The Texas Dispatch

Texas has experienced extraordinary economic growth over the past 25 years, but are Texans actually feeling the benefits? @JohnHryhorchuk , Senior Vice President of @AdvocacyPolicy at Texas 2036, returns to Texas Talks with @bradswail to discuss the organization's latest statewide polling, the issues motivating Texas voters, and the policy challenges facing lawmakers ahead of the 2027 legislative session. Despite decades of economic expansion, Texas 2036's polling reveals a growing disconnect between the state's economic success and how residents feel about their own lives. Only 52% of surveyed voters believe they have personally benefited from Texas's growth, while 67.7% say they are extremely or very concerned about the future. John explains what these findings reveal about affordability, economic opportunity, and voters' confidence in their ability to control their own futures. He also examines the surprising areas of agreement between Republicans and Democrats, particularly on education, health care, and infrastructure. Education emerges as one of the strongest priorities in the polling, with voters emphasizing the importance of children reading and performing math at grade level. The conversation explores why education has risen in importance, how attitudes toward border security have shifted, and what these changes could mean for the next legislative session. Health care affordability is another major concern. John discusses widespread dissatisfaction with the current system, growing support for price transparency and oversight of health care consolidation, and the rising insurance costs facing Texas teachers. The discussion then turns to water, electricity, and the rapid expansion of data centers across Texas. While data centers receive significant public attention, Texas 2036's polling suggests voters are more strongly motivated by broader concerns about affordable electricity, reliable water infrastructure, and everyday quality of life. Brad and John also explore how Texas government agencies can better coordinate their data to improve services, evaluate education and workforce outcomes, and help policymakers respond more quickly to changing economic conditions. Finally, they examine the growing influence of artificial intelligence in classrooms and the workforce, the importance of career and technical education, and the challenges of preparing students for jobs that may look very different in the years ahead. As Texas approaches its bicentennial in 2036, the conversation raises a fundamental question: Can the state translate its remarkable economic growth into a better quality of life for all Texans? Join Brad Swail and John Hryhorchuk on Texas Talks for a data-driven discussion about the future of Texas and the decisions facing its elected leaders.

New here from this one? We cover the 99% of Texas policy that never makes the headlines. Get the latest in your inbox. buff.ly/WOQ9q8X Watch or listen to the episode on your preferred platform. Spotify: buff.ly/IIsNf7H Apple Podcast: buff.ly/8C01lcX Youtube: buff.ly/Vn4hAW0

Duck season housekeeping from TPWD: giant salvinia and zebra mussels ride on boats and decoys. Clean, drain, dry between lakes. thetexasdispatch.com/tpwd-wa…

The governor's office says HHSC plans to award $87 million in Rural Texas Strong grants to 129 rural health providers. The list, and how many contracts are signed. thetexasdispatch.com/governo…

$1.73 million, 689 workers, four grants: the latest Skills Development Fund awards for Houston and the Rio Grande Valley. thetexasdispatch.com/governo…

Nearly 12,000 Texas doctors must renew their licenses by Nov. 30. About one in five had not opened the account the state now requires to do it, board staff said Oct. 23. thetexasdispatch.com/texas-m…

Nearly 12,000 Texas doctors must renew their licenses by Nov. 30. About one in five had not opened the account the state now requires to do it, board staff said Oct. 23. thetexasdispatch.com/texas-m…

Texas licensing commissioners refused two applicants Wednesday who had finished rehab, seven minutes apart. The stated reason both times: not enough time since the crime. thetexasdispatch.com/commiss…

Gov. Abbott declared a state disaster for El Paso County after heavy rain and flash flooding, opening state resources for response and recovery. thetexasdispatch.com/governo…

New rule at the Comptroller's office: a financial tie to a convicted human trafficker now disqualifies an entity from state contracts and grants. What the order covers. thetexasdispatch.com/comptro…

The Comptroller launched the first phase of its Taxpayer First Project: a webpage tracking Education Freedom Accounts spending, with a fuller dashboard promised. thetexasdispatch.com/comptro…

The Attorney General's Office sued the Harris County Clerk and its communications director, alleging get-out-the-vote ads were targeted by race and ethnicity. What the petition says. thetexasdispatch.com/attorne…

PUC staff filed a 172-page draft contract for every large data center that wants onto the Texas grid. Cash security up front, water use reported, backup generators disclosed. thetexasdispatch.com/texas-d…

One state meeting today: Texas Historical Commission, El Paso, 8:30 AM — whether Houston's shuttered 1940 Air Terminal Museum becomes a state historic site. Previews: thetexasdispatch.com/texas-h…

October 30, 1984: Five East Texas Wilderness Areas Gain Protection history.thetexasdispatch.com

Born on this day in 1911: Narciso Martínez, “El Huracán del Valle.” The Rio Grande Valley accordionist is called the father of conjunto, the sound that shaped Tejano music. buff.ly/5OSYNWh

Is the Texas Data Center Queue a Bubble? Expert Explains the Numbers Dr. Joshua Rhodes breaks down the massive ERCOT large-load interconnection queue and why the biggest headline numbers (400+ GW) are unrealistic. He covers the jump from recent peak demand growth to speculative forecasts, how unsigned load requests flooded the system after AI took off, the old ad-hoc process that couldn’t handle the volume, and why only 20–30% of projects in the generation queue historically get built. A clear explanation of the gap between requested data center load and what the Texas grid can actually support. @bradswail @joshdr83 @TXTalksPodcast #ERCOT #DataCenters #AI #TexasGrid #EnergyPolicy

The Texas Civil Commitment Office, which supervises repeat sex offenders after prison, faces a state Sunset review in December. Its board meets Friday in Austin. Public comments go through the Sunset Commission’s website. @TX_Sunset @TXsecofstate @GregAbbott buff.ly/ebgdVge

A gas tax pause cuts prices for everyone about equally, but fuel costs hit lower-income families hardest. In Georgia, the pause offset only about 28% of this year’s price spike, per a Dallas Fed working paper. What would a pause mean for Texas? @GregAbbott @txcomptroller @DallasFed @TexasTribune @govkemp @GovBraun @BudgetModel @cbsnewsatl buff.ly/mUQByM0

Who should decide whether a data center is built in your community: the state, the county, or the people who live there? Texas leaders are signaling possible changes, but nothing is locked in. The Legislature convenes Jan. 12, 2027. @GregAbbott @DanPatrick @TexasTribune @KUT @FOX4 @cityoflubbock @TexasHouse buff.ly/zX5mGso