Episode 12: Vote Early — Meet the Earlys

A father. A son. Two races. One mission.

Justin Early, Democratic nominee for Texas' 31st Congressional District, and his son Matthias Early, Democratic nominee for Texas House District 20, join Lawson and Don for a conversation about healthcare, housing, AI, gerrymandering, women's rights, and what it actually takes to flip Central Texas.

Justin is a veteran, cybersecurity expert, and father of seven. Matthias is 21, a former pre-med student, and one of the sharpest young voices we've had on this show. Neither of them is taking a single corporate PAC dollar.

Vote early. Vote the Earlies. ☕

About Our Guests

Justin Early — Democratic Nominee, Congressional District 31 A veteran, former Pentagon Defense Intelligence Agency analyst, and cybersecurity expert who grew up in Bell and Williamson counties. Father of seven.

🔗 votejustinearly.com

📸 instagram.com/votejustinearly

🎵 tiktok.com/@votejustinearly

Matthias Early — Democratic Nominee, House District 20 21 years old, former pre-med student, political science major, and one of the sharpest generational voices on AI, democracy, and the future of Texas.

🔗 votematthiasearly.com

📸 instagram.com/votematthiasearly

Chapters 00:00

— Intro 00:44

— Welcome Justin and Matthias Early 03:38

— Justin Early's Journey and Motivation 06:24

— Matthias Early's Vision for Change 09:21

— Addressing Community Needs 12:12

— The Impact of Wealth on Society 13:00

— Generational Perspectives on Politics 22:12

— Voter Engagement and Gerrymandering 26:18

— Political Landscape in Texas 28:20

— Challenges Facing Women's Rights and Healthcare 29:19

— Rural Stability vs. Urban Development 30:32

— The Impact of AI on Employment and Society 32:31

— Voting Rights and Representation 38:14

— Grassroots Movements and Community Engagement 43:11

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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

Episode 11: Honking & the Heartbreak of the Finals

⚠️ Yes, we know. The Spurs lost. We recorded this before it happened and we are not okay. Pour one out with us.

Before the heartbreak hit, Lawson and Don were riding high — and this episode is proof. Grab your tea because this one's got everything.

We kick things off with San Antonio's beloved honking tradition and why it hits different this playoff run. Then Don goes deep on AI-generated Spurs merch flooding Southwest Military, and why Chat GPT fonts are officially the Comic Sans of 2026. We talk fan culture, Knicks fans behaving badly on Threads, and why this Spurs roster — average age 23 — might just be the most lovable team in the NBA.

Then things get real. We get into the growing legacy of women in sports, Kobe Bryant's underrated role in building the WNBA, and Becky Hammon running circles in the league. Don shares a controversial take on the movie Obsession, relationships, gender dynamics, and whether we hold bad behavior accountable equally — spoiler: we don't. Lawson runs the favorite animal experiment on Don live on air and the results say a lot.

We wrap with the Texas runoff results, what Paxton vs. Cornyn means for November, and why rural Democrats have to show up if they actually want to flip this state.

Hot tea. Brewed tea. And one very bittersweet cup of Spurs tea. ☕

Chapters

00:00 — Honk If You Love San Antonio

03:42 — The Evolution of Honking Traditions

04:22 — Ad Break

05:03 — AI and Authenticity in Sports Merchandise

10:09 — Fan Culture and Social Media Dynamics

13:01 — Women in Sports: A Growing Legacy

14:31 — Political Parallels: Spurs and New York

18:36 — The Spurs' Unique Team Culture

22:45 — The Movie Obsession and Relationships

28:21 — Exploring Gender Dynamics in Behavior

32:43 — The Complexity of Relationships in Modern Society 33:21 — Ad Break

33:59 — Relationships Part 2

37:33 — Animal Preferences as Reflections of Personality 44:33 — Political Landscape and Voter Engagement in Texas 50:01 — Outro

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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

Episode 10: Democrats in Rural Texas

What does it look like to be a blue dot in a red county? Lawson and Don sit down with two Burnet County Democrats building change from the ground up — Lane Law and Florisbel Jaramillo Macedo, both Precinct Chairs and SDEC candidates for Congressional District 31. Their slogan: Blue dots to connect.

They get into rural organizing, voter education, purity politics, the Talarico Senate race, and what it actually takes to flip Texas.

⚠️ Audio issue with the video portion begins at 22:50. Audio-only version is unaffected. Recorded via Riverside.fm.

About Our Guests

Lane Law grew up in rural Axtel, TX, outside Waco. A former broadcast engineer turned K-12 education technology specialist, he now lives in Bertram and serves as Burnet County Democratic Party Precinct 12 Chair.

Florisbel Jaramillo Macedo is a first-generation Mexican-American, recent Texas Tech grad, and electric utility professional. A Granite Shoals native by way of South Oak Cliff, she serves as Burnet County Democratic Party Precinct 3 Chair.

Get Involved with the SDEC 🔗 texasdemocrats.org/party-resources 📞 216-384-8944

Connect with Our Guests 🔗 Florisbel — Instagram & Threads: @florisbeljaramillo | Facebook: Florisbelj 🔗 Lane Law — Burnet County Democratic Party, Precinct 12

Chapters 00:00 — Introduction and Backgrounds 09:57 — Political Engagement and Community Involvement 20:07 — Personal Stories and Motivations 29:11 — Strategizing for Democratic Success in Texas 30:08 — Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Politics 32:33 — Building Local Democratic Structures 34:10 — Navigating Internal Party Dynamics 37:22 — The Importance of Rural Voices in Politics 39:55 — Challenges of Diversity within the Democratic Party 42:12 — The Role of Infrastructure in Voter Engagement 45:16 — Mobilizing for Upcoming Elections 49:12 — Calls to Action for Local Engagement

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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

This week Lawson and Don sit down with a friend of six-plus years — Rocío Guenther — a journalist, public servant, and consultant whose career has bridged Guadalajara, San Antonio, Spain, and Germany.

Originally from Guadalajara, Rocío started as a bilingual reporter at the San Antonio Report covering U.S.–Mexico relations and immigration. She later joined the City of San Antonio's Global Engagement Office (coordinating the King and Queen of Spain's Tricentennial visit), served as Director of Community Engagement and Constituent Services for Mayor Ron Nirenberg — including a stretch working remotely from Spain — and spent 2023–2024 as a German Chancellor Fellow in Darmstadt studying migration policy. Most recently she was a campaign aide to Beto Altamirano in the 2025 San Antonio mayoral race, and today she runs her firm Guerita Consulting.

This one is longer-form and substantive. We get into what community engagement actually looks like on the ground, what the Mayor's office taught her about funding and consensus, her view of the Altamirano campaign, San Antonio's Sister Cities, why global engagement matters for a mid-size American city, and what it's like to build a career across two countries, two languages, and two cultures.

If you care about how local government works — or what it looks like to build a career that doesn't fit one lane — this is your episode. ☕

🌐 gueritaconsulting.com 📸 Instagram: @chioguenther

00:35 — Rocío Guenther: A Journey of Identity

04:56 — San Antonio: A Community of Warmth

06:38 — Navigating Local Politics

12:14 — Transplants in San Antonio's Growth

15:15 — Political Identity and Community Engagement

17:10 — COVID and Community Engagement

19:13 — Career Transitions

21:29 — Political Landscapes and Aspirations

22:43 — Spanish Citizenship and Migration Studies

24:25 — Balancing New Roles and Future Goals

25:11 — Local Governance: Mayor and Council

37:09 — Competency in Governance

39:35 — Local Leadership Dynamics

41:58 — Cultural Perceptions of San Antonio

48:07 — International Connections and Sister Cities

53:08 — The Importance of Global Engagement

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This week's a special one. Don and Lawson are joined by the youngest and most heavily bribed guest in Two Texas Teas history: Lawson's son, Luke Picasso.

After "many contract negotiations," Luke takes the mic to walk us through his Select baseball season — the sprained elbow that has him on the IL, his Atlanta Braves loyalty, and his very strong feelings about Bryce Harper. We get into the wild economics of youth baseball, why the Picassos bowed out of Little League ("too political"), Mario Kart wars that fracture dinner conversations, the Universal Super Mario World fever dream, and the family's mission to visit every MLB stadium before Luke turns 18.

Lawson closes with a Mother's Day message for every kind of mom — the new moms, the moms moving through grief, and the moms who just want a quiet day where nobody asks where anything is.

Happy Mother's Day from us to you.

— Luke's season, his sprained elbow, and getting the official stats on the record
— Why Select baseball is basically Space Jam with $500 bats
— The Sandlot tournament that ended with police on the scene
— Atlanta Braves vs. Yankees: a house divided
— Mario Kart fights, COVID switches, and the great Yoshi takeover
— Universal Studios' Super Mario World (10 trillion out of 10)
— The MLB stadium tour goal and why San Antonio absolutely deserves a team

00:00 — Celebrating Mother's Day with Special Guests
02:13 — Summary
02:48 — Luke's Baseball Journey: Stats and Injuries
05:58 — The Competitive Nature of Youth Baseball
09:53 — The Impact of Branding in Baseball
13:39 — Navigating Youth Sports Politics
16:02 — Visit twotexasteas.com
16:43 — The Role of Parents in Youth Sports
22:09 — Future Aspirations in Baseball and Education
26:41 — The Competitive Nature of Youth Sports
29:14 — Baseball Knowledge and Passion
32:01 — YouTube Influences and Family Activities
34:19 — Video Game Fandom and Family Dynamics
38:58 — The Love for Baseball and Family Traditions
41:32 — Universal Studios Experience and Super Mario World
45:04 — Advertise With Us
45:44 — Dreams of MLB Stadium Visits
50:55 — Reflections on Motherhood and Family Values

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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

Don and Lawson are back, and this week they're trying something new. Introducing the show's new segment structure: Hot Tea (the spicy stuff), Sweet Tea (the feel-good wins), and Brewed Tea (what's coming down the pipeline). One brand, three flavors, all Texas.

They open with the Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion fumble, then dive into San Antonio City Hall — Chief of Staff Denise Carroll out, longtime Deputy Chief Pat Wallace out, and what those exits actually say about the mayor's office. From there: a board race for Alamo Colleges District 9 that got nasty and backfired, why Lawson is reporting from Corpus Christi.

On the Sweet Tea side, Kacey Musgraves opening her Gruene Hall run with the Mariachi kids from the Dilley detention facility.

Then Brewed Tea: the May runoffs, the Tony Gonzalez seat, gerrymandering going legal, internal mean-girling inside both parties, and why the age range on the ballot keeps creeping older while the country keeps getting older with it.

Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕🤠

— Why Klay and Meg didn't work and the internet's worst takes
— Denise Carroll resigns. Pat Wallace resigns. What the LinkedIn posts actually said
— What it's really like being a Chief of Staff (2 a.m. pothole calls included)
— The Alamo Colleges District 9 race that backfired on the opponents
— Lawson's love letter to Corpus, the Valley, Del Rio, and Eagle Pass
— Kacey Musgraves, Gruene Hall, the Mariachi kids, and the bot ticket scandal
— Gerrymandering, runoffs, and the November setup in Texas
— Why Texas weather is in its perimenopausal era

00:00 — Megan Thee Stallion and Relationship Dynamics
00:27 — Intro
01:17 — New Segments: Hot Tea, Sweet Tea and Brewed Tea
02:46 — Klay Thompson
07:46 — Ad Break
08:27 — Hot Tea: Political Landscape in San Antonio
14:00 — Staff Turnover and Leadership Challenges
19:07 — The Role of Chief of Staff
22:11 — Alamo Colleges Board
24:54 — Sweet Tea: Corpus Christi and the RGV
31:13 — Kacey Musgraves and the Mariachi Band
37:15 — Brewed Tea: Upcoming Elections and Gerrymandering
40:24 — Congress and the President of the United States
45:26 — Climate Change: Weather Patterns and Local Impact
46:56 — Outro

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Real talk. Texas brewed. ☕

Don and Lawson are back together and they brought the full San Antonio energy with them. Recorded mid-Fiesta, this one is exactly what you would expect from two people obsessed with this city.

They go full send into Fiesta — medals, cascarones, Market Square's new $5 cover, Fiesta Sucia, the Spurs Guy as a Fiesta saint, Fiesta Flambeau, and the very real possibility that Two Texas Teas drops its own Fiesta medal next April. From there: the Spurs playoff run, why the city goes honking when they win, and why LeBron James is still not forgiven for the AC game. Don tells his Eagle Pass wedding story (95 degrees, no AC, full suit), Lawson defends keeping her thermostat at 72 year-round and points the finger at data centers, and they close on Tony Gonzalez stepping down, the Eric Swalwell allegations, accountability across both parties, and why we still owe Monica Lewinsky an apology.

Warm, funny, and very San Antonio. ☕🤠

— Market Square's $5 cover and what it means for Fiesta culture
— Fiesta medals as the Pokemon Go of San Antonio
— Lawson's history designing medals (Mandalorian, picture-frame, corporate misfire)
— The Two Texas Teas Fiesta medal announcement
— Spurs playoff run, going honking, and the LeBron AC game
— Don's Eagle Pass wedding and surviving 95 degrees in a suit
— Lawson at 72 degrees year-round, no apologies
— Tony Gonzalez, Eric Swalwell, and believing survivors

00:00 — Introduction and Energy Drinks
02:34 — Email ads@twotexasteas.com to Be a Sponsor
03:15 — Fiesta in San Antonio
17:37 — Fiesta Medals!
28:14 — LeBron versus the Spurs
31:54 — Visit twotexasteas.com
32:34 — Freezing Weather in a Texas Spring
38:19 — Don's Mexican Wedding in Eagle Pass
42:15 — Congressman Woes in Texas
52:52 — Follow Us on Social Media @twotexasteas
53:29 — Ending

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Episode 7: No Tumbleweeds: Two Outsiders on What Texas Really Is ft. Jordan Webb

⚠️ A Note Before You Press Play Lawson is taking an unplanned week off due to some technical difficulties on our recording app. We will have her back next episode. Bear with us on the audio and video quality as this interview was recorded a few months back. We are fixing it as we go. ☕

About This Episode

Don flies solo this week and brings in a very familiar face. Jordan Webb, IT consultant and Don's college friend of over a decade, joins for a candid conversation about what Texas looks like through the eyes of people who were not born and raised here.

From Jordan's first work trip to Austin to Don's wide eyed arrival in San Antonio expecting tumbleweeds and cowboys, this episode is a love letter to the state that keeps pulling people in from everywhere else. They talk culture, city vibes, Texas exceptionalism, and the big question nobody wants to answer out loud: is Texas still Texas when everybody from California and New York keeps moving in?

No Lawson this week. But plenty of tea. ☕🤠

About Jordan Webb Jordan Webb is an IT consultant, avid traveler, and Don's friend of over a decade. A proud non-Texan with a deep appreciation for the Lone Star State, Jordan brings a sharp outside perspective on what makes Texas culture so magnetic.

📱 Follow Jordan: @spiderwebb_24

Chapters

00:00 Don Opens the Episode Solo

06:43 Introducing Jordan Webb

07:16 Jordan's First Trip to Austin

09:07 Expectations vs Reality: The Real Texas

10:05 How Every Texas City Has Its Own Vibe

22:27 Texas Exceptionalism: Real or Propaganda?

24:04 The Transient City: Where Did All the Austinites Go? 24:46 What Texas Gives to the Rest of the Country

26:37 Closing Thoughts

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