The Midday Brief: January 8, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

• “I have always found polls put out by campaigns to be suspect and leaked polls even more so.” — Leaked polls in the governor's race — Texas Politics

• “Texas collected 11.6 percent less in sales taxes in December, the ninth year-over-year decline in a row.” — State sales tax revenue plunge continues — Austin American-Statesman

• “Two tidbits floating around out there on Texas' U.S. Senate race. That is, the race for the seat that is currently occupied by a three-term veteran who has declined several times to give it up.” — More drama around a Senate race that doesn't even exist yet — Trail Blazers

• “The rate would have been higher if more people had been looking for work instead of leaving the labor force because they can’t find jobs” — U.S. loses more jobs, unemployment still 10% — Associated Press

• “Former Bryan Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson’s abrupt change from pro-choice activist to pro-life spokesperson turned her into a talk show sensation. But is her story true?” — The Convert — Texas Monthly

New in The Texas Tribune:

• “These stories are the more extreme examples of the struggling rural health care system, but they are very real.” — Guest Column: Save Rural Health Care Now — The Texas Tribune

• Fifteen, as you'll see in our newly updated Election 2010 database, which now includes the 193 Libertarians arrayed from top to bottom on this year's ballot.  — 2010: How Many Candidates Filed for Governor? — The Texas Tribune

Announcement: After this post, you will notice a more diverse team writing The Brief.  I'll be rotating duties with Abby Rapoport, Julian Aguilar, and Morgan Smith. See you again in three weeks.