6 things to watch in Texas’ primary runoff election
In the middle of a pandemic, voters will be weighing in on primary runoffs for U.S. Senate, nationally watched congressional races and a handful of seats in the Texas Legislature. Full Story
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![Connie Ford explains the curbside voting system to poll worker Jeremy Matthews at the Collin County Elections Department on June 23. The polling site included newly added signs to inform voters and employees on how to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 during the voting process.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn's reelection war chest grows to $14.5 million, expanding advantage over Democratic challengers
The U.S. senator's campaign announced the numbers a day before Democratic voters select their nominee to face the Republican incumbent. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, during a Senate Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on June 23, 2020.]()
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Watch: MJ Hegar, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, discusses her policies and chances ahead of runoff election
Backed by national Democrats, Hegar will face off against state Sen. Royce West in the July 14 runoff election. But she's already looking ahead to her strategy for winning the election in November. Full Story
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EMILY’s List adds to massive spending on behalf of MJ Hegar in Democratic runoff against Royce West
The two are competing to take on Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in November. The primary runoff is Tuesday. Full Story
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![Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate MJ Hegar at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Austin on Feb. 8, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
MJ Hegar maintains big fundraising lead over Royce West in U.S. Senate runoff
Hegar had her biggest fundraising quarter yet as she reaches the end of the Democratic primary runoff to challenge Republican incumbent John Cornyn. Full Story
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![MJ Hegar and Evan Smith.]()
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MJ Hegar, Royce West spar on party loyalty, ethics in debate
The tense exchanges between the two Democrats marked a clear turning point in the race to take on Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. Full Story
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![Democratic U.S. Senate candidates MJ Hegar and State Sen. Royce West face off at KVUE’s Democratic U.S. Senate Primary debate on June 29, 2020.]()
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Issues of race, policing dominate final stretch of Democratic runoff to face U.S. Sen. John Cornyn
MJ Hegar has long been the favorite in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, but state Sen. Royce West says the "stars have aligned" for him in recent weeks. Full Story
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![Sen. Royce West, D-Texas, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate MJ Hegar.]()
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This year, Juneteenth takes on new meaning for black Texans, as push to make holiday with Texas roots goes national
In 1980, Texas became the first state to adopt Juneteenth as a holiday. It is officially recognized in all but three states: Hawaii, North Dakota and South Dakota. As Americans continue to march for racial justice, black Texans say the holiday has taken on additional weight. Full Story
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![The Juneteenth historic marker is located on Strand Street in Galveston. The marker commemorates June 19, 1865, the day that Union soldiers arrived in Galveston to inform enslaved black Texans that slavery had ended, two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. June 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn will file bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday
Cornyn is not the first Texas lawmaker to take similar steps toward celebrating Juneteenth. On Monday, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, introduced a resolution aiming to recognize the historical significance of the holiday. Her measure has more than 200 cosponsors. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the press at the University of Texas at Austin tower in Austin on June 14, 2019.]()
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U.S. Sen. John Cornyn faces outcry from Democrats after questioning idea of systemic racism
The two Democrats vying to replace him this fall say he doesn't understand the concept. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks at The American Legion Boys State ceremony on the south steps of the University of Texas at Austin tower on June 14, 2019.]()
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Reversing course, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn signals openness to removing Confederate names from military bases
A day earlier, Cornyn had pushed back against the notion of changing base names, saying "I am for looking forward, not looking backward." 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.]()
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U.S. Sen. John Cornyn resistant to renaming Fort Hood, military base named after a Confederate general
Cornyn said he's worried efforts to erase America's history could lead to people forgetting their mistakes. Full Story
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![U.S. Senator John Cornyn speaks at The American Legion Boys State ceremony on the south steps of the University of Texas at Austin tower on June 14, 2019.]()
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Conspiracy theories and racist memes: How a dozen Texas GOP county chairs caused turmoil within the party
On Friday morning, five GOP county chairs were facing backlash for sharing racist social media posts. The Texas Tribune identified seven other GOP county chairs across the state who shared similar posts. Full Story
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![The Republican Party of Texas office in downtown Austin.]()
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Cascade of endorsements animates Texas' Democratic U.S. Senate runoff, which coronavirus has upended
A steady stream of endorsements has been illuminating some of the battle lines between MJ Hegar and Royce West as they vie to take on U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Full Story
![Sen. Royce West, D-Texas, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate MJ Hegar.]()
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Everything we learned from the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll
President Donald Trump leads Democrat Joe Biden by 5 points in the race for president in Texas, but voters give the president mixed grades on his handling of the pandemic and the economy. They think Gov. Greg Abbott is doing a better job. Full Story
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Texas small-business owners scramble as federal relief fund runs out
Many businesses without accountants, lawyers or other professional help failed to get their applications in for the Paycheck Protection Program funds before the money was depleted. Full Story
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![The Marc, a nightclub and venue in San Marcos, has closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it asks people to stay home and wash their hands. Taken on April 10, 2020.]()
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MJ Hegar far outpaces Royce West in U.S. Senate fundraising, but both are far behind John Cornyn
The Texans' campaigns are announcing their latest fundraising numbers ahead of an end-of-day deadline to disclose them to the Federal Election Commission. Full Story
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![From left, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate MJ Hegar and State Senator Royce West.]()
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Texas campaigns prepare for more uncertainty after runoff reset by coronavirus
With the runoff date pushed back seven weeks, the coronavirus pandemic continues to cast a long shadow over Texas politics. Full Story
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![Voting signs at The University of Texas at Austin campus on Feb. 19, 2020, the second day of early voting for the Texas Priamary.]()
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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.]()
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"Unsupported and ignored": Texans stuck in Peru say their government abandoned them
Texans marooned there after the country closed its borders described a harrowing ordeal trying to find a plane ticket out. The U.S. government is trying to repatriate them. Full Story
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![Sailors with the Peruvian Navy stand guard outside Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima after the government closed the country's borders in response to the outbreak of coronavirus disease. March 17, 2020.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda