Beto O’Rourke tours Texas again to rally Congress to take action on voting rights legislation
O'Rourke has visited at least 19 cities this month and plans to hold a final rally Sunday at the Texas Capitol in Austin. Full Story
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![Reagan Van Coutren takes a selfie with former congressman Beto O'Rourke at Stevenson Park in Abilene on June 5, 2021.]()
Credit: Ronald W. Erdrich/Reporter-News via REUTERS -
Beto O'Rourke is still campaigning. But for what?
The Texas Democrat has spent 2021 so far block walking in South Texas and advocating for voting access before the Texas Legislature. If that means anything for his political future, he isn't saying. Full Story
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![Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke speaks to supporters gathered in front of the state Capitol in Austin, his last stop on his three city that included El Paso and Houston.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
After saying he has “no plans” to run for governor, Beto O’Rourke quick to clarify he might
“Nothing’s changed and nothing I said would preclude me from considering a run in the future,” he told the Tribune. Full Story
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![Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke delivers a campaign address in El Paso on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2019. The speech marked his return to campaigning, suspended after the mass shooting in El Paso.]()
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Analysis: Just when you think campaign season is over, Texas pulls you back in
You thought election season was over? It’s just starting, with a potential race for governor between incumbent Republican Greg Abbott and Democrat Beto O’Rourke, who says he is considering a challenge. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, and Gov. Greg Abbott.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke spar in what could be a preview of the 2022 governor’s race
The Republican governor, who is up for reelection in 2022, and the state's best-known Democrat exchanged words Thursday after O'Rourke said he will consider challenging Abbott. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott, left, and former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Texas politicians flock to Georgia to aid in fight for U.S. Senate majority
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz; Texas GOP Chairman Allen West; U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston; and former presidential candidate Julián Castro have all traveled to the state — or plan to soon — to campaign in the Jan. 5 runoffs. Full Story
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![Senator Kelly Loeffler, R-Georgia, and Democratic challenger Raphael Warnock, participate in a debate in Atlanta for the U.S. Senate seat representing the state. Dec. 6, 2020.]()
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Analysis: Texas voters elect to stay the course
If you're going by the numbers of Republican and Democratic winners, nothing really happened in the general election in Texas this year. But there's a lot beneath the numbers. Full Story
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![A view of the state capitol on Election Day. Nov. 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Joe Biden’s struggles along the Texas border raise questions about Democrats’ outreach there
Democrats once again won a large number of counties along or near the Texas-Mexico border, but by narrower margins than in recent elections. That showing played a big role in disappointing results for the state’s Democrats. Full Story
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![Curbside early voting at Brownsville's Main Branch Library on Oct. 21, 2020.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune -
During Texas visit, Kamala Harris urges Democrats to turn out as election approaches and races remain tight
Harris spoke in Fort Worth during the first stop of a daylong tour of Texas. Her message: The Democratic presidential ticket isn’t ceding Texas to the GOP this year. Full Story
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![U.S. Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event in Edinburg on Oct. 30, 2020.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott spends millions to help down-ballot Republicans in Texas
In what it is calling a "mid-seven-figure" effort, the governor's political campaign is working to save the Republican majority in the state House and make voters aware of judicial races. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott announces his plan to reopen the economy during the coronavirus pandemic.]()
Credit: Ricardo B. Brazziell/Pool/Austin American-Statesman -
How down-ballot candidates could help Democrats flip Texas
The fate of the presidential race in Texas could be tied to dozens of legislative and congressional races in the state's suburbs. Those seats have often gone to Republicans. But Democratic candidates are raising and spending big. Full Story
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![Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign stop in Dallas on March 2, 2020.]()
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Biden campaign to spend $6 million on Texas campaign ads, more than any Democratic presidential nominee in decades
The Biden ad buy as comes as The Lincoln Project, the group led by former Republican strategists working to defeat Trump, launched a $1 million digital ad campaign in the state. Full Story
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![Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden spoke during a campaign stop in Dallas in March.]()
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Analysis: Unlike the 2018 election in Texas, 2020’s top races won’t set spending records
Two years ago in Texas, interest and election turnout were juiced by a $125 million race for U.S. Senate. This year's ballot is topped by an extraordinary race for president, but the political spending at the top won't match 2018. Full Story
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![U.S Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate MJ Hegar.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. and Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Spurred by Gov. Greg Abbott's coronavirus handling, Democratic strategists launch PAC to defeat him in 2022
The group, the Beat Abbott PAC, will raise money that will benefit the eventual Democratic nominee against Abbott in 2022. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott declared a statewide emergency amid new cases of COVID-19 in the state on March 13, 2020.]()
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Analysis: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is lucky not to be on the 2020 ballot
The governor would face real competition if he were on the ballot this year — even in a Republican Party primary. His response to the pandemic has opened him to political attacks from the left and the right alike. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott gives an update on Texas hospital bed capacity and the state's strategy for fighting COVID-19 during a press conference at Texas Department of Public Safety in Austin on June 16, 2020.]()
Credit: Ricardo B. Brazziell/Pool via Austin American-Statesman -
GOP voter registration group shutters amid coronavirus challenges
The super PAC Engage Texas raised nearly $13 million and hired hundreds of staffers but was not able to see a path forward as the pandemic persisted. Full Story
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![The Republican Party of Texas office in downtown Austin.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Democrat suspends campaign after making runoff to challenge U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw
The move by Elisa Cardnell effectively hands her party's nomination to Sima Ladjevardian, a Houston attorney and Democratic fundraiser backed by Beto O'Rourke. Full Story
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![From left: Elisa Cardnell, Sima Ladjevardian and Travis Olsen, Democratic candidates for Texas' 2nd Congressional District. That seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston.]()
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Bernie Sanders supporters in Texas are “pissed off.” But Texas Democrats need them in November.
“There’s been a lot of push against Sanders, and it makes me feel very helpless,” said one supporter. “There’s always going to be a faction of the party trying to stop him.” Full Story
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![Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sander speaks at his campaign rally in Austin on Feb. 23, 2020.]()
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Biden rode late momentum to Texas primary victory
The former vice president bested Bernie Sanders in Texas on the strength of election day ballots that heavily favored him in the state's most populous counties. Full Story
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![Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden looks on as former candidate Amy Klobuchar speaks at a rally in Dallas on Monday, March 2, 2020.]()
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Joe Biden wins Texas primary in a stunning turnaround
Biden had trailed in the polls leading up to election day, which pointed to Bernie Sanders as the frontrunner. Full Story
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![Former Vice President Joe Biden spoke to supporters at a campaign event Monday in Houston.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune