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Chad Hasty, a conservative talk radio host from West Texas who was a well-known voice in Texas politics, passed away on Thursday at the age of 43. He died in his sleep that morning, as reported by News/Talk 95.1 & 970 KFYO in Lubbock, where he hosted a daily show. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
The Chad Hasty Show aired every afternoon on KFYO and was syndicated throughout Texas. He was known for his sharp political commentary and for booking high-profile guests, including Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows.
“Chad was not only a brilliant on-air host, but an even better friend. Our deepest condolences go out to Jennifer and his baby girl, Ava,” Dan Endom, president of Townsquare Media Lubbock, said in a statement. “It’s hard to imagine not seeing his welcoming presence roaming the halls.”
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Hasty began his career at the Lubbock station in 2003 and later became the host of its morning show. In 2021, the Grand Prairie native transitioned to the late-afternoon time slot. According to an obituary from the Texas Tribune, he was known for his love of baseball hats, premium cigars, and exploring new restaurants.
Burrows said he was “heartbroken” upon hearing of Hasty’s passing. “Time and again, he offered me a seat at his microphone and the opportunity to speak directly to the people I serve,” Burrows wrote on X. “He believed in giving leaders a platform – and holding them accountable – and he did both with professionalism, respect, and a healthy dose of humor.”
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💔 “He wasn’t just a broadcaster.”
Chad Hasty, a longtime West Texas radio host and KFYO fixture, has died at 43. As news spread, tributes from Texas political leaders highlighted his role in shaping conversations around policy, politics and the region he covered for decades.… pic.twitter.com/Kbz4iuBBUa
— Chron (@chron) April 30, 2026
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) also addressed Hasty’s death. “Every day, Chad showed up to the microphone with conviction, informing Texans on the critical policy and political fights happening in the Legislature and our state,” he said.
“Chad was one of the greatest voices in Texas, and his loss will be deeply felt throughout the state,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said. Hasty leaves behind his wife, Jennifer, and his 1-year-old daughter, Ava.
Meanwhile, an Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, man running as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate, faces accusations of making threats to kill President Donald Trump and a member of Congress. An FBI spokesperson confirmed that Raymond Chandler was arrested Friday morning by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents in Pittsburgh, along with the United States Secret Service.
Court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, obtained by local media, outline the alleged threatening statements authorities say Chandler made.
According to the affidavit, Chandler reportedly left an unidentified member of Congress a voicemail on April 18, during which he said he asked the person to think about how 1,000 people would “pull you out of your house and they slit your throat and they slit your daughter’s throat and they slit everyone’s throat.”
The affidavit also said he followed that up by stating this must happen because “wealth concentration has gotten so bad in this country.”
The filing also notes that on April 29, Chandler left another voicemail to an unidentified member of Congress, saying, “I want you to put that firearm to the President’s head, and I want you to pull the trigger and I want you to kill him.” He then said that President Trump is “a liar among all liars. He’s a great deceiver. He’s the antichrist.”
The congressmember’s representatives eventually reached out to authorities after Chandler’s voicemails became increasingly violent rhetoric aimed at Trump, members of Congress, and ICE.
Just hours before his arrest, Chandler posted a YouTube video as part of his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania. In the video, titled “It’s Time to Tax the Billionaires,” he announced his intention to challenge Senator John Fetterman in the 2028 election.
His campaign website outlines a range of progressive priorities, including taxing billionaires, expanding social programs, regulating Big Tech, and abolishing ICE—positions that are widely accepted within the Democrat Party.
