Analysis: Here's what's in play in Texas' November general elections
Sure, there are a lot of races on the ballot in November that feature both Democrats and Republicans. But some are a lot more likely to change hands than others. Full Story
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![Primary election day at a polling place in South Austin on March 6, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A good day to be a Texas incumbent
Tuesday's primary election results were perfectly summarized by a Republican political consultant: "So much money, so little change." Full Story
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![Texas Flag and signs across street from Waxahachie parks and recreation voting place on Tuesday, March 6, 2018 — primary voting day in Texas.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
GOP state Sen. Craig Estes ousted; Sen. Bob Hall defeats Burkett
State Rep. Pat Fallon beat state Sen. Craig Estes for a seat in the Legislature's upper chamber, while state Sen. Bob Hall held off state Rep. Cindy Burkett. Meanwhile, Angela Paxton won Texas' most expensive state Senate primary. Full Story
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![Republican state Sens. Bob Hall, left, and Craig Estes.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
End is near in bruising, expensive Huffines-Paxton battle
Ahead of Tuesday's primaries, the Republican race for Senate District 8 has turned into easily the most expensive — and arguably the nastiest — primary for state office. Full Story
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![Angela Paxton and Phillip Huffines]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich: Paxton/Laura Buckman: Huffines -
Analysis: Pay no attention to the pols behind the curtain
The lieutenant governor might look like he's playing in a race when he's not. And a Washington political organization that's not supposed to mess with Democrats might just be messing with a Democrat. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick meets privately with Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, on the dais during a break in Senate proceedings Jan. 21, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Split Decision: Can one of these Democrats unseat Texas Sen. Konni Burton?
Watch Democrats Allison Campolo and Beverly Powell virtually debate the issues in their race to challenge Republican state Sen. Konni Burton in the latest edition of our "Split Decision" series. Full Story
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38 Texas legislative primary races to watch
Races for the Texas House and Senate are drawing some of the most attention ahead of the March 6 primaries. Here are snapshots of some of the most interesting legislative races. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Bob Daemmrich and Ben Hasson -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick backs Angela Paxton in GOP primary for North Texas senate seat
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday jumped into the hotly contested Republican primary for Senate District 8, endorsing Angela Paxton, wife of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, over Phillip Huffines, the twin brother of a sitting state senator. Full Story
![Angela Paxton and Phillip Huffines]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich: Paxton/Laura Buckman: Huffines -
Analysis: On Texas’ high property taxes, there’s plenty of blame to go around
State lawmakers are not solely to blame for the increasing burden on local property taxpayers, but they are certainly as responsible as anyone else. Full Story
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![A lawmaker reads a flyer with property tax information that was distributed to Texas House members' desks on Aug. 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
In this Texas Democratic primary, the Clinton/Sanders divide still lingers
One of the two women running in the Democratic primary to unseat state Sen. Konni Burton backed Hillary Clinton in 2016. The other backed Bernie Sanders. Remnants of that divide from two years ago can be found in their current match-up. Full Story
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![Allison Campolo (left) and Beverly Powell (right) are the Democratic candidates vying to unseat incumbent state Sen. Konni Burton, R-Fort Worth (center).]()
Credit: Campolo and Powell courtesy candidates/Burton: Bob Daemmrich -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick spends $5.1M on TV ads in January, $17K on polling for Sen. Estes opponent
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick spent almost a third of his cash on hand on television advertising in January. He also supported the primary opponent of a sitting Republican senator. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick before hitting the gavel to begin a Senate session Aug. 15, 2017, the day before the end of a first called special session of the 85th Legislature.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
"Bathroom bill" fizzles as Republican primary issue
With less than a month until the March 6 primaries, it's hard to find a Republican nominating contest for the Legislature where the "bathroom bill" is a central issue. Full Story
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Analysis: Who’s the establishment, anyway?
The most conservative Republicans have made a strong run for the "establishment" flag, and they’re trying to strengthen their position in this year’s elections. Full Story
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![Flanked by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (left) and House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Greg Abbott gives the State of the State speech in the House chamber of the state Capitol on Jan. 31, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Free speech in Texas, if you have a minute or two
You’ve heard about “snowflakes” on campus — the people who melt when they hear things they don’t want to hear or cannot deal with? Here’s your opportunity to see some elected snowflakes in action. Full Story
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![Students at Texas A&M in College Station protest outside the venue where white nationalist Richard Spencer spoke on December 6, 2016.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: What recent election results in Texas state Senate districts tell us about 2018
Twelve of the 15 districts on the Texas Senate ballot in 2018 are represented by Republicans. Most of those, and all of those held by Democrats, have remained firmly in the clutches of the party now in power during the last two election cycles. Most of 2018's competition will be in March, not in November. Full Story
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![The Senate chamber from the third floor gallery on May 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers battle with Land Office over transparency in Alamo restoration
Lawmakers who agreed earlier this year to dedicate tens of millions of dollars to update the Alamo are now asking for greater transparency about how the money is being spent. Full Story
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![Texas General Land Office Commissioner George P. Bush testifies before the Senate Finance Committee on Dec. 5, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas senators discuss closing youth lockups amid sexual abuse scandal
Several state senators indicated at a Tuesday committee hearing that they would be open to closing at least some of Texas' five remaining remote lockups for committed youth. Full Story
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![State Sens. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, John Whitmire, D-Houston, and Royce West, D-Dallas, at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Dec. 5, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Patrick asks Senate panel to study free speech on Texas college campuses
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is asking Texas senators to study whether free speech rights are being infringed on college campuses. Full Story
![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick before hitting the gavel to begin a Senate session Aug. 15, 2017, the day before the end of a first called special session of the 85th Legislature.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick releases Hurricane Harvey-related interim charges
As recovery efforts in southeast Texas continue after Hurricane Harvey, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Thursday released a list of Harvey-related topics for Texas Senate committees to look into ahead of the next legislative session. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at a press conference after the state Senate adjourned sine die on Tuesday night, August 15, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Fort Bend school board president challenging state Sen. Joan Huffman
Kristin Tassin, the president of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees, is running against state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, in the 2018 GOP primary. Full Story
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![Kristin Tassin, the president of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees (left), and state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston.]()
Credit: Official portraits