TribCast: Texas Democrats blow up the special legislative session
On this week's episode, Matthew speaks with Alexa, Cassi and James about Democrats fleeing the state to fight new voting restrictions. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/63d405f58eb86c6f2997025ae59c87db/TribCast%20Dems%20in%20DC.jpg)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/profiles/Matthew-Watkins-2024.png)
Matthew Watkins began serving as editor in chief of the Tribune in September 2024. Matthew is a Texas native, born in Houston and raised in Austin. He attended public schools and graduated from Texas A&M University. He’s spent nearly two decades in Texas journalism, and previously worked at The Eagle in Bryan-College Station and The Dallas Morning News. Matthew joined the Tribune in 2015 has held various roles, including higher education reporter, breaking news editor and politics editor. As a managing editor, Matthew has guided the Tribune’s award-winning journalism and other reporting of statewide significance, including coverage of elections and legislative sessions to major breaking news and ambitious storytelling about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Texas-Mexico border, the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, the impeachment of Texas attorney general and battles over public education. He lives in Austin with his wife, Susan, and their two children.
Latest Contributions
-
![Texas House Democrats hold a press conference at Dulles airport in Virginia after breaking quorum and leaving Texas on July 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Shuran Huang for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Donald Trump and Greg Abbott visit the U.S-Mexico border
In this week's episode, Matthew speaks with Ross, Patrick and Reese about the politics surrounding Donald Trump's trip to Texas and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on student learning. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/18a2408b0aa404f0c41b5e3fb69ea18a/TribCast%20Abbott%20Trump.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott and former President Donald Trump during a border security briefing in Weslaco on June 30, 2021.]()
Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images via POOL -
TribCast: Looking ahead to the Texas Legislature's special session
In this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with James, Cassi and Isabella about lawmakers' planned return to the Capitol in July, Gov. Greg Abbott's executive powers and the fight over critical race theory. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e056cc0bf1c27ce07a756d32799b86ae/TribCast%20Abbott.jpg)
![Gov. Abbott speaks with lawmakers on the house floor during the legislative session on May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Assessing Texas' power grid and its plans to build a border wall
On this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with James, Alexa and Erin about Gov. Greg Abbott's border wall plans, the state power grid and Democrats pushing for voting legislation in Washington. Full Story
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Will Texas build its own border wall?
In this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with Ross, Patrick and James about Gov. Greg Abbott's border wall idea, the politics of South Texas and the GOP statewide ticket in 2022. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/173779ebe90072f3f41a488f90e78be9/TribCast-Border%20Wall%20Donna.jpg)
![A section of border fence in Donna on June 27, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Democrats defeat the Texas voting bill — for now
On this week's episode, Matthew speaks with James, Patrick and Alexa about the wild end to the legislative session and the future of proposed voting restrictions in Texas. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b60e78abc89b88f05ffb5afaa4bb79df/TribCast-%20Dems%20Break%20Corum%20June%202.jpg)
![State Rep. Jessica González, D-Dallas, speaks at a press conference at Mt. Zion Baptist Church near the state Capitol in Austin after Democrats broke quorum in opposition to Senate Bill 7, a sweeping GOP voting bill. May 30, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Will Dan Patrick force a special session of the Texas Legislature?
In this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with Ross, Patrick and James about the politics and the policy surrounding the lieutenant governor's push to reconvene the Legislature in June. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/ba9c562068df91d52505ae0093937f9d/TribCast-Dan%20Patrick%20Presser.jpg)
![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks to reporters at a press conference from the State Capitol on Thursday, March 18, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Texas schools will no longer require masks
In this week's TribCast, Matthew speaks with Patrick, Karen and James about Gov. Greg Abbott's latest mask order and where the big bills stand in the final weeks of the legislative session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2b8d148d7559ac36f84cf17db213b0ee/TribCast%20May%2019.jpg)
![Gov. Greg Abbott meets with local leaders in El Paso on August 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Prospects for many Texas House bills dim if they’re not passed today. Here’s what you need to know.
By midnight Friday, House members have to grant preliminary approval to many bills originated in the lower chamber. There's likely not enough time to get to them all. But there are ways to revive measures so they still become law. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/13a2b162aa6b14af815c2419d0ffaecf/RECOMP%20House%20Floor%20Abortion%20Bill%20%20MG%20TT%2022.jpg)
![The House Floor on May 5, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: A Texas legislative session dominated by conservative issues
On this week’s TribCast, Matthew talks to Alexa, Cassi and Patrick about proposals in the Legislature to add new restrictions on voting and to allow the permitless carry of handguns. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a6696cb99a0f3d134a7cfc178e2d1a86/TribCast%20May%2012.jpg)
![State Rep, Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, speaks in support on Senate Bill 7 on the House floor on May 7, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/12e64f444b84d0ba43369d726f1a3b68/TribCast%20June%2017)