Texas Tidbits: Your Vote Is Their Worst Nightmare

From school boards to the statehouse, the fight is already here.

Texas Tidbits is a collection of quick snapshots of the most interesting, outrageous, and important political stories across the Lone Star State. Each edition will feature several short stories highlighting the issues shaping Texas today.

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Your Ballot, Your Backyard

• Local and county elections are on May 3, 2025.

• Early voting begins on April 22, 2025.

• The last day to apply for a ballot by mail is April 22, 2025.

• The last day of early voting is April 29, 2025.

This is a crucial election. City councils decide how your streets are maintained, how your neighborhoods are zoned, and how public safety is handled. County commissioners oversee everything from local courts to disaster response. And school boards shape your kids’ curriculum and set the tone for how inclusive your community becomes.

Across the state, far-right Christian Nationalists are running for local office, hoping to chip away at public education, ban books, and bring culture war politics into classrooms and council chambers. They’re loud, well-funded, and organized.

But they’re not the majority. Not if the rest of us show up.

Do you have a plan? Have you looked up the candidates? Have you reminded your friends and family that the election is near? Do you know where your voting location is?

If we don’t show up, we’re handing them the keys to our communities.

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The GOP Civil War Marches On

Montana’s Republican Party made headlines this week by officially disowning nine of its own state senators for working with Democrats. Now, Texas Republican activists are salivating at the idea of doing the same thing here, and they’re already drawing up the purge lists.

In Facebook groups and Telegram chats, Texas conservatives are swapping screenshots and sharpening their pitchforks, targeting every Republican who dared to vote for Speaker Dustin Burrows. Some of them even called for expelling GOP members who dared to prioritize governing over grandstanding.

Abraham George, Chair of the Republican Party of Texas

It’s become a never-ending civil war inside the Texas GOP, with purity tests replacing policy and loyalty pledges replacing leadership. The result is a party that eats its own while the actual work of governing falls apart.

Meanwhile, today’s far-right talking point is even dumber than usual. Conservatives are circulating clips of Rep. Gene Wu at yesterday’s protest at the Capitol, claiming that he’s “actually the one in charge” of the Texas House. 🙄

Will they eventually collapse under the weight of their own paranoia?

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Sid Miller Can’t Keep His Story Straight

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has been making the media rounds this week, offering reassurances about President Trump’s newly imposed tariffs. Miller praised the tariffs as a “bold step toward ensuring that American farmers, ranchers, and producers are no longer subjected to unfair trade practices.” He downplayed concerns, stating that Texans “need to be independent” and that the state grows enough food for itself and “half of the world.”

Economic experts paint a more concerning picture. Analysts warn that the tariffs could lead to significant price increases on everyday items.

What’s most interesting about Miller’s statement on KHOU and then later on Spectrum News is that he said, “we grow enough food to feed ourselves and half the world.”

However, on March 22, less than two weeks ago, the official Texas Department of Agriculture social media account posted a video of Sid Miller complaining about an agricultural trade deficit, saying we import $50 billion more than we export.

So which is it, Sid?

If Texas is the breadbasket of the planet, why are we running a massive deficit? And if we’re so dependent on imports, how will tariffs not drive up prices across the board?

You can’t have it both ways. Either we’re self-sufficient (and you’ve been lying about the trade deficit) or deeply reliant on global trade (and you’re lying about how tariffs won’t hurt Texans). 🤔

Sid Miller also just launched his re-election campaign.

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Mayor John Whitmire’s Rough Week

It’s only April, and Houston Mayor John Whitmire is already deep in damage control mode.

First, screenshots leaked showing Whitmire as a special guest at a high-dollar fundraiser for none other than Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-TX02). Crenshaw has spent years bashing progressive policies, demonizing immigrants, and parroting MAGA talking points. So what’s Houston’s so-called Democratic mayor doing lending his name (and presence) to Crenshaw’s event?

Then came the news that a recall campaign is picking up steam. A new group, “Recall Houston,” is actively working to put Whitmire’s removal on the ballot, citing “incompetent leadership” and broken promises. They’ve got volunteers, lawyers, and a growing list of supporters who feel like Whitmire sold them a bill of goods.

And just when you thought the week couldn’t get worse, he’s now under fire for greenlighting the removal of Houston bike lanes. That is the complete opposite of what any Democrat should be doing in the face of a climate emergency. In a city desperately trying to become safer, greener, and more accessible, Whitmire is prioritizing cars over people. Transportation advocates, urban planners, and everyday Houstonians are furious, and rightly so.

The bottom line? If you elect a DINO, don’t be surprised when you get Republican policies.

Policy matters. Voting records matter. And right now, Whitmire’s record looks a whole lot redder than it should.

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Progressives To Allred: Thanks, But No Thanks

In North Texas, a new petition is making the rounds asking Rep. Colin Allred not to run for Senate again in 2026. The message? Texas needs a fighter, not a fundraiser.

The petition calls out several key failures from Allred’s 2024 campaign, including his centrist record, lack of connection to grassroots organizers, and failure to uplift down-ballot candidates. Instead of launching another uninspiring Senate bid, it asks Allred to focus on expanding Democratic infrastructure statewide, a job we desperately need someone to do.

Now, the usual crowd will respond with, “Let the voters decide.” But let’s not pretend the 2024 primary was a fair fight. Allred’s race was propped up by tens of millions in out-of-state money from blue-state donors who don’t understand Texas politics. Before Texas voters ever got a chance to scrutinize him, the airwaves were flooded with glossy, consultant-approved ads declaring him the chosen one.

And if you were hoping he might have learned something since then, I’ve got bad news. Last month, Allred was back in Collin County, speaking at events hosted by right-wing groups. That’s not evolution, that’s business as usual.

This is the message that went out to some Collin County Democrats:

HERE is the link to the event on this group’s website.

We’ve seen what happens when Democrats try to win by sounding like Republicans. We lose. Over and over again.

This moment in history demands a bold progressive who isn’t afraid to lead with values and fight for working people.

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Brian Harrison’s Big Math Moment

Only 29,999,991 more Texans to go.

Keep at it, Brian. You’re almost there.

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Texan Brooke Rollins Celebrates While the Market Crashes

In a now-viral clip, Trump’s Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins beams with pride next to a ticker showing the Dow plummeting 1,200 points. “We are really, really excited,” she says. “And very grateful for President Trump’s leadership.”

Girl… read the room.

While working families brace for higher prices and market instability, Rollins is busy clapping like it's a pep rally. For the record, she’s the daughter of Texas House Rep. Helen Kerwin (R-HD58), so unfortunately this kind of out-of-touch behavior seems to run in the family.

Texas is out here being embarrassed one clown at a time. Brooke is giving Sid Miller a run for his money.

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The chaos of Texas politics.

Whether it’s far-right ideologues trying to take over your school board, elected officials contradicting themselves on live TV, or Democrats cozying up to Republicans while pretending to be “pragmatic,” the stakes couldn’t be higher. This moment demands vigilance, clarity, and participation. Don’t let the noise distract you. The loudest voices aren’t always the majority, but they win when the rest of us stay home. So show up. Speak out. And don’t forget: Texas may be big, but change starts in your own backyard.

• April 22: Early Voting Begins

• April 29: Early Voting Ends

• May 3: Local and County Elections

• June 2: The 89th Legislative Session ends.

• June 3: The beginning of the 2026 election season.

• Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.

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