Experts in the News

“Just when you think Texas couldn’t go further to the right, here we are,” said political science fellow Mark Jones.

It’s been one year since the murder of George Floyd. Political science fellow Mark Jones joined the Texas Standard show to discuss the status of police reform bills in the Texas Legislature.

While a new study says voting restriction bills could cost Texas' tourism industry, state Republicans aren’t looking much at the economic impact because they believe it’s overestimated, said political science fellow Mark Jones.

As the Biden administration takes steps to address the fallout from the Colonial Pipeline shutdown, political science fellow Mark Jones said that "It’s important for the president to show empathy and recognize the position that the average American is in vis-à-vis gas prices."

Though state legislators are debating a bill allowing Texans to carry handguns in public without a license, it is unclear whether Republicans will risk alienating moderate voters in order to please their base. Doing so could bring political risks in a general election, said fellow Mark Jones.