The 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

Featured coverage

The 2023 Texas Tribune Festival’s free program

By Texas Tribune Staff Sept. 21, 2023

Here’s a look at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival sessions that you can check out for free. Full Story 

Latest coverage

• The 2023 Texas Tribune Festival in photos

  By Pu Ying Huang and Texas Tribune Photo Team Sept. 27, 2023

  Here’s a look back at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival through the eyes of Tribune photographers. Full Story 

• Texas House Democrats hint at disunity ahead of possible October special session

  By Caroline Wilburn Sept. 23, 2023

  State Rep. John Bryant said Democrats will need to work together to block the “school choice” bill in October. Full Story 

• Two Texas Democrats detail how they hope to topple U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz

  By Carlos Nogueras Ramos Sept. 23, 2023

  U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who will meet in the 2024 Democratic primary, talked about gun laws, abortion and bipartisanship in separate Texas Tribune Festival panels. Full Story 

• Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles says he needs four to five years to turn the district around

  By Brian Lopez Sept. 23, 2023

  Miles said he should be held accountable and be fired if the district doesn’t improve academically in the next two years. Full Story 

• Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones urges Texans to get organized, learn from history

  By Pooja Salhotra Sept. 23, 2023

  In an interview for The Texas Tribune Festival, the journalist urged Texans to organize in response to the state’s book bans and restrictions on public school lessons. Full Story 

• Texans in U.S. House describe GOP in chaos ahead of likely government shutdown

  By Kevin Vu, The Texas Tribune Sept. 23, 2023

  Texas Democrats decry Republican infighting that has halted attempts to approve annual spending bills and avoid a federal government shutdown. Full Story 

• Sarah Stogner announces second campaign for the Texas Railroad Commission

  By Maia Pandey Sept. 23, 2023

  After losing in a Republican runoff last year, Stogner said she plans to challenge incumbent Chair Christi Craddick as a member of the Forward Party. Full Story 

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• Paxton prosecutors blame politics for trumping evidence in attorney general’s impeachment trial

  By Chuck Lindell Updated: Sept. 23, 2023

  Houston attorney Dick DeGuerin said his team was naive in its belief that “principle would win out over politics.” Full Story 

• Compromise or pick a side? Texas House members offer preview of school vouchers debate ahead of special session

  By Alejandro Serrano Sept. 23, 2023

  Lawmakers at a Texas Tribune Fest panel found common ground on school funding and teacher pay but took starkly different stances on “school choice.” Full Story 

• Watch Colin Allred speak at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

  By Texas Tribune Events Staff Sept. 23, 2023

  The Democratic congressman from Dallas talked about the race he hopes to run against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024. Full Story 

• Watch Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly speak at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

  By Texas Tribune Events Staff Sept. 23, 2023

  Giffords, a former U.S. representative, and Kelly, a U.S. senator, spoke to Katie Couric about combating the epidemic of gun violence. Full Story 

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• Ted Cruz urges passage of a school choice measure in Texas

  By Jayme Lozano Carver Updated: Sept. 23, 2023

  The junior U.S. senator from Texas talked with the Tribune’s Patrick Svitek on why he should be reelected to a third term. Full Story 

• Watch former U.S. Justice Department officials speak at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

  By Texas Tribune Events Staff Sept. 23, 2023

  Mary McCord and Andrew Weissmann sat down with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes in a recording of Hayes’ “Why is this Happening?” podcast. Full Story 

• Sen. Joe Manchin leaves the door open to potential third-party presidential run in 2024

  By William Melhado Sept. 23, 2023

  The West Virginia Democrat said running as an independent would help bring a divided nation together, not hand the election to former President Donald Trump. Full Story 

• New anti-DEI law for public Texas colleges presents hiring challenges

  By Sneha Dey Sept. 22, 2023

  The law requires publicly-funded universities and colleges to close their diversity, equity and inclusion offices, creating hiring challenges. Full Story 

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• “The guy can’t keep his zipper up”: Karl Rove pushes back at Ken Paxton

  By Patrick Svitek Sept. 22, 2023

  Rove pushed back against claims Paxton made in recent interviews that the GOP strategist colluded with other Texas officials to bring about the impeachment charges. Full Story 

• Texas lawmakers will have new money going into special session on education, comptroller says

  By Karen Brooks Harper Updated: Sept. 22, 2023

  Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar says the state has collected more from insurance premiums that he had previously predicted. He suggested lawmakers invest more in teacher pay raises. Full Story 

• Watch a conversation about the fight over abortion access at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

  By Texas Tribune Events Staff Updated: Sept. 22, 2023

  Panelists talked about the fight that continues after the Dobbs verdict — from coast to coast and border to border. Full Story 

• Watch a conversation on Ukraine, Russia and U.S. foreign policy at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

  By Texas Tribune Events Staff Sept. 22, 2023

  Panelists discussed the current situation with the war, U.S. involvement and what the stakes are for everybody. Full Story 

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• Watch Adam Kinzinger speak at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

  By Texas Tribune Events Staff Sept. 22, 2023

  The former member of Congress spoke with moderator Kara Swisher, in a recording of the “On” podcast, about the Republicans running the U.S. House, threats to democracy and his forthcoming book. Full Story 

• Katie Couric discusses career, journalism at the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

  By Texas Tribune Events Staff Sept. 22, 2023

  The veteran journalist looks back at her career and ahead to where the media business is going. Full Story 

• New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu criticizes Texas AG Paxton’s “embarrassing” acquittal, citing clear evidence

  By Alejandro Serrano Updated: Sept. 21, 2023

  During a conversation with Tribune co-founder Evan Smith, Sununu also laid out a vision for the future of the Republican Party that contrasted with Texas’ GOP. Full Story 

• T-Squared: Grab a few friends and join us at Open Congress in downtown Austin this Saturday

  By Matt Ewalt Sept. 18, 2023

  The free, family-friendly street fair is a great introduction to the Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story 

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• T-Squared: New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu will open The Texas Tribune Festival

  By Matt Ewalt Sept. 12, 2023

  The Granite Stater takes the stage Thursday, Sept. 21, to discuss the 2024 election, the future of the Republican Party and more. Full Story 

• T-Squared: U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin will close out the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

  By Matt Ewalt Sept. 7, 2023

  The senator from West Virginia — who’s at the center of so much 2024 speculation — joins us Sept. 23 for the big finish of our annual ideas conference. Full Story 

• T-Squared: The wait is over. Our full program for TribFest23 is here!

  By Matt Ewalt Aug. 8, 2023

  We’re bringing people together for talks that will examine education, Texas’ energy future, the 2024 races for U.S. Senate and president, and the state of democracy. Full Story 

• T-Squared: We’ve added 100 new speakers to the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival program

  By Matt Ewalt July 18, 2023

  Dive into the latest list of names, which features change-makers who will take part in deep and meaningful conversations about our state and nation. Full Story 

• The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.

• T-Squared: Here’s a look at the latest batch of confirmed TribFest speakers

  By Evan Smith June 28, 2023

  Bari Weiss, Colin Allred, Joe Lombardo, Mary Trump, Robert Costa, Melissa Murray, David French, Juliette Kayyem, Chris Murphy, Katie Benner and Mitch Landrieu are among the big names we’ve added to our amazing program. Full Story 

• T-Squared: The latest batch of confirmed speakers for TribFest is all from Texas

  By Natalie Choate June 22, 2023

  This group of 30 local, regional and state lawmakers and industry experts will help Texans get a better understanding of what is happening in their beloved state. Full Story 

• Get your tickets now for the 2023 Texas Tribune Festival

  By Matt Ewalt May 9, 2023

  Our first slate of this year’s big-name speakers is out, and we’ll have plenty to talk about with them at this year’s event. Full Story 

• T-Squared: This year’s Texas Tribune Festival is Sept. 21-23

  By Sonal Shah and Sewell Chan March 7, 2023

  Texas and America are at a pivotal moment. With the 2024 elections looming, we have a cornucopia of talks and ideas planned. Full Story