(C) Texas Tribune This story was originally published by Texas Tribune and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Blast: Abbott rallies the troops [1] [] Date: 2024-03 Mar 20, 2024 | View in browser By Renzo Downey and The Texas Tribune Politics Team 45 days until the SD-15 special election and uniform election day, 69 days until the primary runoff THE THRESHOLD OF SUCCESS Today, The Blast spent the day at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Policy Summit, which should provide some juicy insights into the year past and the year ahead. As you may have seen, The Blast’s lead writer wrote a story for the site exploring Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest call to arms on school vouchers, which the governor squeezed into the end of his opening keynote speech. “This is the last big push to get across the finish line,” Abbott said. “If ever there was a time when a public policy organization was going to go all in to make sure that one of its foremost important policies is going to get passed, this is that time.” Abbott’s count is the same as The Blast’s. The pro-voucher side is two votes away from a majority in the Texas House. However, that assumes there’s no surprises in the general election that flips any seats, and Democrats have already identified a couple targets. “What every head coach knows, they don’t want to have to rely on their field goal kicker to win the football game,” Abbott said. The Blast is only a casual 49ers fan, but even The Blast remembers the blocked extra point in this year’s Super Bowl. “We don’t want to rely upon a field goal kicker,” Abbott continued. “We want to make sure that, when these runoffs are over at the end of May, that we are ahead by more than two points, or three points or four points.” After TPPF did so much work with Abbott in 2023 to rally parents and activists, Abbott rallied the organization to help get him over the 50% threshold. “This is not a time for you to sit on the sidelines and applaud the success that we’ve achieved,” Abbott said. “This is a time when all of us must come together, redouble our efforts knowing that the final vote count is going to be determined by what happens in just two months from now.” Earlier in his speech Abbott shouted out Helen Kerwin, a pro-voucher challenger backed by Abbott in her race against state Rep. DeWayne Burns who will go to a runoff. Other Abbott-backed candidates also attended Day 1 of the conference, including Rep.-presumptives Hillary Hickland, who ousted state Rep. Hugh Shine; Pat Curry, who will likely succeed pro-voucher state Rep. Doc Anderson; and Caroline Fairly, who will likely succeed anti-voucher state Rep. Four Price. To highlight some other notables — after the speech, Abbott helped TPPF present its annual employee recognition award to Mandy Drogin, the director of TPPF’s education campaign. She stood alongside Abbott at their shared “parent empowerment” rallies last year. The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. HIDDEN AD THE BRISCOE CAIN SHOW Things stayed spicy at an education panel after Abbott’s speech that, in some ways, became the Briscoe Cain show. Cain, a Republican state representative from Deer Park, went after the teachers unions and anti-voucher House Republicans. “I hope every one of the people that win that runoff are pro-school choice, and if you’re supported by a teacher union, I don’t want you back,” Cain said. “It’s that easy.” Cain said the unions overplayed their hands on education issues, and said he’s tired of “playing nice” on negotiating for anything other than “full universal” vouchers. He joked about the day when the House voted in favor of the amendment by retiring state Rep. John Raney that removed education savings accounts from a wide-ranging education bill. Retelling the story, he said the anti-voucher Republicans were “really haughty,” had egos and didn’t want to answer questions. “Raney, golly, we wanted to go after him and he backed away from the microphone,” Cain said. “I was like, ‘get him back over here. I want to eat him right now.’ And he wouldn’t come back and debate. That really ticked me off, and now he’s gone and we can’t do that to him.” Cain also suggested “mad Brad” should carry the bill next year, referring to how his fellow panelist, House Public Education Committee Chair Brad Buckley, got worked up in defending his bill. And when the panel fielded a question from the audience — from the aforementioned pro-voucher Helen Kerwin — Buckley and Cain both jumped at the opportunity to answer what they would say to those who think vouchers would impact the quality of education. Buckley yielded to Cain. “It’s odd that they’re admitting that kids are going to leave. Like, they’re aware that children are like — ‘yes, kids are going to leave this system, absolutely, because it doesn’t work for every child.’ Why are they opposed to that? They’re admitting that they realize that they have a problem. And, is it going to destroy the system? I think so. And destroying the current system is not a bad thing. It needs to be broken.” ABBOTT, CFG AND AFC VICTORY FUND’S UNITED FRONT Gov. Greg Abbott, Club for Growth and the American Federation of Children Victory Fund announced today that they’ve raised a combined eight figures to take on anti-voucher Republicans in the Texas House runoffs. “We are proud that AFC Victory Fund and Governor Abbott’s team are allies in our united goal to win these runoffs in Texas and remove these so-called ‘republicans’ from office,” Club for Growth Action President David McIntosh said in a statement, shared in a joint news release. An old friend of The Blast, Patrick Svitek, tweeted that Club for Growth said it will target state Reps. DeWayne Burns, Justin Holland, John Kuempel and Gary VanDeaver — plus Speaker Dade Phelan. That’s what Club for Growth’s spokesperson told Svitek. I’m not sure how “united” the three pro-voucher musketeers may be about that target list, as Abbott shared the stage yesterday with Phelan for a CHIPS-related announcement. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who made the unprecedented move to endorse against Phelan, conveniently had “another obligation” conflicting with yesterday’s event. Abbott didn’t take media questions yesterday, or at either of his two appearances today. But Phelan stuck around the event yesterday and addressed Patrick’s endorsement. Meanwhile, Abbott had hit the road to campaign against Holland. “The Big 3, typically we stay out of each other’s races,” Phelan told reporters. “The lieutenant governor decided not to follow that tradition. He crossed that Rubicon, and that’s his issue going forward.” The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. HIDDEN AD BLACKROCK DOWN BlackRock’s attempt to foster goodwill with Texas officials looks like it was too little too late. Yesterday, Aaron Kinsey, chair of the State Board of Education, announced that the Texas Permanent School Fund pulled $8.5 billion in assets from its contract with the investment firm to ensure compliance with Texas law addressing ESG, or “environmental, social and governance.” “BlackRock’s dominant and persistent leadership in the ESG movement immeasurably damages our state’s oil & gas economy and the very companies that generate revenues for our PSF,” Kinsey said in a statement. “BlackRock’s destructive approach toward the energy companies that this state and our world depend on is incompatible with our fiduciary duty to Texans.” The decision comes not even two months after BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick shared the stage at the Texas Power Grid Investment Summit in Houston, part of an olive branch that suggested the relationship between BlackRock and Texas may be improving. On a related “diversity, equity and inclusion” note, and during the Texas Public Policy Foundation keynote today, Gov. Greg Abbott declared that Texas is monitoring how universities are complying — or not complying — with the state’s “ban” on DEI. He said the 2025 session will feature more legislation to clean up the ways universities are skirting the ban. HIDDEN IMAGE Gov. Greg Abbott commented on the legal ping pong going on with Senate Bill 4 during his speech at the Texas Policy Summit, likening it to a tennis match. commented on the legal ping pong going on with Senate Bill 4 during his speech at the Texas Policy Summit, likening it to a tennis match. U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz , R-Texas, and Tim Kaine , D-Virginia, are filing the Strengthening Tracking of Poisonous Tranq Requiring Analyzed National Quantification Act, which they are abbreviating as the “STOP TRANQ Act.” The act would require the State Department to include reporting on xylazine, or “tranq,” in its annual report on narcotics in the international drug trade. , R-Texas, and , D-Virginia, are filing the Strengthening Tracking of Poisonous Tranq Requiring Analyzed National Quantification Act, which they are abbreviating as the “STOP TRANQ Act.” The act would require the State Department to include reporting on xylazine, or “tranq,” in its annual report on narcotics in the international drug trade. Congratulations to The Texas Tribune’s Kate McGee Balagia and her husband, Michael Balagia, who recently welcomed their son, Emmett, to the world. New date: Join us in downtown Austin or online Tuesday, April 16, for “How new laws are affecting public education” Much of the debate around education in the Texas Legislature last year centered on legislation that would allow families to use public dollars to send their children to private schools. But state lawmakers also debated other public education issues, and key legislation was passed to address some of the gaps in academic achievement in the wake of disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. RSVP today! As we approach the end of the school year, we’ll take a look at what has helped Texas children catch up with their studies and the lingering challenges they face. We’ll also discuss the impact of new laws — like investments in high-quality instructional materials, targeted tutoring for struggling students and accelerating advancement in math — and what else the state can do to help Texas students. HIDDEN IMAGE President Joe Biden is in Texas for his third swing through the Lone Star State as president, his second in the last three weeks. He is attending fundraising events in Dallas and Houston. is in Texas for his third swing through the Lone Star State as president, his second in the last three weeks. He is attending fundraising events in Dallas and Houston. Gov. Greg Abbott will receive the 2024 Texan of the Year Award at the Legislative Conference tomorrow evening in New Braunfels. Texas Policy Summit Tomorrow at the Texas Policy Summit, The Blast plans to attend the keynote breakfast on 2024 polling, the panel on Texas vs. D.C., Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick ’s keynote lunch and more. ’s keynote lunch and more. On Friday, The Blast plans to attend the panel on election protection, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s closing keynote and more. Holler if you see me! HIDDEN IMAGE Sheridan Nolan will be the next press secretary for the Texas Department of Public Safety. She left her role as deputy press secretary for Gov. Greg Abbott last week. will be the next press secretary for the Texas Department of Public Safety. She left her role as deputy press secretary for Gov. last week. Say hello to the newest member of The Texas Tribune politics team, Jasper Scherer, who began today. Email him at jasper.scherer@texastribune.org. The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one. HIDDEN AD HIDDEN IMAGE HIDDEN IMAGE HIDDEN IMAGE (March 20) U.S. Rep. Keith Self, R-McKinney SPONSOR MESSAGES Methodist Healthcare Ministries is committed to health equity—striving to create more fair and just opportunities for all to thrive. It's a brand new day (and look) for the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO). We educate people who make education possible. Public schools are at the center of our democracy. Raise Your Hand Texas believes through equity and innovation we can create a world-class school system that fuels a brighter future for all Texans. Austin Community Foundation - Learn about the Housing Accelerator—a new program to increase housing affordability in Central Texas. Details at austincf.org/housing. [END] --- [1] Url: https://mailchi.mp/texastribune/the-blast-abbott-rallies-the-troops Published and (C) by Texas Tribune Content appears here under this condition or license: Used with Permission: https://www.texastribune.org/republishing-guidelines/. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/texastribune/