Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024:
Why is Trump getting involved in Texas House primaries?
Former President Donald Trump is backing four candidates running against Texas Republicans who voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton and rejected private school vouchers.
It’s uncommon for former presidents to weigh in on races at this level. What could Trump’s endorsements mean for Texas politics? Edward McKinley, reporter for the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News, joins the show with more.
In Travis County, a two-way contest for the Democratic nomination for district attorney
In-person early voting began Tuesday in the March 5 primaries. In Travis County, voters will decide between two Democratic candidates for district attorney. Daniel Betts is running unopposed in the Republican primary.
KUT’s Luz Moreno-Lozano and Andrew Weber caught up with the candidates.
Ken Paxton sues El Paso charity group that works to help migrants
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is working to close Annunciation House, a faith-based organization in El Paso that helps migrants.
Learn more in this update from the Standard:
Rio Grande Valley faces water shortages
Treaties between the U.S. and Mexico are supposed to ensure that folks in the Rio Grande Valley have uninterrupted access to water. But with Mexico way behind on its part of the deal, some observers are projecting significant shortages.
Luis Ribera, professor and director at the Center for North American Studies at Texas A&M University, joins the Standard with more.
What’s happening at the ‘anti-woke’ University of Austin?
A group of conservative scholars and activists made national headlines a few years back when they announced they were launching a school called the University of Austin.
This fall, the as-yet-accredited school opens its doors to its inaugural class, something Morgan O’Hanlon has been tracking for The New Republic. She joins the Standard with a look at her story, “Austin’s Anti-Woke University Is Living in Dreamland.”
When Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris appeared at the Armadillo World Headquarters
This week in Texas music history, the truckers and the kickers and the cowboy angels descended on an iconic Austin venue.
Jason Mellard with The Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University has the story.
Ballet Folklórico competition comes to North Texas
More than 400 students competed in the North Texas Ballet Folklórico contest last week, only the third time the contest has been held in person. Organizers hope to follow in the steps of mariachi by showing the need to add the traditional dance to official Texas University Interscholastic League competition.
Autumn Garrison, engagement director at the host AT&T Performing Arts Center, joins the Standard to talk about the colorful competition.
Tony Gonzales faces four GOP primary challengers for Congressional District 23
Texas District 23 covers over 800 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, and border security is the top issue there this primary season.
Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports four primary challengers are accusing Republican incumbent Tony Gonzales of not being tough enough on border protection.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
