The latest 2012 elections news from The Texas Tribune.
With apologies to Charles Dickens, this was an election cycle marked by the worst of candidates and the best of candidates. This is our rendering — our timeline — of the progression from Gov. Rick Perry’s remarkably unsuccessful campaign for president to U.S. Sen.-elect Ted Cruz’s surprising political debut. Full Story
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With the election behind them, the first round of bills filed and the start of the legislative session around the corner, Texas lawmakers will have plenty to talk about around the turkey table this Thanksgiving, including the House speaker's race. Full Story
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They haven't been sworn in yet, but three candidates newly elected to the Texas House have been asked to testify on the eve of their first legislative session in a lawsuit filed against their political consultant. Full Story
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Some are arguing Sen. John Cornyn is now vulnerable in his race to become the second in command in the US Senate, given the number of key Republican seats lost Tuesday night. Others cite outside factors for the unexpected outcomes. Full Story
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A lot of new names will go on those office signs in the Capitol, but the partisan lines didn't move much as a result of this election. And the redistricting people are good at what they do: Only 16 incumbents running for reelection lost in this year's primary and general elections. Full Story
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Joe Moody took his seat back from Republican Dee Margo, despite public support for the incumbent by two El Paso Democrats. Will that affect the mood of the group? He says no. Full Story
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The election last week showed many in the GOP that it may need to fine tune its message on immigration. The tight race between President Obama and former Gov. Mitt Romney motivated Latino voters — largely for Obama — and caused some immigrants to fear what a Romney administration could mean for their future. Full Story
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Much of Texas voted less Democratic and more Republican in 2012 than 2008. Use our interactive to see the differences, by county, between the 2012 and 2008 vote totals. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Surfside, says goodbye in a farewell speech typical of his unique style on the House floor Wednesday. Full Story
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The senior senator of Texas will serve as second-in-command of the 113th Congress' upper chamber. Full Story
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U.S. Sen-elect Ted Cruz never said during the campaign whether he would support his Texas counterpart, Sen. John Cornyn, for Senate minority whip. On Tuesday, he finally answered the question. Full Story
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The 2012 elections are in the bag. We look at wins, losses and where the Texas Legislature stands in the upcoming session. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Francisco “Quico” Canseco conceded the Congressional District 23 race on Friday. He congratulated state Rep. Pete Gallego, while renewing allegations that voter fraud skewed the results. Full Story
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Sen. John Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Friday that some candidates in Tuesday night's election "made serious mistakes," and that Republicans could have run stronger candidates in some races. Full Story
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As Democratic victories in races across the nation left Republicans with several questions, Texas Republicans enjoyed another statewide sweep. Full Story
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State and federal candidates and their political committees spent more than $175 million during the 2012 election season. Some candidates spent up to $60 a vote to secure victory. Full Story
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Now that we know who will be serving in the Texas Legislature in 2013, we take a look at how much they spent to get the job. Use this interactive to take a look at which state candidates got the most bang for their campaign bucks, and who spent the most money but lost. Full Story
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With 43 legislators in the freshman class and 24 more who were new after the 2010 elections, the 150-member Texas House has a lot of new blood — and a lot of inexperienced officeholders. Full Story
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About two days after his onetime rival Mitt Romney lost his bid for the White House, Gov. Rick Perry said he is keeping his options open for 2016. But he added that 2016 is "multiple lifetimes away.” Full Story
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At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Sens. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, and Dan Patrick, R-Houston, debated the Republican Party's challenge in attracting Hispanic voters. Full Story
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