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Red, White and Who? The Swing Voters in South Texas

Oct 21, 2026 · 27m

Summary

This episode of "Red, White, and Who" examines the shifting political landscape in South Texas, where Hispanic voters who backed Trump in 2024 are now weighing their loyalty to the GOP amid economic concerns and aggressive ICE enforcement. Hosts Ryan Knudsen, Elizabeth Findel, and Matt Kwong interview local residents and a home builder to explore how these swing voters feel about the administration’s impact on their communities. The report highlights the high-stakes Senate race between Ken Paxton and James Tallarico, noting that Democrats are leveraging anti-Trump sentiment to court these v…

Topics discussed

Benny Melendez's construction site and ICE concerns Benny's vote switch and the significance of South Texas voters Sponsorships and introduction to the Rio Grande Valley The 2024 shift to Republican and redistricting strategy Voter sentiment on the Trump administration and border Canvassing for Eric Flores and the role of Trump Interviews with Mike Garza and Michelle Hernandez Bill Ashcraft's opposition and Democratic billboard strategy Sponsor break and transition to the Senate race James Tallarico's campaign and appeal to conservative voters Ken Paxton's candidacy and Trump endorsement complications Liz Amaya's undecided status and split ticket voting Analysis of the 'purple' Latino voter coalition Credits and preview of the next episode
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