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Ben Philpott is a senior reporter for KUT-FM, Austin’s National Public Radio affiliate. He has been covering state politics and dozens of other topics for the station since 2002, during which time he has been recognized for outstanding radio journalism by the Radio and Television News Directors Association, Public Radio News Directors Incorporated, the Houston Press Club and the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters. Before moving to Texas, he worked in public radio in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, Ala., and at several television stations in Alabama and Tennessee. Born in New York City and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Philpott graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in broadcast journalism.
The Republicans have rolled out their slate of candidates in Travis County, which has been enemy territory — but this year, party leaders hope a sluggish economy and dissatisfaction with health care reform give them an opening. Ben Philpott, covering the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune, filed this report. Full Story
Visit any campaign web site and you'll find social and new media tools being used to get the message out. Journalists are using some of those same tools, but the candidates they cover aren't happy about it. Ben Philpott filed this report for KUT News and the Tribune. Full Story
She was born into a family of eight children near Lubbock, worked on cotton fields in her teens and later became a Hispanic labor leader. Now she's running for lieutenant governor. We've packaged resources (in various media platforms) on the latest entrant to the race. Full Story
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San Antonio’s Linda Chavez-Thompson has filed to run for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor. The former state and national labor leader is one of the few Hispanic Democrats to run for state-wide office in 2010. Ben Philpott, who's covering the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune, has this profile. Full Story
The four major gubernatorial campaigns will spend big bucks — maybe as much as $60 million — between now and the March 2 primary. What is that deluge of cash and advertising going to look like? Ben Philpott, who's covering the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune, filed this report. Full Story
The four major gubernatorial campaigns will spend big bucks — maybe as much as $60 million — between now and the March 2 primary. What is that deluge of cash and advertising going to look like? Ben Philpott, who's covering the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune, filed this report. Full Story
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The race for Texas governor started months ago, but the battles between the best-funded candidates will really take off in the next couple of weeks. One high point: Governor Rick Perry and U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison are expected to debate at least once, and maybe twice, in January. So how will those joint apperances figure into the overall campaign? Ben Philpott, who's covering the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune, filed this report. Full Story
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has laid out her vision for the future of transportation in Texas. Full Story
How are San Antonio Democrats reacting to the party's embezzlement scandal? Full Story
It's been a rough few days for Bexar County Democrats: Party officials announced last week that a former official had embezzled more than $200,000 from the party. Just about every elected Democrat in the county held a press conference today to say that the party has a plan to pay it back — and that none of this will affect the March primary — or their candidates' chances in next November's general election. Ben Philpott, who is reporting on the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune, talked with State Senator Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, about the scandal, about her party's prospects, and her own. Full Story