https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/matthew-watkins/The latest news by Matthew Watkins.enTue, 12 Aug 2025 13:47:19 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/12/tribcast-house-democrats-expelled-quorum-break/In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor ask University of Houston law professor David Froomkin to help them break down the legal cases seeking to remove 13 Democrats from the Texas House.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 12 Aug 2025 13:47:19 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/12/tribcast-house-democrats-expelled-quorum-break/State Rep. Ramón Romero, D-Fort Worth, speaks at a press conference with members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus at Painters District Council 30 in Aurora, Ill., on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.Jamie Kelter Davis for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/05/tribcast-texas-democrats-quorum-break/In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor speak with state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, about her and her colleagues’ decision to flee the state, the potential financial and criminal penalties and her opposition to the state’s proposed new congressional map.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 05 Aug 2025 15:37:31 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/05/tribcast-texas-democrats-quorum-break/State Rep. Jolanda Jones, D-Houston, looks at a packet of maps during a Congressional Redistricting committee meeting on Thursday, July 24, 2025 in Austin, Texas.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/22/tribcast-texas-democrats/In part one of our two-part look at the 2026 Democratic and Republican primaries, Matthew and Eleanor talk to Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 22 Jul 2025 15:18:34 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/22/tribcast-texas-democrats/From left: State Rep. James Talarico, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, and former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke answer questions from the press outside of Stable Hall in San Antonio after a town hall in San Antonio on June 27, 2025.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/08/tribcast-floods-hill-country/In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor are joined by meteorologist Matt Lanza to discuss the deadly Texas floods. How did they happen? Could people have been better warned? And what can keep this region safe in the future?By Matthew WatkinsTue, 08 Jul 2025 15:29:26 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/08/tribcast-floods-hill-country/Uprooted trees next to the Ingram Dam on the Guadalupe River on July 5, 2025 in Ingram.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/02/texas-tribune-politics-investigations/In the last few months, we’ve restructured our teams and made new hires that will help us build on our reputation as the state’s go-to source for news on Texas government and politics.By Matthew WatkinsWed, 02 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/02/texas-tribune-politics-investigations/The Texas Capitol on June 30, 2025 in Austin.The Texas Capitol seen on Monday June 30, 2025 in Austin, Texas.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/23/tribcast-texas-special-session-thc/This week, we run an emergency episode to discuss Gov. Greg Abbott vetoing Texas THC ban and calling a special session. Will redistricting end up on the agenda?By Matthew WatkinsMon, 23 Jun 2025 15:30:23 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/23/tribcast-texas-special-session-thc/Gov. Greg Abbott signs a bill as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick watches at the Capitol in Austin on April 23, 2025.Kaylee Greenlee for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/tribcast-texas-legislature-wrapup/In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor talk with politics reporter Jasper Scherer about education funding, a THC ban and the success of conservative priorities this year.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 27 May 2025 15:37:40 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/tribcast-texas-legislature-wrapup/The Texas House of Representatives debates and votes on bills on the House floor at the Texas Capitol on Monday, May 26, 2025.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/13/tribcast-texas-legislature-affordable-housing/In this week’s episode, we discuss Texas’ rising home prices and the steps the Legislature is taking to reduce them.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 13 May 2025 16:12:06 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/13/tribcast-texas-legislature-affordable-housing/Suburban development south of Austin on Oct. 2, 2024.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/08/texas-tribune-austin-monitor/This move will allow us to build on the Monitor's mission to serve a growing city with more expansive needs.By Ayan Mittra and Matthew WatkinsThu, 08 May 2025 08:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/08/texas-tribune-austin-monitor/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/08/texas-tribune-spring-member-drive-audience-survey/We’re sharing insights from our 2025 audience survey as we launch our Spring Member Drive.By Matthew WatkinsThu, 08 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/08/texas-tribune-spring-member-drive-audience-survey/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/29/tribcast-texas-lottery-couriers/In this week’s episode, Matthew and Eleanor talk to Texas Tribune reporter Ayden Runnels about lottery couriers and whether a $95 million prize winner was legitimate.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 29 Apr 2025 15:43:05 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/29/tribcast-texas-lottery-couriers/Texas Lottery cards at a 7-Eleven in Central Austin on Feb. 20, 2025.Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/27/texas-tribune-tme-awards/Tribune journalists were honored for coverage of the Texas-Mexico border, design and photography.By Matthew WatkinsSun, 27 Apr 2025 15:12:17 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/27/texas-tribune-tme-awards/Impact, Recognition and Awardshttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/tribcast-texas-teachers/In this week’s episode of the TribCast, Matthew and Eleanor ask the question: Are Texas teachers OK?By Matthew WatkinsTue, 15 Apr 2025 15:34:37 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/15/tribcast-texas-teachers/Substitute teacher Karie Houchin reads to a second grade classroom at Wanke Elementary School in north San Antonio on March 9, 2012.Jennifer Whitney for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/01/john-thornton-texas-tribune-founder/Thornton conceived of a nonprofit news enterprise to engage Texans with their government, and then launched an industry of similar outlets across the country. He died March 29.By Matthew Watkins and Natalie ChoateTue, 01 Apr 2025 11:13:36 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/04/01/john-thornton-texas-tribune-founder/John Thornton, co-founder of The Texas Tribune, speaks at TribFeast in Austin on Sept. 24, 2022.The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/tribcast-covid-public-health-measles/On the fifth anniversary of the start of the COVID pandemic, we discuss the measles outbreak and the state’s ability to respond to health crises.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 18 Mar 2025 13:43:58 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/tribcast-covid-public-health-measles/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/04/tribcast-artificial-intelligence-texas-regulation/In this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with University of Texas at Austin professor Sherri Greenberg about proposed state laws related to artificial intelligence.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 04 Mar 2025 16:41:17 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/04/tribcast-artificial-intelligence-texas-regulation/On this week's TribCast, talk turns to the regulation of artificial intelligence in Texas.Jennifer Whitney for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/18/tribcast-school-vouchers/In this week’s episode, we discuss the details of the plan to let parents use state funds to pay for their children’s private schooling.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 18 Feb 2025 15:00:35 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/18/tribcast-school-vouchers/Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at ‘Parent Empowerment Night’ at San Antonio Christian School, in San Antonio, Texas, on Feb. 17, 2025.Scott Stephen Ball for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/28/tribcast-water-texas-needs/In this week’s episode, we talk about state House politics, proposals for the budget and the condition of water infrastructure in the state.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 28 Jan 2025 15:51:41 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/28/tribcast-water-texas-needs/Thomas Skinner collects sediment in a strainer to identify the type of rock their rig is drilling through while drilling a water well on Thursday, March 14, 2024, outside of Alpine.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/10/podcast-texas-legislative-session/The Texas Tribune’s politics podcast returns with a look at the race for House speaker, the future of school vouchers and other major legislative issues this year.By Matthew WatkinsFri, 10 Jan 2025 14:45:25 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/10/podcast-texas-legislative-session/State Reps. Carrie Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, (in red) and Joanne Shofner, R-Nacogdoches, (in black) arrive at the House Republican caucus for House speaker at the state Capitol on Dec. 7, 2024.Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/24/texas-tribune-longreads-2024/Our journalists brought life to the experiences of everyday Texans, held powerful institutions accountable and surfaced stories that went beyond the daily news cycles.By Matthew WatkinsTue, 24 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/24/texas-tribune-longreads-2024/The dome of the Texas Capitol on April 24, 2014.The dome of the Texas State Capitol on Thursday, April 24, 2014.Anneke Els Paterson for The Texas Tribune