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Today’s Stories
DAN PATRICK vows to take on the NCAA over its embrace of transgender lunacy.
While long overdue, this is highly welcome. The NCAA has been a bad actor on this issue for many years.
Patrick wants to expand the (largely symbolic) “Save Women’s Sports” act, passed in 2021, to the collegiate level. The 2021 act codified the current high school (and lower) policy.
Patrick’s vow follows the saga over William “Lia” Thomas, a male swimmer for Penn who recently won national recognition as a “female” swimmer. Little known fact: Thomas is a graduate of Westlake High School outside Austin.
While we’re on the subject of little-noticed Texas angles on the William/”Lia” Thomas story, notice the color of the jersey worn by the third-place finisher in the photo below (the one in the Cowboy hat, Longhorn Erika Sullivan.).
(Related: Sullivan makes program history in the same race.)
It’s the perfect jurisdictional point of entry for any Texas politician who wants to take it.
Patrick will, of course, be opposed by Dade Phelan. In the past, House leadership has been able to kill these sorts of protections. While 2023 is (obviously) TBD, the current political climate in house runoffs suggests that killing this legislation will be politically painful.
Patrick ought to refuse to confirm university regents until his higher ed priorities are signed into law. The NCAA proposal discussed here and tenure abolition (introduced last month).
Perhaps more noteworthy, based on the report linked above, Patrick appears to be back on speaking terms with Texas Scorecard. The relationship had soured mainly following the Dennis Bonnen drama of 2019. (AC)
BRISCOE CAIN is being accused of defamation by the Abortion industry.
Odds are about 90% that this is a good thing, and Cain deserves credit. Because it’s Cain, however, there’s a real possibility he made a sloppy mistake.
Cain’s attempt to carry landmark election integrity legislation during the 2021 regular session was widely ridiculed. The legislation ultimately passed during a special session after Cain took the bill away.
Cain means well, but his immaturity and inattention to detail frequently beget negative consequences. Time will tell if this is one. (AC)
GREG ABBOTT makes Texas House runoff endorsements. Lots of go-along/get-along types.
Historically, Abbott’s ability to impact Texas House races has been minimal. In 2018, State Reps Sarah Davis and Lyle Larson survived primary challenges from Abbott-backed opponents. In 2020, incumbent state reps J.D. Sheffield and Dan Flynn lost despite Abbott's endorsements.
Keep an eye on House District 73, where Abbott endorsed former New Braunfels, Mayor Barron Casteel. A source once told us Casteel was “to the left of Joe Straus.” Casteel’s opponent, Carrie Isaac, is the wife of former State Rep Jason Isaac.
This could have the long-term effect of making Isaac, should she win her runoff, much more independent-minded. This is similar to a phenomenon first observed with Ellen Troxclair. (AC)
MEDICAID HOSTAGE TAKING is an example of Republican failure during the Trump era.
The Biden administration has granted Texas (another) one-year waiver over various aspects of the state program that are not compliant with federal law. While presidents of both parties have granted these waivers, when Democrats hold the White House, they use it as leverage.
This became evident following the passage of Obamacare in 2010. During the remainder of its namesake’s presidency, his administration attempted to use this waiver to force Medicaid expansion. Now that Mr. Obama’s vice president has the top job, he’s picking up where his boss left off.
The difference, of course, is that we had a Republican president for four years between Obama and Biden. Furthermore, for the first two years of that Republican presidency, the GOP also held both houses of Congress. This is in addition to controlling Texas this entire time.
Sure would have been nice if they’d done something about Medicaid.
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