Blaise Gainey
Texas Capitol ReporterBlaise Gainey is the youngest of three siblings, a loving husband and a father of two.
He covers state politics for The Texas Newsroom.
He previously worked at Nashville Public Radio, where he reported on state politics, elections and breaking news. Prior to that, he covered state politics in Tallahassee, Florida, at WFSU, the local NPR station.
While at WFSU, Blaise won a Regional Edward R. Murrow in Hard News for his coverage of the police shooting death of Tony McDade.
His work has aired on the BBC, NPR’s Morning Edition, All Things Considered and a myriad of national newscasts. He’s also made live appearances on PBS NewsHour and local television stations in Nashville and Tallahassee.
Gainey grew up in Central Florida, then moved to North Florida for college and stayed for work.
He has an undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University.
Got a tip? Email him at bgainey@kut.org. Follow him on X @BlaiseGainey.
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The governor signed Texas’ Senate Bill 8 into law on Monday. The so-called “bathroom bill” prohibits people in many publicly owned spaces from using restrooms that don't align with the sex listed on their birth certificate. LGBTQ+ groups and advocates are calling the measure another attack on transgender Texans. -
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott took action on 14 bills Wednesday, signing all but one into law. Among those signed were measures aimed at increasing access to ivermectin and allowing private citizens to sue out-of-state abortion pill prescribers. -
If this summer’s special sessions were a midterm exam on disaster preparation, Texas lawmakers would probably get an A. But their final grade will depend on how changes are actually implemented — and how quickly that happens. -
Texas’ governor issued an executive order Wednesday mandating age restrictions on consumable hemp products containing THC. This comes after Abbott’s veto earlier this year of legislation that would have banned the products outright. -
“There is a deep hunger in this state and in this country for a different kind of politics,” said Texas House Rep. James Talarico at a rally in Round Rock Tuesday evening, just hours after the Austin Democrat announced his candidacy for Texas’ 2026 U.S. Senate race. -
When the governor called the Texas Legislature into special session after July’s historic floods, he topped his priority list with passing bills to better prepare the state for future natural disasters. Here’s a look at six new measures lawmakers just passed. -
House Bill 35 goes into effect on Sept. 1, creating a new program that aims to connect firefighters and EMS workers across Texas with peer-to-peer mental health support. -
The Texas Senate voted to approve a controversial, mid-decade redistricting bill that redraws the state’s congressional map in Republican’s favor. The new districts could give the GOP as many as five more seats in Congress after the 2026 midterm elections. -
After protests, a two-week quorum break and out-of-state pressure, the Texas House passed a new map for the state’s congressional districts on Wednesday. The bill now proceeds to the Texas Senate, which is weighing a slightly different redistricting map. -
Texas House Democrats returned to Austin on Monday, restoring the chamber's quorum. With their return, the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature will likely move quickly to pass a new map of the state’s congressional districts.
