Texas Tribune TribCast

Texas Tribune TribCast

TribCast is a weekly political podcast hosted by Matthew Watkins and Eleanor Klibanoff, and featuring a rotating cast of editors, reporters and other guests. The TribCast is returning as a limited-run weekly series during the 2025 legislative session.

Episodes

Unpacking the constitutional amendments on the ballot

October 28, 2025 • 45 mins
Texas Politics Project’s Joshua Blank joins the TribCast to walk through the 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot this November
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The Hunt is on in the GOP Senate primary

October 21, 2025 • 38 mins
Matthew and Eleanor are joined by Tribune D.C. reporter Gabby Birenbaum and radio host Chad Hasty to unpack the three candidates vying to be the Republican nominee for Senate in 2026
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Is Robert Roberson innocent?

October 14, 2025 • 37 mins
In this week’s episode, the TribCast crew is joined by Tribune reporter Kayla Guo to break down the evidence in the Robert Roberson death penalty case.
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Texas' new congressional map goes to court

October 7, 2025 • 44 mins
In El Paso, a three-judge panel is hearing a legal challenge to Texas’ new congressional map. Eleanor and Matthew talk to voting rights expert Justin Levitt about the case.
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Will the Texas renewable energy powerhouse survive?

September 30, 2025 • 39 mins
This week, Matthew and Eleanor speak with Eric Goff, founder of an energy policy advising firm, about the growth of wind and solar power in Texas and whether it will continue after recent federal efforts targeting the industry.
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Texas' changing congressional delegation

September 23, 2025 • 36 mins
TribCast talks with Washington correspondent Gabby Birenbaum about how redistricting and retirements are set to reshape the state's representation in D.C.
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The Campus Free Speech Wars

September 16, 2025 • 35 mins
Free speech on college campuses has reemerged as a hot-button issue in the wake of a firing at Texas A&M and the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
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Texas is replacing the STAAR test

September 9, 2025 • 42 mins
In this week's episode, Matthew speaks with Tribune reporter Sneha Dey and the Commit Partnership's Bridget Worley about the changes to the state's standardized test, whether the new tests will make anyone happy and the educational philosophy driving state leaders.
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Sid Miller's THC entanglements

September 2, 2025 • 36 mins
In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor speak with Texas Tribune reporter Kate McGee about her recent investigative reporting into Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and his staff. Why did Miller hire a political aide for a top agency position after the aide pleaded guilty to commercial bribery? What did Miller's staff tell investigators about his growing of hemp?
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Is Texas protecting its campers from future floods?

August 26, 2025 • 36 mins
In this week's episode, Matthew and Eleanor talk to Texas Tribune climate reporter Emily Foxhall about the emotional pleas Camp Mystic parents made to state lawmakers and analyze the proposed new laws in response to the Kerrville floods.
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The Dems returned. What happens next?

August 19, 2025 • 38 mins
Texas Tribune politics reporters Kayla Guo and Renzo Downey join the TribCast to forecast what will happen in the second, extra-special special session, now that the Democrats have returned from their quorum break.
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Will 13 Democrats be expelled from the Texas House?

August 12, 2025 • 40 mins
For this week's episode, Matthew and Eleanor ask University of Houston law professor David Froomkin to help them break down the legal cases seeking to expel 13 Democrats from the Texas House. Does fleeing the state to break quorum equate to abandoning office?
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How long can Texas Democrats hold out?

August 5, 2025 • 33 mins
In this week's episode, Matthew and Eleanor speak with state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, about her and her colleagues' decison to flee the state, the potential financial and criminal penalties and her opposition to the state's proposed new congressional map. 
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What's next for the Republicans?

July 29, 2025 • 41 mins
We discuss how the Republican ticket is shaping up? Can you still view the primaries as establishment v. grassroots?
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What's next for the Democrats?

July 22, 2025 • 44 mins
We discuss how the Democratic ticket is shaping up in Texas. Will Beto, Allred, Talarico and Castro all run against each other? 
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Texas' redistricting gamble

July 15, 2025 • 47 mins
Matthew and Eleanor are joined by Kareem Crayton, from the Brennan Center for Justice, to look more closely at Texas' rare midcyle redistricting.
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Floods in the Hill Country

July 8, 2025 • 40 mins
In this week's episode, Matthew and Eleanor are joined by Matt Lanza, a meteorologist from Houston, to discuss the deadly Texas floods. How did they happen? Could people have been better warned? And what can keep this region safe in the future?
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A very unusual Supreme Court term

July 1, 2025 • 35 mins
The TribCast gang is finally reunited, and joined by Georgetown Law Professor Steve Vladeck to recap the big cases and unresolved questions from the U.S. Supreme Court's recent rulings.
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A special legislative session is coming

June 23, 2025 • 27 mins
This week, we run an emergency episode to discuss Gov. Greg Abbott vetoing Texas THC ban and calling a special session. Will redistricting end up on the agenda?
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TribCast Live: North Texas and the Legislative Session

June 18, 2025 • 46 mins
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