@jaspscherer

Politics editor @TexasTribune. Formerly @HoustonChron, @ExpressNews, @NorthwesternU. Email: [email protected]

 Austin, TX
texastribune.org
Joined March 2010
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2.9KMedia
A Texas journalism/#txlege hard launch: We’re married! 🤍💍
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Jasper Scherer retweeted
Kayla Guo@kaylaguo_1h
Cooper’s Old Time Pit BBQ in New Braunfels, which hosted Ken Paxton and Ted Cruz for a GOTV event Saturday, says: “We are not in the business of endorsing political candidates. This is the action of a rogue employee and was not authorized by ownership.” facebook.com/share/18fTEGVot…
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Rebekah Allen@rebekahallenOct 23
Rural Texans make up < 1/5 of voters. But their turn out is high & they are so reliably red they've long blocked Dem gains in the metros. This yr rural Texas is angry over data centers and power lines. Will enough of them flip to help Dems win? via @eklib texastribune.org/2026/10/23/…
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AdImpact Politics
@AdImpact_PolOct 23
At $544.5M, #TXSen is now the most expensive non-presidential race on record, surpassing the $542.8M spent on the 2024 #OHSen race. Four races from the 2025-26 cycle now rank among the 10 most expensive non-presidential races. Total TX Senate ad spending: 🔴$386.3M 🔵$158.2M
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Lawrence Mower
@lmower3Oct 22
NEW: Texas Comptroller @DonHuffines touts open government. But when it comes to the $1 billion student voucher program he oversees, it's a secret. His office said it was to prevent me and others from "doxxing ... Texas students." /1 houstonchronicle.com/politic…

Texas won’t name the private schools and vendors profiting from state vouchers

Families have spent more than $270 million of the state voucher funds. The Texas Comptroller won't disclose where the money has gone. 

houstonchronicle.com
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Gabby Birenbaum@birenbombOct 22
A deep dive into the Latino vote in Texas, and why many both suspect a swing towards Democrats is coming and caution against assuming it's durable texastribune.org/2026/10/22/…

Latino voters’ leftward swing could decide Texas’ 2026 midterms

Latino strategists and voters say this year’s swing is driven by anger at those in power and hinges on individual candidates. Democrats and Republicans alike agree it may not last.

texastribune.org
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Emily Foxhall@emfoxhallOct 22
New this week: FEMA has denied a request for federal aid to individuals needing help after the July 2026 floods in Texas. The decision comes as the Trump administration has shifted expectations to states to play a bigger role in disaster recovery. texastribune.org/2026/10/21/…

FEMA won’t help Texans after July 2026 floods. Here's why.

Disaster recovery experts say FEMA individual assistance funds are critical for residents to cover short-term costs. Gov. Greg Abbott is considering an appeal.

texastribune.org
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An excellent, nuanced look from @birenbomb at the much-discussed Latino vote in Texas texastribune.org/2026/10/22/…

Latino voters’ leftward swing could decide Texas’ 2026 midterms

Latino strategists and voters say this year’s swing is driven by anger at those in power and hinges on individual candidates. Democrats and Republicans alike agree it may not last.

texastribune.org
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Alejandro Serrano@serrano_alejOct 22
After the GOP primary runoff, I set out to interview Republican voters who had supported U.S. Sen. John Cornyn about what they were thinking. I called Wayne Thorburn to talk history. In a June interview, he told me he was undecided but wanted to get coffee w/ Talarico. He said:
Gabby Birenbaum@birenbombOct 21
From yesterday's Blast: Wayne Thorburn, the executive director of the Republican Party of Texas from 1977-1983, voted for James Talarico Read more about his decision and the parallels he sees to the 1978 Texas governor's race: thetexastribune.beehiiv.com/… #TXSEN

Excerpt from The Blast - Tue, Oct. 20, 2026

Exclusive: Ex-Texas GOP ED Wayne Thorburn backs Talarico

thetexastribune.beehiiv.com
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FWIW — to name a couple @TexasTribune examples texastribune.org/2026/09/22/… texastribune.org/2026/09/09/…
Ryan J. Rusak
@rjrusakOct 21
Read my new piece on James Talarico’s flip-flops and the media environment giving him a pass. Excited to say that this is also my first contribution to @thedispatch! thedispatch.com/article/paxt…

What Texas Media Outlets Aren’t Telling Voters About James Talarico

The Democratic Senate nominee has moderated many of his progressive positions, but you wouldn’t know that from local reporting.

thedispatch.com
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Kayla Guo@kaylaguo_Oct 20
“If the terms were right, I’d have no problem” debating Talarico, Paxton says. What are his terms? “I don’t know what all the terms are but I do know I don’t want a CNN reporter.” Fox News said it would host if Paxton agreed, after Talarico challenged him to a debate there.
CHARLIE COTTON
@hicharliecottonOct 20
I had jerky at Buc-ee’s with @KenPaxtonTX and talked about his emotions going into the midterms. 📍somewhere near Houston
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Gabby Birenbaum@birenbombOct 16
Scenes from the trail last weekend in the Rio Grande Valley with Bobby Pulido and Monica De La Cruz, where the politics of nostalgia and the debate over the region's future were on full display + excellent photos by Michael Gonzalez texastribune.org/2026/10/16/…
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Kayla Guo@kaylaguo_Oct 16
When Gina Hinojosa first launched her bid against Greg Abbott, her polling had her 9 points down — and she felt good about it. Now, she's daring Democrats to wonder if she could actually topple this mainstay of the Texas GOP establishment. @TexasTribune: texastribune.org/2026/10/16/…

How Gina Hinojosa became Greg Abbott’s toughest competitor

Hinojosa has gone from unknown state lawmaker to Abbott’s most viable Democratic challenger yet — a surge that has dared Democrats to wonder if she could actually topple this mainstay of the Texas...

texastribune.org
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Kayla Guo@kaylaguo_Oct 16
New via @birenbomb: Truth and Courage, a pro-Ted Cruz super PAC, is launching a seven-figure Spanish-language ad buy attacking James Talarico @TexasTribune texastribune.org/2026/10/16/…

Pro-Cruz PAC launches Spanish ad campaign against Talarico

Aimed at Hispanic voters, the new ad from Truth and Courage PAC attacks Democrat James Talarico over his past comments on gender and sexuality.

texastribune.org
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In @TexasMonthly interview, @DadePhelan mentions possibility of Dems flipping 8-10 Texas House seats: “I hear there’s more than that in the margin of error. That doesn’t mean they’re all going to lose. But these suburbs are nasty.” #txlege
Texas Monthly
@TexasMonthlyOct 14
The former Texas House speaker and Paxton antagonist on why he’s buying a blue wave: texasmonthly.com/news-politi…

Dade Phelan Says Republicans Are “Freaking Out”

The former Texas House speaker and Paxton antagonist on why he’s buying a blue wave.

texasmonthly.com
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Read @birenbomb on the epicenter of those nasty suburbs > texastribune.org/2026/09/24/…

Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs may be key to Paxton vs. Talarico

The area’s Republican voters are typically reliable, but Paxton’s political baggage has some contemplating skipping his race or voting for the Democrat.

texastribune.org
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New @TxPolProject poll finds statewide GOP incumbents in jeopardy, w/ lots of statistical ties #TXSEN Talarico 50 Paxton 47 Governor Hinojosa 49 Abbott 48 Lite guv Goodwin (D) 49 Patrick (R) 46 Attorney general Johnson (D) 48 Middleton (R) 47 texaspolitics.utexas.edu/blo… #txlege

Latest UT/Texas Politics Poll Finds Historic Levels of Competition in Texas Midterm Elections

texaspolitics.utexas.edu
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Poll was fielded Sept. 25 to Oct. 5 861 LVs, MOE +/- 3.34 % points
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Abbott strategist weighs in >
Dave Carney@granitewingerOct 14
In the field for ten days... what crap... you guys will print anything...
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2026 in a nutshell: Trump 10 pts underwater in Texas, his worst net approval in @TxPolProject polling over both terms. 36% name “cost of living” or “the economy” as their top issue. Corruption (8%) is the only other above 5%. Electorate’s view of the economy is worst since ‘22:
Jasper Scherer@jaspschererOct 14
New @TxPolProject poll finds statewide GOP incumbents in jeopardy, w/ lots of statistical ties #TXSEN Talarico 50 Paxton 47 Governor Hinojosa 49 Abbott 48 Lite guv Goodwin (D) 49 Patrick (R) 46 Attorney general Johnson (D) 48 Middleton (R) 47 texaspolitics.utexas.edu/blo… #txlege

Latest UT/Texas Politics Poll Finds Historic Levels of Competition in Texas Midterm Elections

texaspolitics.utexas.edu
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Jasper Scherer retweeted
Alejandro Serrano@serrano_alejOct 14
New via @eklib: How Ken Paxton and allies fanned a conspiracy to convince voters James Talarico was mentally unfit. Great breakdown ab the last few days featuring this incredible beginning to the report: texastribune.org/2026/10/13/…
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