The Brief: June 2, 2014

The Big Conversation

The GOP state convention kicks off this week in Fort Worth with some folks urging attendees to take their guns to town.

“We expect to have people there carrying weapons,” Steve Munisteri, who heads the Republican Party of Texas, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Anna Tinsley. “It’s a Republican crowd and that’s a crowd that’s used to people packing. If the city and the convention center leave it up to us, we will allow open carry and, of course, anyone with a concealed-carry license.”

Elsewhere ahead of the GOP confab, Star-Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy suggests fissures might begin to appear this week between the evangelical and Tea Party wings of the party:

"Runaway victories by [Dan] Patrick and attorney general nominee Ken Paxton of McKinney seem mostly fueled by conservative evangelicals, sometimes uniting with fiscal-minded Tea Party groups against the establishment. If you wonder how long this coalition can last — it might not make it to the state convention this week. Already, an invitation for a Republican Liberty Caucus barbecue Thursday night describes the Texas women of Phyllis Schlafly’s family-minded Eagle Forum as 'biddies' and mocks Houston religious conservative Steve Hotze as the leader of the 'Judgmental Republicans of Texas.'”

The Day Ahead

•    The joint legislative State Water Implementation Fund for Texas Advisory panel meets at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Extension to take invited testimony. (agenda)

Today in the Trib

Aggies to Revisit "100-Year Decision" in Print and Film: "Texas A&M University’s decision to join the SEC, which has been widely heralded as a transformational move for the university, will be the subject of print and film accounts, set to come out this fall."

With More Inmates on Dialysis, Officials Deal With Rising Costs: "A small but expensive and ever-growing group of Texas inmates require dialysis. Less that 230 inmates who receive dialysis treatment account for about 3 percent of the entire prison system's pharmaceutical budget."

Analysis: Clout is Only Clout If It Can Be Used: "Questions about insiders getting students into top state universities raises a question about power: Would it be more surprising if they had the clout to get people into school, or if they didn't?"

Must-Read

Cruz wins straw poll of group that once was wild about Perry, The Dallas Morning News

Obama to Take Action to Slash Coal Pollution, The New York Times

Sanchez: Take the RGV seriously, politicians, and agree to a debate here, McAllen Monitor

Fikac: Anti-bias ordinance has Abbott doing balancing act, San Antonio Express-News

Texas Democrats see opening in tea party triumphs, The Associated Press

Surge in property tax bills spurs push to reform tax appraisal process, Austin American-Statesman

Oil boom sends gusher of cash to Texas universities, The Dallas Morning News

Flow of border immigrants overwhelming agencies, Houston Chronicle

Quote to Note

“All delegates, I urge you to open-carry the whole time. I will be a delegate with my AK 47. Thomas Jefferson would be proud.”

— Open Carry Tarrant County coordinator Kory Watkins, urging on Facebook that people take their guns to this week's Texas GOP convention in Fort Worth

Today in TribTalk

The problem with "Abortion Barbie", by Sherry Sylvester: "I'm no fan of Wendy Davis, but conservative critics who are resorting to name-calling and sexist attacks need to stop. They're undercutting our message and credibility."

We're not done fighting for Obamacare in Texas, by David Gonzales: "The rule changes and delays that plagued the Affordable Care Act’s first open-enrollment period have stirred confusion among Americans, especially Hispanics. We must clarify options for consumers and dispel myths about the process and the law."

Trib Events for the Calendar

•    The Texas Tribune Festival runs from Sept. 19-21 at the University of Texas at Austin. Tickets are on sale now.