In a pandemic and an election year, Texas Democrats look for the right tone
The party, which has high hopes in the state in 2020, is looking to offer contrast without politicizing a crisis. Full Story
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Alex Samuels
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Alex Samuels was a reporter for The Texas Tribune from 2017 to 2021. She helped with national campaign coverage, wrote stories about the intersection of race and politics in Texas, and covered the hottest political news bubbling out of local communities. She was also one of the primary authors of The Blast, the Tribune’s subscription-only daily newsletter for political insiders. Alex began at the Tribune as a fellow in 2016. She graduated in 2017 from the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism. She originally is from Massachusetts and is the best pingpong player at the Tribune.
Past Contributions
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![Democratic Party signage and logos at the Texas Democratic Party office in Austin.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Limited seating and pajama bottoms: How Texas churches are preparing for a socially distant Easter
Gov. Greg Abbott has given his blessing for churches to hold services during the pandemic. Some are gathering their flocks for Easter. Others are sticking with livestreamed services. Full Story
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Citing social responsibility, many churches and businesses deemed essential are closing anyway
“This is the only way to be sure that we’re not making everybody sicker,” said one restaurant general manager. “We wanted to be able to be an example.” Full Story
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![Memorial Church of Christ in Houston.]()
Credit: Screenshot via Memorial Church of Christ -
Coronavirus: The pandemic through Texans’ eyes
Texas Tribune reporters have interviewed Texans from across the state to learn how they are confronting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read their stories of struggle and resourcefulness in the first installment of a weekly series. Full Story
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Caught between local officials and Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott carefully navigates coronavirus
Abbott’s approach has helped keep the peace across levels of government handling the response in Texas but has also raised questions about whether he’s being aggressive enough in responding to a virus that threatens thousands of lives. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump receives a briefing on Tropical Storm Harvey relief efforts with Gov. Greg Abbott in Corpus Christi on August 29, 2017.]()
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Texas’ largest counties are issuing stay-at-home orders as coronavirus spreads
The orders represent some of the most stringent measures local officials in Texas have taken so far to address the colossal public health crisis. Full Story
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![Downtown Austin with considerably less traffic during the coronavirus outbreak on March 23, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
As coronavirus spreads, some Asian Americans worry their leaders’ language stokes a stigma
“If the virus has already been named by the [World Health Organization] as COVID-19, any renaming is highly politically charged and motivated,” said one researcher. Full Story
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![From left, Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn speak as Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies in front of the Senate Judiciary committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 27, 2018.]()
Credit: Erin Schaff/Pool via REUTERS -
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn draws rebuke for blaming coronavirus on China
The Republican Texas senator alluded to a now-debunked myth that the outbreak began after a woman ate bat soup. And he incorrectly cited China as the birthplace of two previous outbreaks. Full Story
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![U.S. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, enters a hearing room before chairing a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to confirm five nominees on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.]()
Credit: Allison Shelley for The Texas Tribune -
Staying home slows the coronavirus, but what if you’re homeless?
Local, state and national leaders are recommending people take a range of actions to protect themselves from the new coronavirus. But for those without homes, many of those measures are next to impossible. Full Story
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![Tents found in front of the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) on Oct. 29, 2019. The residents have to make sure their tents are in “safe camping sites,” though many aren’t sure what it mean.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas death linked to coronavirus came from community spread in retirement home
All residents of the retirement community will be tested, Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday. Full Story
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![Doctor Roxana Sauer walks towards the parking lot as she prepares for a coronavirus (COVID-19) test during a media event at a drive-in coronavirus check at the hospital of Gross-Gerau, Germany on March 9, 2020.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach