Texas thrives on contrast, and few pairings capture that better than Bell County’s growth corridor and Sterling County’s quiet plains. Together they remind us that commitment to community, whether on a city street or a cattle trail, keeps Texas moving forward.

This pairing links two regions that show the range of what “Texas strong” really means. Together they reveal how Texas grows: from coast to canyon; when hard work meets heart.

This pairing connects two counties that, though worlds apart in landscape, share Texas’ trademark resilience. Together they show how Texas prospers when opportunity travels both ways: from the coast to the heartland and back again.

This pairing captures two sides of Texas that define both its challenges and its promise. Together, they illustrate the balance Forward believes in: progress built on community, not division.

From the piney woods north of Houston to the flat plains of West Texas, today’s spotlight shows how Texas grows in very different ways: but through the same spirit of resilience. One county wrestles with growth; the other works to preserve its way of life. Yet both reflect what Forward stands for: giving every Texan, urban or rural, a fair voice and a future worth building.

This matchup brings together the westernmost edge of Texas and the wide-open plains of North Texas: two regions separated by miles, but united by resilience. Both counties remind us that true Texas strength comes from people who stay, build, and care for their neighbors.

This pairing brings together two corners of Texas that couldn’t feel farther apart geographically, yet share the same determination to protect community and opportunity. Together they show how every Texan, whether near the border or beneath the big sky, shares the same drive to move forward.

Our second week of Counties Across Texas opens with two counties that couldn’t be more different in scale, yet share the same Texas determination to build strong communities. Together, they capture a state that is both dynamic and deeply rooted, proving that progress and preservation can coexist when Texans put people before politics.

The first week of Counties Across Texas ends with two places that couldn’t look more different — yet feel deeply connected by the Texas spirit. Both share the belief that local voices matter and that real progress in Texas happens when we respect both the growing cities and the towns that never stopped believing in one another.

This spotlight captures Texas in two very different tempos: the booming suburbs of Collin County, one of America’s fastest-growing regions, and the rugged frontier of Terrell County, a sparsely populated expanse of desert, canyons, and ranchland. Together they show that progress in Texas doesn’t just happen in cities: it starts with people who care about their neighbors.

This match-up contrasts Texas’ creative capital with one of its smallest, most self-reliant counties.  Together, they represent a bridge between progress and preservation: the balance Forward believes defines Texas at its best.

Few match-ups tell the story of Texas more clearly than Bexar County, home to San Antonio’s centuries-old missions, and McMullen County, a sprawling South Texas landscape of mesquite, oil, and ranching. Together they reflect the core challenge of modern Texas: honoring history while ensuring opportunity reaches every town, no matter its size.

Fort Worth and the Stockyards meet the wind-swept ranchlands of Kenedy County in this quintessential Texas contrast. This spotlight reminds us that whether the skyline is glass or open sky, Texans share the same need for fair representation and practical leadership.

This pairing captures the two poles of modern Texas. The contrast highlights why good governance must work everywhere; for the commuter on I-35 and the rancher watching the horizon.

This opening spotlight captures Texas in its purest contrast: the unstoppable growth of Harris County and the quiet endurance of Loving County. In this match-up, we’re reminded that every county, no matter its population, faces challenges worth solving; and every voice deserves to be heard.