In the April 19 episode, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pushes back against proposed budget cuts to NASA and argues that Iran will not be a forever war. On Tuesday, Arlington city council votes to spend $273-million dollars to keep the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T stadium through 2055. Council Member Bowie Hogg takes our questions on whether voters should get a say in it. And state Senator Royce West, D-Dallas, says his 1999 law to help minority- and women-owned state businesses get a cut of state contracts needs some tweaking - even as he defends it in court.
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Straight ahead, Artemis 2 just reignited America's space race. So why is President Trump proposing billions in cuts to NASA? Senator Ted Cruz pushes back, calling moon missions a land grab and his reaction to a possible mega merger with American Airlines. Arlington locks in the Dallas Cowboys through 2055.
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Price tag $273 million but voters will not get a say. Councilman Bowie Hogg takes our questions. Democrat James Tallarico just pulled off something that no US Senate candidate in any state has ever done. And the comptroller tried to shut it down. A judge stepped in.
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Now, no matter how the courts rule on minority and women owned state contracts, Senator Royce West reveals that his 27 year old law needs a rewrite. Inside Texas Politics with Jason Whiteley starts now. Thank you for being here. Let's begin our program with the top political headlines happening across our state. Democrat James Tallarico coming off of a huge week, turning heads after a stunning announcement.
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Tallarico raised a staggering $27 million in the first quarter, the most ever for any Senate candidate in any state. On the Republican side, John Cornyn brought in $9 million. Ken Paxton just over $2 million. Cornyn and Paxton, of course, still locked in a fight for the nomination on the Republican side next month. More fallout right now from last month's primary voter confusion in Dallas. Dallas County GOP Chair Allen West resigned on Wednesday.
< spk_0 - 00:01:47.5690000 >
West broke from Democrats to hold a separate Republican primary, and that move eliminated countywide voting centers, and that left hundreds of people unsure where to vote on March 3rd. But he reversed course for the May runoff. Backlash though from fellow Republicans cost him support and ultimately his job. And on Tuesday, Arlington City Council could approve $273 million to keep the Dallas Cowboys and all of this without a public vote.
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The money would help fund a billion dollars in upgrades at AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys covering the rest of it, everything from security to surrounding roads and sidewalks. But the plan already facing some pushback and questions. One local attorney threatening a lawsuit if voters are not given a say. Let's begin right now though on the moon.
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Texas played a big role in the Artemis 2 mission this month, successfully sending astronauts around the lunar surface, but President Trump now wants to cut NASA's budget by almost 4%, wiping away billions of dollars. Senator Ted Cruz chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and he also oversees the space agency. Senator, welcome back to the program here. NASA and Artemis, obviously huge priorities of yours.
< spk_0 - 00:03:02.9700000 >
You secured the $10 billion in long-term funding for the program, especially after its, uh, you know, successful return from around the moon the other day. But President Trump again proposing significant cuts to NASA, billions of dollars, 23% of the budget. Congress told him no earlier this year. Where, where are you on this again? Would you support or oppose that?
< spk_1 - 00:03:23.1000000 >
We're going to continue to see a strong bipartisan coalition supporting NASA, supporting commercial space, supporting American leadership in space, and, and listen, we are in a race with China. China has stated their intention to go to the moon, to land an astronaut on the surface of the moon by 2030, and we are going to beat China back to the moon, and, and, and we're in the middle of what is essentially a land grab. If you look at the prime territory.
< spk_1 - 00:03:51.8000000 >
The most critical territory is near the southern pole where you have access to water and you also have craters of sufficient height that you can get solar power and power a lunar base. It is American policy. We are going to create a lunar base, a base on the surface of the moon to engage in exploration, to engage in discovery. The funding is there. You are right that last year the Office of Management and Budget suggested cutting much of the funding for the moon.
< spk_1 - 00:04:20.3900000 >
And in the working families tax cut that we passed last year, I wrote the legislation providing $10 billion to fund what we just saw Artemis going back to the moon and to continue funding, putting American astronauts back on the moon. I think that's critically important.
< spk_0 - 00:04:37.8290000 >
The president does want to prioritize Artemis, but can NASA afford to cut 40 or plus, you know, other science missions?
