THE KICK Podcast
THE KICK
About
THE KICK Podcast is where business-minded Texans engage the issues shaping our state.
Produced by THE KICK Enterprise Club, a pro-business Democratic organization based in Houston, the show brings together candidates, policy leaders, legal minds, and industry voices for substantive conversations about governance, markets, and growth. We explore how public policy impacts business, energy, healthcare, education, and economic opportunity through the lens of stability and accountability.
All Episodes
Una Charla con la Proxima Representante Latina de US CD#9 Leticia Gutierrez | THE KICK Podcast - EP14
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastEn estas elecciones tan importantes - urge que la comunidad hispana entienda lo que está de por medio y votemos. En este episodio hablamos con la candidata Leticia Gutiérrez sobre varios temas importantes para nuestra comunidad y en particular en el distrito #9...
Why Harris County Raised Property Taxes | Lesley Briones | THE KICK Podcast - EP13
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastHarris County is growing faster than almost anywhere in the country, and the decisions made at commissioners court touch nearly five million people. Commissioner Leslie Briones of Precinct Four sits down to explain what is actually driving the county's budget pressures, and why the answers are more complicated than a single line on a tax bill...
Texas Redrew District 9. What Changed for Houston? | Leticia Gutierrez | THE KICK Podcast - EP12
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastTexas redistricting carved up Congressional District 9 to hand Republicans an easy win. Leticia Gutierrez, a lifelong East Houston resident, environmental advocate, and single mom, is running as the Democratic candidate to take it back...
The Billion-Dollar Bet on Texas Data Centers | Chris Tomlinson | THE KICK Podcast - EP11
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastTexas is pouring billions into AI data centers while struggling to supply the electricity, water, and regulation those facilities demand. Chris Tomlinson, Houston Chronicle columnist and longtime Texas observer, breaks down why the economics of AI may be far shakier than the hype suggests...
Who Gets to Compete for Texas Contracts? | Ed Ryland | THE KICK Podcast - EP10
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastBillions of public dollars flow through municipal and state contracts every year, and who gets access to that work has shaped the economic fabric of American communities for generations. In Texas, a decades-old program designed to open that access was dismantled almost overnight...
Who Gets a Fair Shot in Harris County? | Dr. Letitia Plummer | THE KICK Podcast - EP9
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastDr. Letitia Plummer, Democratic candidate for Harris County Judge, brings an unusual combination to the race: a dentist, a small business owner of 25 years, a former city council member, and the granddaughter of the first African American judge in Texas...
The Future of Houston Starts Here | Edward Pollard | THE KICK Podcast - EP8
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastHouston's biggest advantage isn't its size. It's its people. As the fourth-largest city in America continues to grow, local leaders face an increasingly difficult challenge: protecting opportunity while navigating pressure from Austin, Washington...
What Texas Stands to Lose | Gene Wu | THE KICK Podcast - EP7
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastTexas is not just fighting over maps. It is fighting over what kind of state it wants to become. In this episode of THE KICK Podcast, Texas State Representative Gene Wu joins the show for a direct conversation about redistricting...
The Court That Could Reshape Texas Business | The 15th Court of Appeals | THE KICK Podcast - EP6
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastTexas created a new court system for business disputes. Now voters are deciding who sits on one of the most important pieces of it. Jerry Zimmerer, Tom Baker, and Marc Meyer join the show to explain the 15th Court of Appeals...
The Lieutenant Governor and Policy | Vikki Goodwin | THE KICK Podcast EP5
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastHealthcare costs. Energy demand. Workforce shortages. Infrastructure strain. Regulation. Education. Water. Housing. In this episode, Texas State Representative and Lieutenant Governor candidate Vikki Goodwin joins us for a business-first conversation...
Who Really Powers Texas? | Jon Rosenthal | THE KICK Podcast - EP4
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastThe agency shaping Texas energy is one most voters barely understand. In this episode, Jon Rosenthal joins THE KICK Podcast to unpack one of the most overlooked and consequential offices in Texas government: the Railroad Commission...
Can Harris County Work Together Again? | Annise Parker | THE KICK Podcast - EP3
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastHarris County does not need more noise. It needs leadership that can actually make government work. In this episode, Annise Parker breaks down one of the most misunderstood roles in Texas politics: the Harris County Judge. It is not a courtroom job...
The Corruption Tax on Texas | Gina Hinojosa | THE KICK Podcast - EP2
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastTexas is paying a hidden price for politics without accountability. For years, emergency powers and insider contracting have quietly reshaped how taxpayer dollars move through the state. In this episode, gubernatorial...
Texas Needs a Real Attorney General Again | THE KICK Podcast - EP1
▶ Video • THE KICK PodcastTexas has not always felt this unsettled. There was a time when public institutions operated with balance, the Attorney General functioned as a check on power, and business could rely on steady and predictable rules. Thi...