Gimme a "T" for Texas. And a lowercase "t" for turnout. You probably know the score already: for such a big state, Texas has a rather low level of voter participation. In recent cycles, there's been more participation in the general election than in previous years (for reasons that may be obvious). But when it comes to the primaries, huge decisions are made by a relatively tiny percentage of registered voters. As of this writing, with just a few days left in early voting, more than 95% of all registered Texas voters had yet to cast a primary ballot. That number may be especially pessimistic, given that it doesn't account for thousands of mail-in ballots … and even that has become more challenging due to changes in election rules recently passed by the legislature. But that hasn't stopped a political revolution of sorts from unfolding in South Texas: one led by Latinas. Jack Herrera reported on this for Texas Monthly and shared his observations with us in a conversation produced by the Texas Standard's own Kristen Cabrera. Herrera found Latinas are moving the Rio Grande Valley to the right, aided by GOP money and recent redistricting efforts. Latinas have long been a political force in South Texas – perhaps underestimated by those unfamiliar with the political terrain. But as Herrera notes, the implications come November could be felt far beyond the Valley. Then there are several Texas races grabbing the nation's attention as a test of schisms within the GOP itself. One of those races, for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, is emblematic of the kind of contest many will be looking to in order to gauge the lingering political power of Donald Trump (who has endorsed incumbent Sid Miller). We continue to track this important political season, while being especially mindful of the implications of global developments on Texas (think Ukraine), especially given the Lone Star State's role in energy. We're ramping up our coverage as that crisis develops and, in the meantime, we encourage you to get caught up on the news in this week's picks below and at TexasStandard.org. Until next week, we'll see you on the radio.

- David Brown

He has Trump’s endorsement. But could this election be Ag Commissioner Sid Miller’s last rodeo?

The Republican’s political scandals and confrontational relationships with lawmakers and industry groups have cost him support.

Artist André Ramos-Woodard’s work reclaims negative images of Blackness

Works in his ”Black SNAFU” series overlay stereotypical and hurtful images with contemporary ones to reclaim their power.

This enormous investment company is responding to Texas pressure over climate policies

BlackRock’s recent letter to Texas officials and trade groups reveals the asset management company is feeling pressure not to appear as though it is divesting in fossil fuels.

A Texas native shares his vision for the latest ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’

The new Netflix film picks up in real time, almost 50 years after the original.

Winter storm warning in effect for North Texas (KERA)
Georgetown amends fire code following deadly Ponderosa Pet Resort fire (KUT)
Harris County attorney says he’ll ignore Ken Paxton’s guidance that gender-affirming care is ‘child abuse’ (Houston Public Media)
Elizabeth Warren is the latest progressive heavyweight to stump for Cisneros, Casar (Texas Public Radio)

Hi! My name is Jerry Clayton. I’m a weekend host, reporter, feature writer and sometimes editor for Texas Public Radio in San Antonio. I came to TPR in the beginning of the pandemic, and previously was an on-demand air charter pilot. I grew up in Big Spring and have enjoyed a long 40+ year career in radio. I’ve lived all over the state but found that San Antonio is my true home. It has the best of everything (including the best food in the world!). My job allows me to do all the things I love: talk on the radio, meet interesting people and tell stories that capture the imagination. I love doing stories about science, nature, history and the fascinating people who live in this great state. Some of my favorites include the story of wild monkeys in south Texas, people who chase storms, the search for the battle of Medina, and most recently, a story about cave climbers working to clean old trash out of caves and sinkholes. I’m always looking for the next interesting story to tell. You can reach me at [email protected], or follow me on Twitter. Thanks for listening!

- Jerry Clayton
@jerryclayton

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