< spk_1 - 00:04:45.7690000 >
Look, we're not going to see a, a, a, a major cut in NASA. That, that is not going to happen. You know, I've, I've been in the Senate 14 years, and, and from the day I was elected, uh, space has been a major priority for me. I'm, I'm a lifelong Houstonian. Obviously, the Johnson Space Center is hugely important. To Texas, we are going to beat China. We're going back to the moon, and then ultimately we're going to Mars, and American leadership is powerful.
< spk_1 - 00:05:15.0890000 >
And I've got to say, Jason, you know, every little girl, every little boy who looked up last week. And realized we had American astronauts in space. Every, every child who put on the internet and saw those astronauts floating, saw the, the, the floating bobblehead that they would have in so many of those interviews, we're inspiring the next generation with American leadership. I think that's really powerful.
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There's news out today that United Airlines CEO is proposing potentially a merger with Fort Worth-based American Airlines. It would create obviously a behemoth airline. A lot of questions around that. On, you know what it might mean to consumer choices. What do you think about that idea?
< spk_1 - 00:05:53.6780000 >
We will assess it on the merits. I have to admit it hit me as a bit of a surprise, so we'll see. But the objective needs to be protecting consumers and ensuring that that air travel is affordable and also ensuring that it's safe.
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Iran rejected the peace deal. We're 45 days in now to this war starting back in February. Are you concerned at all that this could drag out and become one of these never ending wars that voters said they don't want to see again?
< spk_1 - 00:06:24.2500000 >
No, I don't think there's any possibility of that. And look, to understand, we have had a military conflict here, but Iran is not Iraq. They're very different and people are understandably weary of Iraq. We are not going to see in Iran hundreds of thousands of troops on the ground. We are not going to see a sustained occupation. The mission goal in Iran is very different than Iraq.
< spk_1 - 00:06:48.7500000 >
Iraq, I believe the Iraq war was a mistake, and, and one of the biggest mistakes we made in the Iraq war was engaging in nation building, trying to turn Iraq essentially into Switzerland, and that was a failed endeavor. And I don't think that's the job of our military to try to recreate or rebuild foreign nations. What is the job of our military? is to defeat our enemies. And so I think President Trump has been very focused on protecting America.
< spk_1 - 00:07:17.4890000 >
You know this is an America first foreign policy. The reason Iran has been facing these military attacks is because they have been murdering Americans and President Trump said no more. We're not going to see a sustained occupation because we're not engaged in the objective of nation building. We're engaged in the objective of keeping America safe.
< spk_0 - 00:07:39.1190000 >
Senator, thank you for the time. We appreciate it as always.
< spk_1 - 00:07:41.4400000 >
Thank you, Jason.
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Alright, let's bring in the roundtable to talk about some politics around this, especially the US Senate side here. Bud Kennedy is with us from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Natalie Haddad, political reporter at WFAA in Dallas, and Ashley Goode, political director at Caview in Austin. Ashley, we'll start with you and the US Senate race. We began the program talking about those numbers, uh, fundraising numbers here. Let's start with Democrat James Tallarico. $27 million he raised in the first quarter. Wow, I mean that, that blows away Colin already, even Beto
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O'Rourke.
< spk_0 - 00:08:14.4890000 >
It's a lot of money.
< spk_2 - 00:08:16.3590000 >
That is a lot of money. It's a lot of money and it shows a lot of support, a lot of momentum behind him, uh, you know, obviously he had to spend a lot of that money as he was facing off with, uh, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, but I think it just shows that there are a lot of people who wanna see a Democrat in the US Senate representing Texas, and they think that he could be the one.
< spk_0 - 00:08:40.5300000 >
Natalie, thoughts on that? I mean, I'm sure some Republicans are likely raising their eyebrows.
< spk_3 - 00:08:44.5300000 >
Surely they are. And I mean, we heard Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick talk on this just a bit a week or two ago. I think more than anything what this shows us more than just where things could land in the midterm elections, but also just shows us where these candidates, what their lanes are. We have John Cornyn who's got establishment money. Paxton is getting money from an energized Republican base, and then you've got James Tallarico who has this insane amount of money he's just fundraised.
< spk_3 - 00:09:09.9190000 >
And I think it's showing what his, I think it would be fair to say, expanding lane is looking like even more so than before. It's, he's going to get more regional and national attention after this announcement, 100%.
< spk_0 - 00:09:21.1090000 >
And but at the end of the day, Tallarico did, you know, he swamped John Cornyn and Ken Paxton. Cornyn with 9 million, Paxton with 2 million.
< spk_4 - 00:09:27.9890000 >
Well, the excitement about Tallarico grows for national Democrats as Ken Paxton, you know, widens the lead or moves into the lead in the runoff. You know, if you look. One of the recent polls that showed that Paxton's winning the runoff, but that about 1/5 of Cornyn's voters, 20% of his voters say that if Paxton is the nominee, they'll vote for James Tallarico. That would make this race a dead heat in Texas. You know, Tallarico will have more money from all over the country.
< spk_4 - 00:09:57.4500000 >
I think that either James Tallarico or John Cornyn will be the senator unless the political climate changes. I don't see any lane for Ken Paxton.
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We shall see, guys. Back to you in just a moment. A lot more ahead including this. When we come back, why is Arlington shutting out voters' voices? Tuesday, council there will consider a new deal to keep the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Councilman Bowie Hogg on whether it's moving too fast.
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And state senator Royce West says he planned some tweaks to his 27 year old law that helps minority and women owned businesses. West is also with us when Inside Texas Politics returns. Welcome back to Inside Texas Politics. Now to Arlington and a fast moving deal to keep the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium through 2055.
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A lot of questions surround this, mainly why aren't voters getting a say in the city spending $273 million on this? We posed those questions to council member Bowie Hogg at an an at-large councilman there in Arlington. Councilman, it's good to see you. Thank you for being here. $273 million on AT&T Stadium. Citizens don't have an opportunity to vote on this. Why shut them out?
< spk_5 - 00:11:17.8400000 >
Yeah, Jason, I think that's the biggest question we have to answer is, uh, why this doesn't go to a citizen vote. I think, uh, This is one of the scenarios. Listen, the Dallas Cowboys have been a great partner for the city of Arlington. We've had a great partnership. We've, uh, we've built and done some amazing things. It's great for our economy, um, and what we're trying to do.
< spk_5 - 00:11:37.1190000 >
And so, I think it, I think it comes to a, a yes vote, but I think the biggest question is, uh, whether the council approves it or we do what we've historically done and allow the citizens to vote yes on this.
< spk_0 - 00:11:48.5590000 >
Is there any chance that might happen?
< spk_5 - 00:11:51.0700000 >
I, I always say there's always a chance. Um, I think discussions are still occurring and I think we're still evaluating how this moves forward, um, from the process, as you saw, it was just released the other day, but I, I think that has to be a discussion point.
< spk_0 - 00:12:04.5100000 >
And Councilman Arlington has had budget deficits the last couple of years. Can, can the city really afford this $273 million over two decades?
< spk_5 - 00:12:12.3900000 >
Listen, I think we should be bigger concerns if we don't have the Cowboys on budget deficits. And also you have to think, um, what this tax is coming from is different than the general fund of where it's coming. It's extending the, uh, The stadium tax that voters have approved in the past and so it is a, uh, a different bucket of money to say from where it's coming from, but it's still, uh, it's still taxpayer dollars.
< spk_5 - 00:12:34.6300000 >
So we always have to be cautious over that and I think we've, uh, we've, we've ironed out of many of our budget issues and, uh, coming into some better times with the budget.
< spk_0 - 00:12:43.9090000 >
But that tax, that 0.5 cent tax was supposed to burn off at some point, right? I mean, it, it seems like it's never going to end if, if this happens.
< spk_5 - 00:12:51.7500000 >
Yeah, we've, uh, we've paid off the Cowboys stadiums and now we're paying off, uh, Globe Life for the Rangers and so, this tax coming back, um, we do have to be cautious over that cause it is, uh, taxpayers' money, whether they live in Arlington or it's also, uh, as people said, other people's money from other people visiting Arlington. Um, but it doesn't matter where you live, it's still packed taxpayers' dollars that we're paying.
< spk_5 - 00:13:14.3490000 >
And uh it should be one where, um, I believe, I, I think we've got to always think about how the taxpayers make these decisions, uh, versus just elected officials.
< spk_0 - 00:13:24.3900000 >
Here's what strikes me about the, the, the whole conversation. The city's contract with the Cowboys doesn't end until 2040. That's 14 years from now. Why in the world open this up right now? It, it seems like it's way premature.
< spk_5 - 00:13:37.5200000 >
Yeah, I, I don't think it's premature. I think it's, uh, adding some things that The city and the Cowboys both need, know, we really need, um, hardening the security, allowing pedestrian safety and security is something that we've been talking about for a long time. Um, it is a high need for the stadium. Um, the Cowboys know they have some contracts to Renew within the stadium and so they wanna make a long-term commitment within there. I think it's better to tackle this early, um, than to wait.
< spk_5 - 00:14:07.2990000 >
So I think all parties are, are doing the right thing and addressing this early on before waiting till the last minute, um, and then scrambling, uh, before, before a lease is actually out in term.
< spk_0 - 00:14:17.9400000 >
Indeed, so. Kelman, it's good to see you. Thank you for the time,
< spk_5 - 00:14:20.3800000 >
sir. Good to see you. Thanks, Jason.
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All right, turning now to thousands of Texas businesses that are owned by women and minorities who are now living through some uncertain times, the comptroller cut the program that they relied on to get a cut of state contracts. Now a court is trying to decide if that was even legal. State Senator Royce West, a Dallas Democrat, wrote that original legislation back in 1999, and West tells us here that whatever the court decides, his original law needs some tweaking.
< spk_0 - 00:14:51.2190000 >
Senator, how big of a deal is this, is this decision from the judge?
< spk_6 - 00:14:55.4090000 >
I think it's a big decision, and let's make certain that we put it in proper context. This is not only about hubs, but what the executive branch of government did is, uh, it went far and above the power that it actually has, OK? You can't, as a, you can't as a member of the executive branch of government, which the comptroller is. Turn around and repeal a program that was put in place by the legislature. OK. It's a law.
< spk_6 - 00:15:25.4690000 >
It was a law, right? And he repealed the law and all of us remember way back when in, in junior high school or elementary school when we learned that there's 3 branches of government and the function of each branch of government. The executive branch of government is responsible for what? Executing and implementing, not doing the laws of. Making the laws is an exclusive province of the legislative branch of government.
< spk_6 - 00:15:50.3590000 >
So to the extent that the legislature decides that it wants to Repeal the law. It can now understand this passed legislative session. There's a bunch of hoopla from the far right wing of the Republican Party that was trying to repeal this particular statute. And it didn't get out of the house.
< spk_0 - 00:16:08.3300000 >
Based on what all has happened here in the past few months, do you plan to introduce any legislation next session in January to address this?
< spk_6 - 00:16:15.3690000 >
Yes.
< spk_0 - 00:16:16.2500000 >
What will it entail?
< spk_6 - 00:16:17.2100000 >
I'll tell you when I get it done
< spk_0 - 00:16:20.0900000 >
based on the results of the trial, or what? Well, I,
< spk_6 - 00:16:22.1300000 >
I think that we have to take a fresh look at what's going on in the country. You have all this fervor about DEI, OK. And you still want to make certain that businesses get an opportunity to compete. You know, here's, here's, here's a fact. Only 11%. Of the business procured by the state of Texas go to women and ethnic minorities. OK, 11%. That's still all these years. Is, is that reasonable? Is that exercising good faith?
< spk_6 - 00:16:51.8590000 >
Uh, we, we've got to come up with a definition of good faith. We've got to come up with that definition. So I think that's gonna be on the table next session. I think we've got to also look at whether or not that whether or not we come up with some other. Um, I, I won't say metric, but come up with some other, uh, uh, variable or factor to take into consideration. Should it just be, should it be based on zip codes?
< spk_6 - 00:17:13.1400000 >
Uh, should it be based on something else, um, in order to incentivize businesses to have an opportunity to compete for the lucrative contracts in the state of Texas. You think about this, we have a budget over what, $230 billion OK, and we procure goods and services from all over the world. And so we've got businesses here in the state of Texas that we've got to make certain that we look after.
< spk_0 - 00:17:37.7090000 >
Senator, it's good to see you.
< spk_6 - 00:17:39.2390000 >
Pleasure seeing you also. I like that tie you have on, by the way.
< spk_0 - 00:17:43.3590000 >
The roundtable is ready when we come back here on Inside Texas Politics. All right, back now with the round table. Bud, Natalie, and Ashley all with us again here. Ashley, let's start with you. Governor Abbott telling Dallas, Houston, Austin, listen, if you guys don't cooperate, the police departments don't cooperate with ICE, I'm gonna withhold state funding. The cities have to respond by Thursday. What's going to happen?
< spk_2 - 00:18:07.1800000 >
It's very on brand, is it not, uh, Jason, for the governor to be telling these cities they may have to give grant money or other money back, you know, I think it's a, it's complicated. I can only, you know, speak to what's happening in Austin where we have a significant shortage of officers, and these are not like those ICE detainers, right? These are just the administrative warrants, um, as to whether or not police are going to hold people for hours at a time waiting for ICE agents to come when they could be going to other.
< spk_2 - 00:18:35.6500000 >
You know, other calls for Austin, it's not a lot of money. It's $2.5 million. We'll see what Mayor Kurt Watson decides to do.
< spk_0 - 00:18:42.6600000 >
Yeah, but all the police departments, Natalie, they don't have, you know, staffing numbers aren't what they wish it would be.
< spk_3 - 00:18:47.9590000 >
Yeah, I want to piggyback off what Ashley said except bring it over to Dallas. We have a shortage of officers. There is a proposition we have to meet to get a certain amount, and we're not there yet. And so what I anticipate happening is a lot of pushback. I think there might even be some, some legal things going on here in the background when, when this announcement is or isn't made on Thursday from the city of Dallas. I think this is clearly a political setup for Governor Greg Abbott, especially as we head into the midterm elections. He is trying to make it very clear where he stands.
< spk_3 - 00:19:15.4060000 >
This debate framing big cities as uncooperative when it comes to immigration enforcement, but at the end of the day this is a federal issue, and I think that's exactly what the cities are going
< spk_0 - 00:19:25.4460000 >
to say. And Bud, that's exactly right. What Natalie said, this is a political setup here. It's an election year. Abbott looking for another showdown with these big cities, and he hasn't.
< spk_4 - 00:19:34.3270000 >
And let's go ahead and say big blue cities. He's trying to pick on the big blue cities and make his political point, but you know, Jason, it doesn't have to be this way. You know that the Legislature has debated this a couple of sessions now about cities and money and cutting state money if they restrict immigration enforcement. You know, the cities all have these passionate council meetings where people said, Oh no, no, no, don't make our police do this. The police don't want to do it either, but you know, don't set up Greg Abbott this way.
< spk_4 - 00:20:02.4530000 >
Don't have this big deal and make a big, have a big talk about how you're going to pass this policy and you're not going to do what Greg Abbott wants. Don't give Greg Abbott a club. Hit you with handle it on the police administrative level. Let the supervisors handle it. Don't take it to the council level.
< spk_0 - 00:20:16.7600000 >
Yes, we'll be looking to see what happens on Thursday. Ashley, Congressman Gonzalez, Tony Gonzalez from San Antonio resigned after that extramarital affair in which the staffer he had it with took her own life. Governor Abbott saying he's going to, you know, decide what to do with this Republican seat at a later date. You would think that he would want to get someone in there pretty fast considering how slim. The votes are in DC, right?
< spk_2 - 00:20:42.8290000 >
You would think that Jason Wiley. I do not think that the governor wants to do that. I think it's risky business. I mean, you're seeing a lot of momentum among Democrats, right? So why in the world would you want to even give them a possibility? The fact of the matter is Republicans are still in charge of the US House of Representatives even without Tony Gonzalez. Let's not do anything to mess up that balance.
< spk_0 - 00:21:05 >
Yeah, it, it is a tight balance though, Natalie.
< spk_3 - 00:21:07.7700000 >
I was just thinking this is going to have to be a calculated decision. Timing is going to matter with Congress and picking this replacement because, like Ashley said, there is a slim majority and like you mentioned, there's a slim majority and I think either decision, whether he waits or chooses to proceed quickly, it's going to have implications in Washington. Yes,
< spk_0 - 00:21:25.7290000 >
indeed. so guys, thanks so much. We appreciate it. We're back again next Sunday to take you inside Texas politics and we hope you'll join us then. Have a great weekend. Take care.