Ethics commission ends long-running probe into Empower Texans
The Texas Ethics Commission on Thursday voted to end a long-running investigation into one of the state's most influential conservative groups. Full Story
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Patrick Svitek
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Patrick Svitek was the primary political correspondent for The Texas Tribune. Patrick covered elections, state leaders, the Legislature and political trends across the state from 2015 until 2024. He previously worked for the Houston Chronicle's Austin bureau. Patrick graduated in 2014 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Past Contributions
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![Michael Quinn Sullivan, president and CEO of Empower Texans and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, at a 2012 Texas Tribune event.]()
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Competitive statehouse races come to light in finance reports
A new wave of campaign finance reports is bringing into focus how competitive some state legislatives races are. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol, May 15, 2015.]()
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Will Trump hurt GOP down-ballot? Pelosi and Cornyn disagree
During a pair of stops Wednesday in San Antonio and Austin, the two Congressional leaders provided confident outlooks for their parties' prospects in November. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-California and U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.]()
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Court of Criminal Appeals declines to hear Paxton case, setting stage for trial
The highest criminal court in Texas said Wednesday it will not hear Ken Paxton's appeal of securities fraud charges, putting the attorney general on the path to a trial in the coming months. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton holds a press conference on June 9, 2016 in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to discuss the filing of a lawsuit against the state of Delaware]()
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Castro, mulling Cruz challenge, blasts senator's Trump endorsement
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro is providing a scathing assessment of the Sen. Ted Cruz's deliberations over whether to endorse Donald Trump. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, speaks to a group of Hillary Clinton supporters at a morning campaign event held at the home of Mark and Sharon Naughton in Iowa City on Sunday, August 30, 2015. Castro was on the first of four campaign stops in Iowa.]()
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In San Antonio, Trump Attacks Ryan for "Total Disloyalty"
At a San Antonio fundraiser, Donald Trump said some of his GOP colleagues "forgot there was an election," specifically calling out U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan. Full Story
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![San Antonio police officer in front of group of protesters close to venue where Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump was attending a fundraiser on October 11, 2016]()
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At Critical Time for Campaign, Trump Visits Texas to Raise Money
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump dropped in on Texas on Tuesday to raise money for his campaign at a critical time as he seeks to recover from a devastating controversy with just under a month until Election Day. Full Story
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![Supporters of Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump, hold up letters to spell his name during an August 23, 2016 rally in Austin, Texas]()
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Paul Ryan Coming to Texas Amid Some Pro-Trump Resistance
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan is coming to Texas to raise money as he concentrates his attention on protecting the House Republican majority with Donald Trump at the top of the ticket. Full Story
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![U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan addressed the Texas delegation on on July 19, 2016, Day 2 of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.]()
Credit: Abby Livingston/The Texas Tribune -
Cruz Reaffirms Trump Support In Wake of Lewd Comments About Women
Touring Muleshoe, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz reiterated his support for Donald Trump, saying Hillary Clinton is "manifestly unfit" to be president. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz thanks supporters of his failed presidential bid at a waterfront bar along the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland, Ohio on July 20, 2016.]()
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Where Texas Republicans Stand on Donald Trump
The surfacing of a 2005 clip showing Donald Trump speaking lewdly about women has caused many Republicans to drop their support for their party's presidential nominee. Here's how the controversy is unfolding in Texas. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Gage Skidmore / Todd Wiseman