Texas GOP convention kicks off with party leaders attacking Speaker Dade Phelan
Phelan’s foe Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick urged Republicans to stop giving Democrats a say in the speaker election. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at the 2024 Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on May 23, 2024.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
“The house is on fire”: Texas GOP plots its next chapter amid civil war, depleted staff, funding drops
Under outgoing chair Matt Rinaldi, the party’s donor base has shrunk as it aligns with two far-right megadonors. Full Story
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![Republican Party of Texas Chairman Matt Rinaldi gives voting directives during the 5th General Meeting of the 2022 Texas State Republican Convention on June 18, 2022.]()
Credit: Briana Vargas for The Texas Tribune -
Dade Phelan, House incumbents receive major fundraising boost from casino magnate
Incumbents saw key support from the business community, while hardline conservatives like Tim Dunn also spent heavily. Full Story
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![David Covey and Dade Phelan.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune
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Texas’ Republican old guard mobilizes to protect Dade Phelan from the far right
Phelan’s primary has emerged as a last stand for the Republican Party’s business-minded establishment against an insurgency primarily motivated by social and cultural issues. Full Story
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![Dade Phelan addresses the floor after being elected for his second term as Speaker of the House on the opening day of the 88th legislature on Jan 10, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Donald Trump says he’d consider Ken Paxton for U.S. attorney general
Trump told a reporter in Texas this weekend that Paxton is “a very talented guy.” Full Story
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![Former president Donald Trump pats Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on the shoulder as he leaves the stage during a rally in Robstown, on Oct. 22, 2022.]()
Credit: Lucas Boland/Corpus Christi Caller-Times via REUTERS -
Biden, Trump sidestep traditional presidential debate schedule that included Texas State University
Texas State was slated to be the first Texas university to host a presidential debate, with an event scheduled Sept. 16. Full Story
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![U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participated in their second 2020 presidential campaign debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee on Oct. 22, 2020.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar -
After U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s indictment, why aren’t Republicans trying to flip his district?
Instead, Republicans are trying to tie Cuellar’s allegations of bribery and corruption to Democrats in other competitive races in South Texas. Full Story
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![Sandi Villarreal, deputy editor for digital at Texas Monthly, moderates a panel with US Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and former speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 24, 2022 in Austin, TX.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Heat intensifies around Houston Democrat Shawn Thierry ahead of bitter runoff
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, a Dallas Democrat who previously served in the Texas House with Thierry, spoke at a campaign event where she condemned her former colleague. Full Story
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![Shawn Thierry and Lauren Ashley Simmons.]()
Credit: Mark Felix and Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Two political consultants plead guilty in Henry Cuellar bribery case
The Laredo Democrat faces federal charges of bribery, money laundering and working on behalf of a foreign government. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, questions Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas during a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on April 27, 2022.]()
Credit: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
GOP leaders snubbed Katrina Pierson in her House primary. Now they need her to pass school vouchers.
Ahead of the primary, Pierson lacked endorsements from Gov. Greg Abbott, former President Donald Trump, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, each of whom backed pro-voucher challengers in a number of other House contests. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump's 2020 Senior Campaign Adviser Katrina Pierson greets the crowd during a Women for Trump Holiday Celebration at the Holiday Inn Tyler Conference Center in Tyler. Dec. 10, 2019.]()
Credit: Cara Campbell for The Texas Tribune -
Texans in Congress stay silent on Cuellar indictment, unlike with Santos and Menendez before him
Some Texans called on Sen. Bob Menendez and former Rep. George Santos to resign amid their own scandals, but have been silent about the Laredo Democrat. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, at a GOTV Rally in San Antonio on May 4th, 2022.]()
Credit: Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribune -
Lubbock voters reject attempt to end arrests for possessing small amounts of marijuana
A ballot proposition would have instructed police not to arrest people who have four ounces or less of marijuana. Full Story
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![Supporters of the Freedom Act Lubbock sign a flag showing their solidarity with Prop A at a watch party on May 4, 2024.]()
Credit: Trace Thomas for The Texas Tribune -
Molly Cook beats state Rep. Jarvis Johnson in special election to fill open Texas Senate seat until January
Cook will fill John Whitmire’s unexpired term — but will face Johnson again in a Democratic primary runoff for a full four-year term. Full Story
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![Molly Cook, an emergency room nurse, is running for Texas Senate District 15.]()
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Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar indicted on charges of bribery, money laundering
Cuellar said he and his wife, Imelda, are innocent, and that he is still seeking reelection this November. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, speaks about the U.S.-Mexico border at the World Trade Bridge at a news conference in Laredo on Feb. 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Texans get their first crack at electing the people overseeing the state’s complicated property appraisal process
In the state’s larger counties, voters can now elect people to the agencies that appraise property values. Full Story
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![Some Texans will soon have a say in who sits on their tax appraisal boards.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
With lawsuits and recount petitions rising, some Texas elections seem to go on forever
Courts are still working through election challenges brought as far back as 2021. Experts say the protracted fights threaten voter confidence. Full Story
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![Harris County Elections Staff members carry in and sort ballot bags at the Elections Technology Center in northwest Houston on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Two Houston Democrats face off in back-to-back elections for John Whitmire’s open state Senate seat
State Rep. Jarvis Johnson and emergency room nurse Molly Cook are duking it out in a sleepy special election to briefly occupy the seat vacated when Whitmire was elected mayor. Full Story
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![Molly Cook, an emergency room nurse, and state Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston, are facing facing each other in a special election to replace former state Sen. and Houston Mayor John Whitmire in Senate District 15.]()
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False ad depicting Dade Phelan with Nancy Pelosi could inspire new anti-deepfake legislation
A mailer, paid for by the Jeff Yass-bankrolled Club for Growth Action PAC, falsely depicted Phelan in a hug with former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan stands at the dias during a special legislative session at the state capitol in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2023.]()
Credit: Julius Shieh/The Texas Tribune -
Here’s how to vote in Texas’ May 28 runoff elections
The last day to register to vote is April 29. Early voting runs from May 20-24. Full Story
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![Voting stickers for 2024 primary election voter guide.]()
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Texas school districts violated a law intended to add transparency to local elections
The Texas Tribune and ProPublica analyzed 35 Texas school districts that held trustee elections last fall and found none that posted all of the required campaign finance records. Full Story
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![A photo illustration shows a web search box with “BOARD ELECTION Campaign Finance Report” and “Page Not Found” over a photo of a Texas school building.]()
Credit: Photo illustration by ProPublica. Photo by Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune.