The Jonas Brothers Could Never Flip Texas

Chaos, redistricting and the upcoming progressive power trio.

A lot is happening right now, primarily the special session, which is scheduled to start on Monday, and we’ll address that. First, James Talarico was on the Joe Rogan Podcast today. Yes, actually.

I’ll save the political analysis, but it’s a good watch and ended with Rogan telling Talarico that he should run for president because he’s a good person. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, let’s get him in the US Senate or the Governor’s office first.

I had a chance to chat with Talarico earlier this week. No, he didn’t let me in on any insider information about the Senate or Governor’s race, but he said that he, Beto, and Joaquin Castro are all becoming good friends.

The three of them have another event scheduled together next week in Austin: Sign up for this event here.

They’ll also all be speaking at the LBJ-Obama Dinner in Denton in August.

In the next few days, we’ll see competing events from Allred and Talarico in DFW, both hosted by Blue Texas, which brings me to the following points I need to make.

Tarrant County is expected to be a key factor in the 2026 election. While there is plenty of time to show up there before then, a key special election in Fort Worth is scheduled for November. The Oligarchy Tour with Bernie visited Fort Worth, but I would also like to see Talarico make an appearance with Castro and Beto in Fort Worth soon.

Any statewide candidate, especially a progressive one, should be aware that special elections are taking place in Fort Worth and Houston, and should coordinate campaign events with local organizations to help increase turnout in November.

Allred’s rebrand.

Someone in Lubbock livestreamed Allred’s campaign event. Thank you for that. I wish more people would livestream political speeches, not just for the lookie-loos like me, but also for parents with toddlers who don’t want to be disruptive, for those who work odd hours, and for those who don’t have access to transportation. I think it’s part of what made Beto so successful, thousands of people who never saw him in person still got a chance to watch him online.

I was listening to what Allred was saying, and he’s been coached. His talking points and vocabulary are completely different this time around. He’s saying “working class,
instead of “middle class,” and he’s talking about financial struggles, instead of Trump. Does that mean he’s changed? Or does that mean he’s polished? Hard to tell. But he’s aiming more toward a populist message and reaching the working class.

Someone should ask him where he stands on universal healthcare when you get a chance. Let me know what he says. Then, we’ll know for sure.

But what about Talarico, Beto, and Castro?

The way I understand it is that they have an amazing, budding bromance that may become the best trio since the Jonas Brothers.

If only the Jonas Brothers could flip Texas, pass the Green New Deal, connect the grid to the rest of America, and unionize Whataburger….

But politically? That’s still up in the air. Are they coordinating? Testing the waters? Forming a dream team ticket? I don’t know yet. But I do know that if they are building something together, it could change everything.

And the looming special session on Monday.

I’ve had no less than five panic attacks over what’s going to happen next week, and I’m not even personally or professionally involved in it. If you’re one of the lucky Texans with a Democratic Representative, they may have held a town hall this week to explain the redistricting process and what to expect.

Did you know that the last time they broke quorum, they were bombarded with death threats? Each Democrat who broke quorum was sent dozens, if not hundreds, of death threats. It doesn’t surprise me, but I only learned about this this week.

There’s no consensus about whether they will break quorum or stay in the fight, but right now, everything is on the table. Many House Democrats have expressed their willingness to break quorum, but it’ll take 51, and they’ll have to agree to be gone for months. But as thin as the maps already are, it might be stupid for them to jump ship if the maps are going to fuck Republicans in the long run.

The House gavels in at noon on Monday, and Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu has a press conference scheduled for 3:00 pm.

Here’s what I’m being told.

🚨🚨 CALLING ALL TEXANS 🚨🚨 it’s all hands on deck to fight against redistricting. There’s an urgent action to be taken over the next week. We need to call ALL DEM reps in the state and tell them to stand firm. Here is a link to the long list, accompanied by a very short script.

Download this below, screenshot it, share it far and wide, AND show up:

On Thursday, August 7, the National Redistricting Foundation is holding a critical virtual event focused on civic empowerment and voter engagement in Texas. Sign up for that event here.

Texas Democrats have launched the Stop the Steal campaign. Check it out here.

What’s going to happen next week?

No one knows. That’s the honest answer. We’re staring down a special session with too many variables, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Will they break quorum? Will they hold the line? Will Republicans outsmart themselves into a glorious dummymander that backfires in 2026? We can only hope.

But here’s what we can do: be ready. Ready to show up, call, donate, support, and amplify. If our Democratic legislators decide to make the hard choice and walk out, to stay and fight, or something in between, they need to know we have their backs.

Whatever happens next week, don’t sit this one out. It’s Texas. Chaos is the baseline. Let’s turn it into something powerful.

• July 25: First day of special session

• August 23: Last day of special session

• November 4: Constitutional/TX18/SD09 Election

• Who Will Be On The 2026 State Ballot?

• Who Will Be On The 2026 Federal Ballot?

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

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