Two major Texas counties are trimming polling locations as workers pull out over coronavirus
Gov. Greg Abbott's decision to not require voters to wear masks is driving away some poll workers, officials say. Full Story
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![A man enters Toney Burger stadium in South Austin where early voting has begun for the July 14 runoff and special election, in Austin on June 29, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
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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Democrats zero in on health care and electability in final days of race to challenge U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul
Mike Siegel, who ran a surprisingly close race against McCaul in 2018, faces newcomer Pritesh Gandhi in a tense runoff centering on each candidate's suitability for the general election. Full Story
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![Candidate for Texas' 10th Congressional District Pritesh Gandhi and Mike Siegel.]()
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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 -
Pete Sessions lost his U.S. House seat in Dallas. Can he win a new one 100 miles south?
Sessions has moved to Waco for his next bid, where an eventful GOP runoff campaign against Renee Swann will likely determine who wins the seat in November. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions spoke to a crowd of supporters during a campaign event at the Park Cities Hilton in 2018.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
In GOP runoffs for the Texas House, viability in November is a leading concern
Republicans are hoping to line up their best candidates with control of the lower chamber possibly up for grabs in the fall. Full Story
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![The floor of the house on April 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrat's congressional campaign received a PPP loan in May
Dr. Christine Eady Mann, who is in a runoff for a Central Texas seat, has already paid the loan back. Full Story
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![Dr. Christine Mann outside the medical building in Cedar Park where she works, on Monday, June 1, 2020. Mann is running against U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, the incumbent in Texas' 31st Congressional District.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
"Kill 'em": Houston GOP powerbroker Steve Hotze left Greg Abbott a voicemail requesting that National Guard "shoot to kill" rioters
Hotze, a staunch critic of Abbott's coronavirus response, left a voicemail with the governor's chief of staff in early June with the incendiary instruction. Full Story
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![Steve Hotze.]()
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Donald Trump endorses Tony Gonzales to replace U.S. Rep. Will Hurd
The president intervened Friday in the Republican primary runoff to replace Hurd, picking Gonzales over Raul Reyes, who U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz endorsed days earlier. Full Story
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![Tony Gonzales announces in San Antonio's Orsinger Park that he is running for the Texas Congressional district 23 seat that is being vacated by Will Hurd.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott orders Texans in most counties to wear masks in public
Abbott previously resisted calls for such an order and at one point banned local governments from requiring masks. First-time violators will be issued a warning, though repeat offenders could be fined up to $250. 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 Tuesday, June 16, 2020.]()
Credit: Ricardo B. Brazziell/Pool via Austin American-Statesman -
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.]()
Credit: John Jordan/The Texas Tribune -
Donald Trump holds narrow lead over Joe Biden in Texas, UT poll finds
President Donald Trump would beat former Vice President Joe Biden in Texas by 4 percentage points if the election were held today, according to a new poll from the University of Texas and the Texas Politics Project. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate for president Joe Biden.]()
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Republican runoff in battleground congressional district turns explosive with focus on sex trafficking in Fort Bend County
Kathaleen Wall has run multiple television ads arguing her opponent, Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls, has not taken sex trafficking seriously. Nehls has vehemently rejected that assertion. Full Story
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![The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Early voting begins as coronavirus surges in Texas and a debate over sex ed curriculum
In this edition of TribCast, Emma talks to Matthew, Aliyya and Ross about the state's latest efforts to mitigate spread of the new coronavirus, and the State Board of Education’s ongoing debate over Texas’ sex ed curriculum. Full Story
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![Pharmacy technician Ashley Perez passes a self-swab coronavirus test to a patient at a drive thru testing site at a Walmart in McKinney on Tuesday, June 29, 2020.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Bucking party leaders, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz intervenes in Republican runoff for Will Hurd's seat
The U.S. senator is endorsing Raul Reyes over Tony Gonzales for the 23rd Congressional District and launching TV ads in support of Reyes. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, tweeted that the "evidence should be weighed carefully."]()
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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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Texans begin voting Monday in runoff elections. Officials are doing what they can to make it safe.
Delayed primary runoffs mark the state's first test of voting during the pandemic and a high-stakes dry run for November. “We're saying our prayers,” one elections administrator says. Full Story
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![The Collin County Elections Department created a mock polling site to prepare poll workers for early voting beginning June 29. 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 -
What problems did you encounter while trying to vote in Texas during the coronavirus pandemic?
We want you to help us report on the challenges Texans face when trying to vote and how the pandemic is affecting elections. Share your experiences with us. Full Story
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![An early voting location in Houston on Feb. 21, 2018.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Coronavirus fears postponed a Texas election. Now it will go forward with even greater risk for some voters.
Runoffs to set party tickets for November were postponed in May as coronavirus took hold. Early voting now starts June 29, and voters are being largely left on their own to balance their voting rights with the health risks of going to a polling place. Full Story
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![Super Tuesday voting lines at the Metropolitan Multi Service Center near downtown Houston on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune