Democratic super PAC injects $2.2 million into Texas House races in closing days
The investment by Forward Majority reflects Democratic optimism about significantly expanding their ranks in the Texas House come Tuesday. Full Story
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![View of the Texas House floor during the budget debate on House Bill 1 on May 29, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
How a super PAC helping Beto O'Rourke by bashing Ted Cruz can hide who's funding it
A super PAC called Texas Forever has spent more than $1.29 million on anti-Cruz TV ads just in the past two weeks, but it won't have to disclose its donors until after the election. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso (left), and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
Credit: Rodolfo Gonzalez: O'Rourke/Marjorie Kamys Cotera: Cruz -
New anti-Ted Cruz super PAC launches, announces $1.2 million ad buy
The ad campaign from Texas Forever represents the largest infusion of outside spending yet against Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz as he battles Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, (left) and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, at the first of their debates, in Dallas on Sept. 21, 2018.]()
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It’s not just Beto O’Rourke. 8 other Texas Democrats outraised Republicans in GOP-held seats
In several parts of the state, Democrats are running their most well-financed congressional campaigns in years. Check out our snapshots of fundraising across all of Texas’ U.S. House districts. Full Story
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![Top: Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, Democratic challenger for CD-7 and U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston; middle: Colin Allred, Democratic challenger for CD-32 and U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Dallas; bottom: Gina Ortiz Jones, Democratic challenger for CD-23 and U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes.]()
Credit: Photo illustration by John Jordan -
Texas Republicans mostly outraising opponents in key state races
The Democrats running against Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Attorney General Ken Paxton outraised the incumbents in the most recent fundraising period. Full Story
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Linklater directs ads for anti-Cruz super PAC
The Texas filmmaker Richard Linklater has cut a series of ads for a super PAC working to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Full Story
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!["Bernie" actor Sonny Carl Davis stars in a new online ad from Fire Ted Cruz PAC, a super PAC working to defeat Texas' junior senator.]()
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Ted Cruz campaign criticizes Beto O'Rourke for co-hosting fundraiser with PAC
O'Rourke's campaign held a fundraiser this week co-hosted by a political action committee, prompting charges of hypocrisy from Cruz's camp. O'Rourke's camp insist the El Paso congressman has not broken his pledge to not take any PAC money in his bid to unseat Cruz. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso (left), is challenging Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera: O'Rourke/Bob Daemmrich: Cruz -
Analysis: What would Pa Ferguson do? What would Ma do?
Giving Texas governors the power to edit proposed regulations under a veil of secrecy — as Gov. Greg Abbott is vying to do — could provide new opportunities for campaign finance shenanigans. Full Story
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![Miriam "Ma" Ferguson, who served as the 29th and 32nd Governor of Texas, and her husband James "Pa" Ferguson, who was the 26th governor, his term cut short after he was impeached and removed from office.]()
Credit: Texas State Library and Archives Commission -
Analysis: Winning an election without money is hard. It’s hard to win with money, too.
Democrats challenging Republican incumbents are doing pretty well this year on the campaign finance front. It's very hard to win a big political race without that kind of success. But money alone is not the key to victory. Full Story
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Wendy Davis, Battleground Texas sanctioned for delayed campaign disclosures in 2014
Citing "a somewhat complicated and novel fundraising operation not explicitly contemplated by Texas law," the Texas Ethics Commission fined Battleground Texas and Wendy Davis' gubernatorial campaign $3,000 each for late disclosures in 2014. Full Story
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![Former state Senator and gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis speaks to Planned Parenthood supporters at the Capitol in Austin on April 5, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
With candidates in every U.S. House race, Texas Democrats see fundraising boom
The growth in fundraising reflects candidates in many traditionally Republican areas running professional campaigns that party faithful hope will have a long-term impact. Full Story
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Credit: Shelby Knowles: Capitol/Getty Images/iStockphoto -
Lance Gooden’s biggest donor in the Texas Legislature is now spending big to get him into Congress. The two go way back.
Monty Bennett has spent generously to help state Rep. Lance Gooden win a Republican runoff for a seat in Congress. The pair own property together and, as a state legislator, Gooden passed special interest legislation benefiting Bennett. Full Story
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![State Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Terrell, speaks to Rep. Dan Huberty, R-Houston, on August 2, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Lupe Valdez bounces back in fundraising but Andrew White has more to spend ahead of runoff
In the Democratic runoff for governor, Lupe Valdez raised $208,000 from Feb. 25 through Saturday, while White received $179,000, according to new filings with the Texas Ethics Commission. Full Story
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![Democratic candidates for governor Andrew White (left) and Lupe Valdez (right) hold a debate at St. James Episcopal Church in Austin on Friday, May 11, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Here’s how much Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke have raised in their midterm Senate race
In recent months, U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke has galvanized supporters by posting bigger fundraising numbers than U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. But a deep dive into the campaign finance reports shows something even more striking: with his recent hauls, O'Rourke has overtaken Cruz in cash raised over the entire election cycle. Full Story
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Steve Stockman, former Texas congressman, awaits verdict in federal fraud trial
Stockman, a Republican who represented the Houston suburbs twice in the U.S. House before losing a longshot bid for the U.S. Senate in 2014, is accused of funneling more than $1 million of charitable donations toward personal and campaign expenses. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Friendswood, arrives at the United States District Courthouse in Houston on Monday, April 9, 2018 for closing arguments in his federal corruption trial.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
A Texas Democrat’s campaign just unionized. Here's why so few campaigns do that.
Labor groups are praising Democrat Laura Moser's campaign for its collective bargaining agreement. But some argue campaigns are too unpredictable to guarantee workers the benefits that come with unionizing. Full Story
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![Democratic primary candidate for the 7th congressional district Laura Moser cheers with supporters at a watch party in Houston in Houston on Tuesday, March 6, 2018.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Without competitive primaries, some Texas politicians choose to donate to their colleagues
Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton are all heavy favorites to win their Republican primary races next week. Texas law allows them to give their campaign funds to other politicians in more precarious positions. Full Story
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![Left to right: Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and state Attorney General Ken Paxton.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Gun rights groups are powerful in Texas — but not because of money
The National Rifle Association contributed thousands of dollars to Texas politicians in recent years. But that's not nearly enough to make it one of the most prolific political donors in the state. Full Story
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![A man who declined to be identified looks at Bushmaster rifles at the NRA's national convention in Houston, Friday May 3, 2013.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato -
Texas AG Ken Paxton says he received $84,000 in gifts for his legal defense in 2017
Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been fighting securities fraud charges for most of his first term, received money from family friends and other personal connections for his legal defense, according to a newly released financial disclosure statement. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton during a news conference on Jan. 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick spends $5.1M on TV ads in January, $17K on polling for Sen. Estes opponent
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick spent almost a third of his cash on hand on television advertising in January. He also supported the primary opponent of a sitting Republican senator. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick before hitting the gavel to begin a Senate session Aug. 15, 2017, the day before the end of a first called special session of the 85th Legislature.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune