Texas Republicans Return To Islamophobia

Summary

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What A Day Podcast Summary

Episode: "Texas Republicans Return To Islamophobia"

Date: February 26, 2026
Host: Jane Coaston
Guest: Forrest Wilder (Senior Writer, Texas Monthly)

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Overview

This episode centers on the resurgence and escalation of Islamophobia and xenophobic messaging in Texas GOP politics, especially seen in the ongoing Senate primary race. Host Jane Coaston digs into how and why Republicans in Texas are ramping up anti-Muslim rhetoric, the broader implications for Texas politics and communities, and whether this trend might spill over into national GOP strategy. The show features an interview with journalist Forrest Wilder to add context and analysis.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Texas GOP Primary: Escalating Fear and Islamophobia

• The Texas Republican Senate primary, featuring Senator John Cornyn, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt, is setting spending records and devolving into increasingly hostile territory, particularly with Islamophobic attacks.
• Cornyn and Paxton have been running attack ads accusing each other of being "soft on Islam" ([01:38]).

Notable Segment: Republican-on-Republican Attacks

Jane Coaston (Reacting to attack ads):
"Again, that is Republican on Republican violence. Woof."
([01:38])

• Trump, despite his usual influence, has refused to endorse a candidate, claiming to like all three "equally" ([01:38]).

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2. Islamophobia as Political Strategy

• Texas GOP candidates are broadcasting deeply Islamophobic campaign ads, e.g., claims of "Muslim invasion," terrorism, and Sharia law—claims widely debunked ([02:36]).
• These ads, while factually baseless, resonate with primary voters and represent a calculated campaign strategy.

Republican Candidate Aaron Reitz (ad excerpt):
"Islam is not compatible with Western civilization... Not on my watch."
([02:36])

The Role of Scare Tactics

• Forrest Wilder: "Fear sells, right? The culture wars sell. The border is not as salient of an issue... So there's really a need for GOP campaigning in Texas at least to grab onto something to scare the crap out of people." ([03:41])
• Traditional "culture war" topics, such as immigration and anti-trans rhetoric, have begun to lose steam, prompting a pivot to attacking Muslims and broader South Asian communities.

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3. Intersection with Immigration and Broader Xenophobia

• The anti-Muslim rhetoric is bleeding into anti-South Asian sentiment, with candidates calling for mass deportations—including U.S. citizens and even Native Americans ([04:51]).
• Candidates have targeted South Asian residents as "unassimilable," and made derogatory statements about communities in Dallas suburbs.

Forrest Wilder:
"We have a candidate... calling for 100 million people to be deported. That would, of course, include tens of millions of US citizens. He even wants to deport Native Americans. Not kidding."
([05:24])

Extremity and Escalation

• Even in the context of Texas’ usual right-wing base, the current level of xenophobia is seen as "more extreme" than previous cycles ([05:25]).

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4. Irony of Fear Mongering under GOP Rule

• Despite Republicans controlling Texas for decades, candidates frame "Islamic infiltration" as a threat resulting from government inaction—essentially criticizing their own party’s alleged weakness, to fuel ever-more-extreme positions.
• Legal steps include efforts to designate CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) as a terrorist organization and attempts to strip it of nonprofit status ([06:40]).

Forrest Wilder:
"That's how you end up... with Greg Abbott designating CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization... They're trying to strip CAIR of their nonprofit status and basically make it impossible for them to organize or to have a political voice in Texas."
([07:29])

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5. Community Impact and Political Dynamics

• The Muslim community in Texas is diverse—politically mixed, with many socially conservative members. Yet, GOP extremism has left even Republican Muslim communities "shocked," with real-world consequences (e.g., hate crimes) ([07:36]).
• Wilder notes cities like Houston and Dallas are culturally vibrant and diverse, but rural conservative voters wield disproportionate influence ([07:36]).

Forrest Wilder:
"People are, you know, they're shocked. And in part it's because this has manifested not just at a rhetorical level. There are people that are being attacked..."
([07:36])

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6. Absurd Extremes in the Senate Race

• The race between Cornyn and Paxton hit new lows: Cornyn bragged about an endorsement from anti-Islam activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali (herself a Somali immigrant and critic of Islam); Paxton attacked Cornyn for being supported by an immigrant, regardless of ideology ([09:39]).

Jane Coaston:
"It's not actually about someone who is Muslim. It's about a Somali immigrant who's actually extremely anti Islam. What do you think that says about... not just Islamophobia, but racism in this race?"
([09:39])

Forrest Wilder:
"It's basically you have like, Islamophobia in a cage with, like, xenophobia and racism. Like, who's gonna win?"
([10:29])

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7. Will Islamophobia Go National in the GOP?

• Texas often sets trends within the national Republican Party—past examples include border and immigration policies ([12:08]).
• Wilder suggests that while Texas' brand can influence national politics, extreme rhetoric risks alienating broader or more moderate audiences, especially in swing states.

Forrest Wilder:
"Texas is the king of the red states. We are the laboratory... for bad ideas. I think that's still often the case when it comes to Republican politics."
([12:08])

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Memorable Quotes (Speaker & Timestamp):

• Jane Coaston: "Again, that is Republican on Republican violence. Woof." ([01:38])
• Aaron Reitz Ad: "Islam is not compatible with Western civilization." ([02:36])
• Forrest Wilder: "Fear sells, right? The culture wars sell..." ([03:41])
• Forrest Wilder: "We have a candidate... calling for 100 million people to be deported..." ([05:24])
• Forrest Wilder: "It's basically you have like, Islamophobia in a cage with, like, xenophobia and racism. Like, who's gonna win?" ([10:29])
• Forrest Wilder: "Texas is the king of the red states. We are the laboratory... for bad ideas." ([12:08])
• Jane Coaston: "It's not actually about someone who is Muslim. It's about a Somali immigrant who's actually extremely anti Islam." ([09:39])

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Important Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 01:15 | Recap of Cornyn vs. Paxton ad war | | 02:36 | Islamophobic campaign ad example (Aaron Reitz) | | 03:18 | Interview with Forrest Wilder begins | | 03:41 | Analysis of why Islamophobia resurged in Texas | | 04:51 | Expansion of rhetoric to South Asians/H1B immigrant | | 05:24 | Extreme calls for deportation, even of citizens | | 06:40 | Discussion on Republican control and fear-mongering | | 07:36 | Community impacts and hate crime example | | 09:39 | The Cornyn/Paxson/Ayaan Hirsi Ali controversy | | 10:29 | Absurd intersection of racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia | | 12:08 | Potential for Islamophobia to go national |

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Conclusion

This episode of What A Day delivers a sharply focused look at how and why Islamophobia has re-emerged as a core strategy in Texas conservative politics, tracing its intersection with broader anti-immigrant sentiment and highlighting the absurd and dangerous levels to which GOP candidates are taking their rhetoric. Under Jane Coaston's incisive questioning, Forrest Wilder provides critical context and a warning that Texas often pilots ideas that later surface on the national stage, though extremism may carry its own risks.

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For further detail, Forrest Wilder’s article is linked in the episode notes.

Transcript

[Jane Coaston]

It's Thursday, February 26th. I'm Jane Coston, and this is what a day. The show that thanks House Speaker Mike Johnson for sharing his deepest fears after the State of the Union Tuesday night.

[Jon Favreau]

If we lost the midterms, heaven forbid, if we lost the majority in the

[Jane Coaston]

House, it would be the end of

[Forrest Wilder]

the Trump presidency in real effect.

[Jane Coaston]

Oh, no, that would be terrible. On Today show, South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace hopes to hold lawmakers accountable for sexual harassment violations. And Minnesota Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, State of the Union guest is charged with unlawful conduct after standing up during the president's speech. But let's start with Texas. The Longhorn State Senate primary is already setting money records for both Republicans and Democrats, with more than $110 million being spent in advertising and reserved ad time. But on the Republican side, where Senator John Cornyn is facing Texas Attorney General ken Paxton and U.S. representative Wesley Hunt, things have gotten incredibly messy. How messy? This is an ad released Wednesday by Cornyn and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

[Jon Favreau]

It's voting time, so let's cut through the bull. Crooked Ken Paxton cheated on his wife. She's divorcing him on biblical grounds. So now Paxton's wrecking another home, sleeping around with a married mother of seven. And remember this, Crooked Ken increased his net worth by as much as 7,000% since taking office. And his actions in office even more troubling.

[Jane Coaston]

Again, that is Republican on Republican violence. Woof. And President Donald Trump isn't making things better. He's refusing to endorse one candidate, saying he likes all three men equally. You know, like how he definitely feels about his own children. But there is at least one thing those three Republican Senate candidates can agree on. Islamophobic bullshit. Muslims make up almost 2% of the population of Texas, and yet the threat of, quote, radical Islam has completely overtaken the Republican electorate in the state. Cornyn and Paxton have spent millions on ads accusing the other of being soft on Islam. One GOP consultant told Politico in January, quote, the Muslim community is the boogeyman for this cycle, adding, this has been pulled up one side and down the other. And with Texas Republican primary voters, it works. It is a thing they are legitimately scared of. And it's not just a talking point in the Senate race. Here's a campaign ad from a Republican candidate for Texas attorney general.

[Jon Favreau]

Islam is not compatible with Western civilization. I'm Aaron Reitz, and that's just one lesson I learned as a Marine in Afghanistan. But politicians have imported millions of Muslims into our country. The Result, more terrorism, more crime. And they even want their own illegal cities in Texas to impose Sharia law. Not on my watch.

[Jane Coaston]

Bullshit. It probably goes without saying, but just in case there's no mass campaign pushing for illegal cities in Texas to impose Sharia law. So why is the Texas GOP laser focused on Islam? To find out, I spoke with Forrest Wilder. He's a senior writer at Texas Monthly. Forrest, welcome to. What a day.

[Forrest Wilder]

Good to be here.

[Jane Coaston]

Obviously, after 9 11, the US has seen unprecedented levels of anti Muslim rhetoric. And Islamophobia in America has never really gone away. It did kind of slip out of the GOP's major talking points in a lot of places until now. Why is this resurfacing now? And why is it so heightened in Texas?

[Forrest Wilder]

I really think it's because, I mean, look, fear sells, right? The culture wars, cells. The border is not as salient of an issue. There's just not that many people crossing. A lot of the ICE activity is not popular. The trans panic doesn't have the same potency that it had. And so there's really a need for GOP campaigning in Texas at least to grab onto something, to scare the crap out of people. And a lot of, frankly, a lot of base voters, Republican voters in Texas, are really scared of the quote, unquote, Muslim invasion. It polls well for primary Republican voters, and so the politicians are all in on it.

[Jane Coaston]

Something that's been, that's interesting to me, and if you just look online, you can see it, is that it's not just about Muslims. It's about South Asian immigrants writ large. There's a lot of concerns about, for instance, Hindu American folks in Texas. What do you think that says about how the GOP or how the right in Texas is viewing immigration? Because there's also been a lot of concern about H1B visa holders, for example.

[Forrest Wilder]

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, these things, they seem disconnected. They're really not. I mean, I think that, you know, you could say it's anti Asian, and there is that, but it's really anti South Asian Indians and Pakistanis in particular, some of whom are Muslim, some of whom are not. We have a candidate running for statewide office for the Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas, who is, for example, calling for 100 million people to be deported. That would, of course, include tens of millions of US Citizens. He even wants to deport Native Americans. Not kidding.

[Jane Coaston]

Right.

[Forrest Wilder]

And, you know, and so there is this very broad kind of xenophobia and bigotry, but right now, yes, I think you're right. That it's pointed squarely at Muslims, it's pointed squarely at South Asians. We have another candidate running for attorney general who has said that South Asian people are unassimilated and unassimilable, complained about, you know, suburbs in Dallas looking like, you know, Pakistan. You know, we're used to a lot of xenophobia in the air in Texas, you know, particularly among like, Republican grassroots types. But even this is just like, seems more extreme than, than I, than I expected, to be quite honest.

[Jane Coaston]

Republicans have had control of Texas politics for 25 odd years. You know, I'm aware that obviously there are Democratic mayors in several large Texas cities, but in general, Republicans have control here. So it seems very odd to be arguing essentially that Republican government wasn't enough to stop this evil from growing. Is it just this kind of doubling and tripling down on fear mongering that in a sense would seem to work against the Republicans trying to fear monger?

[Forrest Wilder]

Yeah, I mean, you're exactly right. And of course people on the far right have noticed this, but it's used as a, as cudgel against, say, Governor Greg Abbott to ask for more and more and more and to push elected officials to take more extreme positions. That's how you end up, for example, with Greg Abbott designating the Council on American Islamic Relations CARE as a foreign terrorist organization along with the Muslim Brotherhood and legally prohibiting this nonprofit that operates peacefully in Texas for, you know, 30 years from being able to purchase land. They're trying to strip care. Attorney General Paxton, who's running for U.S. senate, is trying to strip care of their nonprofit status and basically make it impossible for them to organize or to have a political voice in Texas.

[Jane Coaston]

I'm curious, how are Muslim Republicans responding to this? And how are Texans in general responding to this?

[Forrest Wilder]

I mean, look, the Muslim community, if you can even talk about it as such, is extremely diverse. I mean, there's immigrants, there's people that aren't immigrants. There's Black Muslims, there's people from South Asia, Indonesia, there's Democrats, there's Republicans. But if you kind of boil it down, Muslims tend to be politically mixed and, you know, tilt socially conservative. So there is a natural Republican constituency there. The two elected officials at the state House that we have who are Muslim are both Democrats, moderate Democrats. And you know, obviously they're in touch with their communities. And I think what they're saying, and others as well, is that people are, you know, they're shocked. And in part it's because this has manifested not just at a rhetorical level. But there are people that are being attacked. There was a woman in North Texas, in Euless, who some white woman tried to drown her kids in a public pool and then ripped her hijab off while she was trying to rescue her kids. I can't say how that's going to manifest politically, but I would think that such a full frontal assault on people's rights doesn't sit well with the Muslim person, regardless of their political persuasion. But, you know, Texas is a really diverse state, despite its status as a deep red state. In our cities, Houston and Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, these are incredibly diverse places. They're immigrant gateways. They're very vibrant places culturally. And I think the disconnect is that those cities are not enough to counteract the huge rural and extremely conservative or red population that we have. So what the state politics that you see are catering to, like the 3% of Texans who decide elections in the primary, they're not catering to sort of the average Texan. And so that's why it could be kind of confusing or discombobulating or lead to a conclusion that Texas must just be this completely whacked out, extremist place. And that's not exactly reality on the ground.

[Jane Coaston]

I've been fascinated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's primary run for Senate. You mentioned that earlier Paxton is running to unseat longtime Senator John Cornyn. And that race is strange for many reasons. We saw Cornyn, for example, brag about getting an endorsement from anti Islamist campaigner Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who is very anti Islam. And then Paxton responded by retweeting someone who said Cornyn was bragging about being endorsed by a Somali immigrant. Like, that, to me, was indicative of just how far this has gone, because it's not actually about someone who is Muslim. It's about a Somali immigrant who's actually extremely anti Islam. What do you think that that says about what this race is doing and how people are kind of doubling and tripling down on not just Islamophobia, but racism in this race?

[Forrest Wilder]

Yeah. I mean, honestly, it'd be kind of funny if it weren't so serious, because it's really absurd. I mean, it's basically you have like, Islamophobia in a cage with, like, xenophobia and racism. Like, who's gonna win? Right. I mean, it's all stemming from the same place. They need an other. They need a fear campaign in order to mobilize voters to come out to the primary. And then maybe for the general election, and so, you know, it's this kind of competition for who can grab the brass ring of the fear of the other that's the most potent at the moment. So that's how you end up with these, like, absurd situations, like, as you described, where Cornyn is holding up this anti Muslim activist to claim his bona fide as someone who's gonna go after, you know, Islamists or whatever. And then you have his opponent, Ken Paxton, sort of, you'll say, well, how, you know, how dare you consort with this, you know, this, this foreigner, even though she is an American citizen, by the way, who's more credible in the eyes of the Republican primary voter? That's the question. And I think the answer is going to be Ken Paxton.

[Jane Coaston]

I am curious, in your view, whether or not we're going to see this kind of Islamophobia become a mainstream talking point nationally, because on the one hand, you have Texas Republicans doubling and tripling down on it, but on the other hand, the Trump White House is, you know, hosting Ramadan, and we saw Trump make a big effort with Muslims in Michigan and elsewhere in 2024. So is Texas kind of leading the party towards its next big battle cry, which will be the same battle cry it was when I was in high school, or are they out of touch?

[Forrest Wilder]

Ultimately, I'm not sure. I will say that Texas is the king of the red states. We are the laboratory. Molly Ivan said, we're the national laboratory for bad ideas. I think that's still often the case when it comes to Republican politics. You remember that a lot of the politics around the border and immigration came out of Texas. Greg Abbott, for example, busing migrants to blue cities as a political stunt. A lot of the rhetoric, the actual facts on the ground of the border wall that's still being built here, that came out of Texas. So there's a pipeline from Texas to national GOP politics and to the White House as well. With that said, I think there's a lot of risks that come with this kind of rhetoric. Not necessarily so much in terms of an electoral price to pay, although that that could be the case in a place like Michigan. But just in the sense of going too far and saying things, maybe I'm being optimistic here, saying things that are so extreme, so divorced from reality and don't comport with people's lived experiences, that it's just not that potent of a message, particularly if there's a counterweight on the other side of messages that more resonates with people's actual needs and legitimate fears.

[Jane Coaston]

Forrest, thank you so much for taking the time to join me.

[Forrest Wilder]

Absolutely.

[Jane Coaston]

That was my conversation with Forrest Wilder, senior writer at Texas Monthly. We'll link to his piece in the show. Notes More News Incoming I know it's a lot, but I promise I'll try to make it fun. If you like the show, please subscribe, leave a five star review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. We'll be back after some ads. What a day is brought to you by Factor. You've got goals. You also have a full time job, a busy schedule and no time to cook. But now you've also got Factor. Factor has functional ingredients including lean proteins, colorful veggies, whole food ingredients and healthy fats. No refined sugars, no artificial sweeteners, no refined seed oils. They also have meals that fit your goals and schedule. Healthier eating, calorie management, more protein factor offers 100 rotating weekly meals to keep things fresh and delicious throughout the winter. Options include High Protein Calorie, smart Mediterranean diet, GLP1 support, and ready to eat salads. Plus the new MusclePro collection supports strength and recovery. And Factor meals are always fresh, never frozen, and they're ready in about two minutes. I love to cook, but on a busy night it would be so nice to have Factor in the fridge. Head to FactorMeals.com wad50off and use code WAD50OFF to get 50% off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with Factor new subscribers only. Varies by plan. One free breakfast item per box for one year while subscription is active. Here's what else we're following today. Head of Lines

[Forrest Wilder]

Tough flu season this year? Would you, as past surgeon generals have, encourage Americans to get vaccinated with the flu vaccine?

[Casey Means]

At the risk of sounding repetitive, I do think it's very important as a physician and to rebuild trust in public health to make sure that patients are encouraged to have informed consent with their doctor before getting any medication. I believe vaccines save lives. I believe they're an important part of public health. I also do not want to not encourage patients to have a conversation with their doctor. I think it's incredibly important. Informed consent is going to be part of building trust in public health.

[Jane Coaston]

That wasn't a yes to vaccines and it wasn't a no on vaccines from Surgeon General nominee Casey Means, who testified before the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday. She was questioned there by Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy. Means is a wellness influencer, surgical residency dropout and a close ally of health and human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In fact, when asked about why he nominated her last May, Trump said, quote, I don't know her. I listened to the recommendation of Bobby. Her views on public health are, well, very woo coded. Lots of talk in her writing about the quote divine Feminine and in one newsletter how she wants to use, quote, divine intuition to decide whether or not to drink raw milk based on the look in the farmer's eye. You don't need to look in a farmer's eye. Don't drink raw milk. All that wooness could explain why Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins asked about means experience using psychedelics. You also said that you were inspired to try psychedelics. In what I can only describe as an internal voice that whispered it's time to prepare. Illicit drug use remains a huge problem in this country and this didn't happen in your teen years. According to your book, in 2021 you began using illicit psychedelic mushrooms. I can't verify this, but I would guess this is the first U.S. surgeon General candidate to be asked about taking shrooms in a Senate hearing. The health Committee would have to approve for nomination to send it to the rest of the Senate. Capitol Police arrested Minnesota Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, State of the Union guest, for refusing, quote, to obey our lawful orders to sit down during the speech. According to a statement, the guest, Alia Rahman, was previously dragged from her car in Minneapolis by federal agents even though she told them she was disabled and driving to a doctor's appointment of the arrest. Omar said, quote, the heavy handed response to a peaceful guest sends a chilling message about the state of our democracy. We spoke with Omar and Rahman Tuesday before the State of the Union. To watch our full interview with them, head to our YouTube page.

[Jon Favreau]

We're announcing today that we have decided to temporary, temporarily halt certain amounts of Medicaid funding that are going to the state of Minnesota in order to ensure that the state of Minnesota takes its obligations seriously to be good stewards of the American people's tax money.

[Jane Coaston]

Vice President Jody Vance was all self important and smug runs day while announcing that the Trump administration is pausing some Medicaid funding to Minnesota because of fraud concerns. So what does that actually mean?

[Jon Favreau]

What we're doing is we are stopping the federal payments that will go to the state government until the state government takes its obligations seriously to stop the fraud that's being perpetrated against the American taxpayer.

[Jane Coaston]

The drastic move comes after allegations of fraud involving daycare centers run by Somali residents in Minneapolis prompted a massive immigration crackdown in the city. This announcement is part of a larger effort by the administration to spotlight fraud around the country, though notably not in the White House. In Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday, he previewed what was to come by announcing that Vance would spearhead a national, quote, war on fraud. And clearly Vance isn't wasting any time doing his leader's bidding. I filed a resolution that would expose all of the sexual harassment records of every single member of of Congress, regardless of party affiliation. Because of the Tony Gonzalez situation, I did call for his resignation. Others have done the same. South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace told NBC News this week she plans on pushing a House vote on her resolution to publicly release all sexual harassment reports related to members of Congress. Her resolution comes as Texas Republican Representative Tony Gonzalez continues to resist calls from fellow Republicans to resign. A report by a local Texas newspaper detailed allegations that Gonzalez had an affair with a former staffer who later died after setting herself on fire. Gonzalez has said he will not resign, Mace told NBC News. Both the right and the left are complicit in sweeping this kind of behavior under the rug. And that's the news. Before we go On Today's Hysteria, Erin and Alyssa break down the State of the Union, celebrate the US Men's and women's hockey wins at the Olympics, and unpack a wild Politico story on Nicki Minaj. Her online presence and political turn are evolving, and it's worth paying attention. Tune in to this episode of hysteria now on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review, Check out the nominees for the Rock and Roll hall of Fame this year, and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about how, the list includes Joy Division, New Order, as it should, Lauryn Hill, New Edition, Sade, the Wu Tang Clan, the Black Crows, Oasis, and a bunch more like me. What a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Jane Coasten, and according to the rules, artists must have released their first commercial recording 2025 years before they're eligible for induction, which is how Pink qualifies. She's on the list, too. I know. Elder Millennials I know. What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producer is Emily Foer. Our producer is Kaitlyn Plummer. Our video editor is Joseph Dutra. Our video producer is Johanna Case. We had production help today from Greg Walters and Matt Berg. Our Senior producer is Erica Morrison and our senior Vice president of news and politics is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Kyle Murdoch and Jordan Kanter. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.

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