Daily Dispatch 2/26/24: Paxton Meddling With Court That May Decide His Fate, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Early voting primary turnout still skews 2-1 Republican - and over 80% voters over 50 on both sides: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/columns/2024/02/25/texas-primary-election-young-voters-voices-older-the-voter-the-louder-the-voice/72684410007/ Ken Paxton's crusade against three Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judges isn't just about his desire to prosecute election fraud cases - it's also about the court that's likely to finally decide his own felony securities fraud case: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/podcasts/texas-take/ ...Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is bullish that Governor Abbott's crusade against anti-voucher GOP lawmakers will be successful: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/texas-school-voucher-dan-patrick-lieutenant-governor-thinks-pro-voucher-republicans-will-win-texas/287-622cd1df-ad72-4cc7-8a69-b0def2a004a5 ...And State Board of Education races threaten to drag that body further to the right, just in time for important social studies decisions: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/elections/state/2024/02/25/texas-primary-election-state-board-of-education-races-to-watch-district-10-11-12/72682107007/ Governor Abbott admits he knows little about in-vitro fertilization, even as that procedure is threatened by his own abortion bans: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/abbott-texas-ivf-1234975280/ ...The Governor also won't pledge to protect IVF in Texas: https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/25/politics/texas-ivf-alabama-law-abbott/index.html ...While GOP candidates are doing all they can to avoid talking about abortion: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/abortion-republicans-primaries-18651768.php ...And Jim Hightower draws a parallel between anti-abortion "extraterritoriality" in Texas to laws designed to protect slavery: https://www.juancole.com/2024/02/abortion-extremists-slavery.html Progress for renewable energy in Texas as huge amounts of battery storage are set to come online this year: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/energy-storage/texas-will-add-more-grid-batteries-than-any-other-state-in-2024 We congratulate Salem United Methodist Church in Orange, one of the largest Black churches in Southeast Texas, as they mark their 159th anniversary: https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/one-of-southeast-texas-oldest-black-churches-celebrates-159-anniversary/502-88e0f240-dbb1-4095-b9a7-d0e4168a98fb We celebrate Black History Month throughout February! Progress Texas has a full schedule of events to follow: ⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/blog/celebrating-african-american-arts-and-artisans-black-history-month⁠⁠ Thanks for listening! Progress Texas is seeking to add 29 new recurring donors during our February membership drive - we'd appreciate the support: ⁠⁠https://progresstexas.org/donate