Second Reading Podcast

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Second Reading Podcast

Second Reading Podcast

237 episodes

4 weeks ago

Analysis of Texas Politics by Jim and Josh from the Texas Politics Project. Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.

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All content for Second Reading Podcast is the property of Second Reading Podcast and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Analysis of Texas Politics by Jim and Josh from the Texas Politics Project. Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin.

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Episodes (20/237)

Second Reading Podcast

Digging Up Public Opinion Nuggets from 2025 Texas Politics Project Polling

James Henson and Joshua Blank dig up some highlights from UT/Texas Politics Project polling in 2025 on subjects including property taxes, speech rights, views of the legislature, healthcare, vaccines, and more.

1 week ago

54 minutes 5 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Crockett and Cuellar Add New Twists to 2026

James Henson and Joshua Blank look at how Donald Trump’s pardon of Henry Cuellar, and Jasmine Crockett’s likely entrance in the race to replace John Cornyn, have complicated the 2026 election in Texas – and maybe the U.S.

2 weeks ago

52 minutes 28 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Texas Redistricting Blows Up (Again); the State of the Trump Coalition

James Henson & Joshua Blank consider the politics of the federal court decision throwing out the recently redrawn Texas Congressional map, and the MAGA crack-up trope.

4 weeks ago

54 minutes 14 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

The Abbott Campaign Announcement & the Uncertain Political Environment

James Henson & Joshua Blank talk about Gov. Abbott’s 2026 campaign kick-off, the public opinion context for property tax policy, and the still uncertain dynamics of the 2026 election.

1 month ago

52 minutes 7 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

New UT Polling and the Current Texas Landscape for the 2026 Election

The Texas Politics Project Poll team – Daron Shaw, James Henson, and Joshua Blank – discuss what their latest poll tells us about the current Texas landscape for the 2026 election.

1 month ago

59 minutes 33 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Assessing the State of the Constitutional Order in the U.S.

Comparative constitutional scholar Zachary Elkins joins James Henson to discuss these state of Constitutional features like the separation of powers and checks and balances during the norms-challenging Trump presidency.

1 month ago

53 minutes 47 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Gov. Abbott Sends the National Guard to Illinois and Wesley Hunt Formally Joins the U.S. Senate Race.

After catching up on the federal shutdown, James Henson and Joshua Blank look at the political dynamics around Gov. Greg Abbott’s fast deployment of Texas National Guard troops to Illinois at the order of President Trump, including a look at Texas attitudes toward Abbott’s response to Operation Jade Helm a decade ago.

2 months ago

43 minutes 41 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Shutdown politics and public opinion in Texas

James Henson and Joshua Blank dig into what Texas polling can tell us about the public opinion context for the government shutdown.

2 months ago

1 hour 44 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Persistent economic concerns hover over views of Trump in Texas and early polling on the U.S. Senate race

James Henson and Joshua Blank look at the arc of the President’s standing in Texas and how his ratings intersect persistent economic concerns in the state. Plus, they consider approaches to (very) early polling in the 2026 U.S. Senate race.

3 months ago

55 minutes 15 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

New Texas polling data on redistricting, marijuana, property taxes, and other legislative priorities

James Henson and Joshua Blank look at latest Texas Politics Project poll results on redistricting, marijuana, property taxes, and other priorities in the recently-concluded special legislative sessions – and share some historical data on Texans’ view of political violence.

3 months ago

57 minutes 13 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

A PAAT panel on the special session + a sneak peak at new Texas Politics Project polling data

Gromer Jeffers, Jr., Brad Johnson, Mark Jones, and Harvey Kronberg joined James Henson for a roundtable hosted by the Professional Advocacy Association of Texas on the second special session of the Texas Legislature – plus a sneak peak at new Texas Politics Project polling data on the same subject.

3 months ago

1 hour 11 minutes 46 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Change vs. more of the same in Texas

Ross Ramsey joins James Henson and Joshua Blank to assess to consider the nature and durability of changes in Texas politics and institutions evident during the 89th Texas Legislature, including the partisan hostility recently on display in the lege, the strengthening of the governor’s office, and the influence of national politics on Texas politics.

3 months ago

1 hour 5 minutes

Second Reading Podcast

Boundary Management in Texas

In the wake of Texas House Democrats return to the legislature and the passage of the hotly contested new Congressional map by the reconvened House, James Henson and Joshua Blank talk over some of the political and institutional implications of the mid-decade redistricting in Texas.

3 months ago

1 hour 45 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Timing is everything

James Henson and Joshua Blank discuss the uncertainty around Texas House Democrats’ quorum break over mid-decade redistricting, and what the ensuing politics reveal about Texas politics. While the podcast was being recorded, Democrats announced their intention to return to Texas “to take this fight to the courts.” So it goes. Note: in a rushed update, […]

4 months ago

1 hour 3 minutes 25 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

The tricky politics of agenda management as the Texas Legislature reluctantly returns for a special session

With adopting the new Congressional maps ordered by Donald Trump and response to the July 4 floods at the top of the agenda, James Henson and Joshua Blank talk about the politics of agenda management as the Texas Legislature prepares to return to the Capitol next week for a politically-fraught special session.

5 months ago

1 hour 34 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Texans weigh in on the 89th Texas Legislature in the June 2025 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll

In a webinar hosted June 26 by the Professional Advocacy Association of Texas, James Henson and Johsua Blank look at attitudes on issues and actors in the regular session of the 89th Texas Legislature in a special video edition of the podcast.

5 months ago

58 minutes 35 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Interpreting Trump’s Standing in Texas in the New UT/Texas Politics Project Poll

The UT/Texas Politics Project Poll team – James Henson, Joshua Blank, and Daron Shaw – look at the much-noted decline in President Trump’s job approval numbers in their June pol and how Trump’s standing intersects attitudes on the economy and immigration, as well as what can be read into the current positions of Senator John […]

5 months ago

1 hour 1 minute 10 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

No Rest for the Weary as Immigration & Redistricting Politics Shatter the Post-Session Calm

James Henson and Joshua Blank talk about how immigration protests, the Trump administration’s push for redistricting in Texas, and the short-lived in-state tuition lawsuit have disturbed the post session lull in the Lone Star State.

6 months ago

56 minutes 49 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

Another Texas Legislative Session is in the History Books

From ESA’s to property taxes to hurled hemp, James Henson and Joshua Blank take a day-after look at the 89th Texas Legislature and what lawmakers did and didn’t do over the last 140 days.

6 months ago

1 hour 10 minutes 2 seconds

Second Reading Podcast

#Txlege Vibe Check Ahead of a Busy Weekend at the Texas Capitol

James Henson and Joshua Blank talk about the progress made on major legislation this week and where the legislative leadership stands as the end of the regular session looms.

6 months ago

43 minutes 32 seconds