrat says the White House has done little to help advance her legislation that would protect tens of thousands of people in Texas brought to the country as children from being deported. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What looked like Gov. Greg Abbott’s gift to President Donald Trump may turn out to be a nightmare for the White House. A court this week put Abbott's plan to eke out five new GOP congressional seats in jeopardy, thanks largely to one big misstep by the governor himself. San Antonio Express-News reporter Bayliss Wagner joins host Jeremy Wallace to explain the problem and show how, instead of boosting Republicans' chances in next year's midterms, the redistricting push could wind up making it easier for Democrats to regain the House majority. Plus, U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, joins the program to give her take on what just happened and why the federal judges who stopped the redistricting plan were right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices