Political Fault Lines on Display at TribFest

This year’s Texas Tribune Festival offered a snapshot of the uncertain state of American politics today: Republican strategist Karl Rove wants his political party back. Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. John Fetterman insists he’s still a Democrat while defending his votes with Republicans. Former Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene believes MAGA is dead. 

And while the national political stars held court, two Austin Democrats – U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico and gubernatorial contender Gina Hinojosa – are betting that the Republicans’ lock on state politics may finally be vulnerable.

To be sure, there was something for everyone at the festival that drew thousands to Austin last weekend. Here are some highlights: 

A Fetterman Freudian Slip? U.S. Sen. John Fetterman Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune

Fetterman arrived in the Senate in 2023 as a progressive populist but has since alienated some Pennsylvania Democrats with his willingness to break with his party on key votes. 

He closed out the festival Saturday with a spectacular slip-up when an audience member asked why he doesn’t become an independent. “Because I’m a lifelong Republican,” he replied. “Democrat,” CBS News’ Major Garrett quickly corrected. Fetterman laughed off the mistake and agreed with Garrett that the gaffe was destined to go viral, but the moment added fuel to speculation that he could eventually leave the Democratic Party. 

Fetterman spent much of the hour trying to explain his support for the war in Iran and Israel’s actions in Gaza. “More and more members of my caucus are becoming more anti-Israel,” he said, adding that if that sentiment continues, he will consider leaving the party. Fetterman is not up for reelection until 2028, but said he’ll decide on his political future – and political identity – after the midterm election.

No Love Lost There

After arriving in Congress in 2021 as a political novice, Greene admits she feels politically homeless since resigning from Congress early this year following a series of clashes with Trump over the Epstein files, among other issues. 

Trump labeled Greene a traitor in social media posts, which she said led to death threats to her family. “Trump has lied so much to us and betrayed us so incredibly beyond my comprehension, I think MAGA is dead.”

Will Republicans Cross the Aisle for Talarico? Texas Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate James Talarico Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune

There was no mistaking the electric energy inside First Baptist Church, where an at-capacity crowd packed the sanctuary awaiting Talarico, greeting the U.S. Senate nominee with a sustained standing ovation. 

“There’s something special happening across the state of Texas,” Talarico told the crowd. He pointed to what he described as a growing number of voters who are crossing party lines to support him over Attorney General Ken Paxton. He said his opponent has declined his challenge to debate three times, even as Talarico has offered to “go into the lion’s den” and debate Paxton on Fox News. “Ken Paxton is running from a fight,” Talarico said. “That sounds like ‘low-T’ behavior to me,” invoking an accusation Paxton lobbed at him in an attack ad. 

Rove Wants His Party Back Republican strategist Karl Rove Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune

The Austin-based Republican strategist and longtime adviser to former President George W. Bush made headlines recently by publicly vowing to vote for Democratic Texas Railroad Commission nominee and Houston state Rep. Jon Rosenthal over Republican Bo French. It will mark only the second time Rove has voted for a Democrat since casting a ballot for Bob Bullock for lieutenant governor in 1994. 

Rove said French “revealed himself to be a bigot” with a racist social media attack on UT students of South Asian descent who were photographed celebrating the Longhorns’ come-from-behind victory over Ohio State in September. “My party is being infiltrated by people like Bo French,” Rove said, pointing to a recent Dallas meeting between Republican leaders and fringe ultra-conservative podcaster Nick Fuentes. “Nick Fuentes goes to Dallas and meets with a bunch of Republican leaders. This guy is a Nazi!”

Hinojosa’s Got Momentum Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa (right) with Texas Tribune reporter Kayla Guo Credit: Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribune

Whoops and hollers greeted Hinojosa as she took the stage at a packed St. David’s Episcopal Church. Like Talarico, Hinojosa is taking on an entrenched Republican, Gov. Greg Abbott, in a race she acknowledges was a leap of faith. 

“In order to have a government that worked for us, we had to reach for that brass ring, for the Governor’s Mansion,” said Hinojosa, a former Austin school board leader. She entered the race nine points down but remained optimistic. 

“It’s been a year now and now we are neck and neck,” she said, citing a recent NPR/Marist poll showing her leading Abbott by three points. Among her supporters, she said, is a former Trump/MAGA supporter who was in Washington during the Jan. 6 insurrection. 

She said she is increasingly reaching out to Republicans angry over Abbott’s support for private school vouchers and the rapid proliferation of data centers. Data centers, she said, have become a “physical manifestation of a government and a governor who’s been working for the moneyed interests and are now hitting home in rural Texas.” Those disaffected voters, she said, are becoming “Gina-curious.”

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