Daily Dispatch 1/8/24: Forecasting a Do Or Die Election Year In Texas, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Scott Braddock at Quorum Report predicts that retribution efforts by both Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, the fight to unseat Ted Cruz, the border and, most importantly, abortion rights will be central to this huge election year: https://news.yahoo.com/texas-politics-2024-biggest-stories-005524497.html ...While Governor Abbott is rebuked by the editorial board of the Houston Chronicle for his "devious plot" of busing and flying migrants into northern cities: https://www.newsweek.com/greg-abbott-accused-sowing-chaos-largest-texas-newspaper-1858450 ...And Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson calls Abbott's scheme "unconscionable, reckless, raggedy and evil-spirited": https://youtu.be/D9HhPqaSp_o?si=0jIZeDUjDPLtKTZb Abortion rights will be the most important issue for progressive candidates this year, as the experience of problem pregnancies becomes more and more horrific: https://msmagazine.com/2024/01/04/pro-life-health-mother-fetus-baby-miscarriage-crime/ Houston's new Mayor and City Controller map out their paths forward: https://abc13.com/this-week-in-texas-houston-politics-news-john-whitmire/14292760/ Texas turns down millions of dollars in federal assistance in feeding kids this summer - because we can't figure out how to manage the program: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/why-texas-turned-down-millions-for-child-hunger-assistance/ Republican candidates, accustomed to gullible voters, are having authenticity issues with Hispanic voters in Texas: https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2024-01-05/mayra-flores-social-media-controversy-highlights-discord-among-south-texas-republicans Services memorializing Texas icon Eddie Bernice Johnson begin today in Dallas: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/funeral-services-begin-for-former-congresswoman-eddie-bernice-johnson/ Thanks for listening! Please check out our web store and support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.