State Rep. Ryan Guillen switches to GOP in latest blow to South Texas Democrats
The Rio Grande City lawmaker was the least liberal Democrat in the Texas House this year, according to a political scientist’s rankings of lawmakers. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d4caee1f4a60bd8659425fccf81c6925/House%20File%20April%2021%20EL%20TT%2010.jpg)
-
![State Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, speaks on the phone on the House floor during a session at the Capitol on April 21, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Beto O’Rourke went after assault rifles in his run for president. Will that hurt him with gun-loving Texans?
“Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,” O’Rourke said at a debate when he was running for president. Now he's running for governor and said he won't be backing down from the statement. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/1b6058352452dbc1c66b4974356e70e4/Beto%20Guns%20REUTERS%20TT.jpg)
![Then-presidential candidate and former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke responds to a question during a forum held by gun safety organizations in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Oct. 2, 2019.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Steve Marcus -
Beto O’Rourke enters 2022 a weaker candidate with a harder race
O’Rourke joins the 2022 gubernatorial race as Texas’ best-known Democrat, but he carries considerably more baggage after a series of political failures, including his bids for U.S. Senate and president. This time, instead of riding a blue wave nationally, he’ll be fighting a red one. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/996665cae72c14a098a526a05791f98d/Beto%20March%2030%20Rally%20IPA%20TT%2015.jpg)
![Beto O'Rourke holds his first official 2020 presidential campaign rally in El Paso on March 30, 2019.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Beto O’Rourke says he’s running for Texas governor
O’Rourke’s decision to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott ends months of speculation and gives Democrats a formidable campaigner at the top of the ticket — someone who transformed Texas politics with his blockbuster campaign against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0edbe7061a0679b56eb83b09a87bbb55/SB%207%20Voting%20Rally%20MM%20TT%2020.jpg)
![Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, speaks at “Texans Rally for Our Voting Rights” at the Texas Capitol in Austin on May 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribune -
Tribcast: Parsing through Texas GOP officials’ hunt for “pornographic books” in public schools
In this week’s episode, James talks with Jolie and Patrick about Gov. Greg Abbott’s call for an investigation into books at public schools and the ramping up of the 2022 election season as candidate filing season begins. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a54b91575067de92123bcfa4336d8c02/TribCast%20Nov%2010%20TT.jpg)
![The library at Blanco Vista Elementary in San Marcos on Nov. 4, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Watch Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Andy Brown discuss what the pandemic has meant for local control in Travis County
Local officials will join Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith for an in-person discussion at 6 p.m. Nov. 17 in Austin. The conversation will also be available to view on demand starting Nov. 19. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/99bddb60366f667d14c351badf3706c5/TTEvents2021-BatchOPolitics-02-LeadArt-3000x2000-v1.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
Democrat running for Texas agency that regulates the energy industry focusing his campaign on furor over power grid failure
Luke Warford, a 32-year-old former Texas Democratic Party staffer, is challenging Republican incumbent Wayne Christian for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d7151a8a52a9403204f7b2e753f7c10d/Luke%20Warford%20frame%20TT.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Courtesy of Luke Warford -
Analysis: Texas Republican lawmakers pleased most of their own voters, most of the time
They didn't make a majority of Texas voters happy on a single issue, but the Republican majority in the Legislature made most of their own voters happy — and then drew maps that minimize political threats to them in the November general election. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c491349a5b5ba3b394ef25ded4426906/Archer%20Co%20Early%20Voting%20ST%20TT%2011.jpg)
![Voters at the Alvord City Hall, an early voting site in Alvord on Oct. 28, 2020.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert exploring run against Attorney General Ken Paxton in increasingly crowded GOP primary
Land Commissioner George P. Bush, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman and state Rep. Matt Krause are also vying for the GOP nomination next year. Full Story
Credit: Doug Mills/Pool via REUTERS -
TribCast, special edition: Our pollsters analyze the latest UT/TT Poll on the 2022 candidates and issues
In this edition of TribCast, Ross talks to pollsters Joshua Blank, James Henson and Daron Shaw about the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, focused on the 2022 elections and this year’s legislative issues. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c530e8cff49ac61c2bd5200fbf0ebf91/TribCast%20POLL%20Nov%209.jpg)
![Snow at the Capitol in Austin on Feb. 15, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Majority of Texans support COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates, UT/TT poll says
Fifty-seven percent of voters support mask requirements in indoor public spaces based on local conditions, while 58% support mask requirements in public schools. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4299b86a26cafe20c692075e3be9063e/UT-TT%20Covid%20Poll%20TT.jpg)
![A woman receives dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic held in partnership between the Central Texas Food Bank and University of Texas in Austin on July 21, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Texas voters say the state and country are worse off than a year ago and heading in the wrong direction, UT/TT Poll finds
Thirty-eight percent of respondents said the state economy is doing worse than a year ago, further evidence that Texans are still feeling the pandemic’s consequences. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6f5721e39f2566308591f5fd7ce7dd91/UT-TT%20Mood%20TT.jpg)
![A view of the U.S. and Texas flags flying on the south side of the Texas Capitol from the Capitol Dome on Aug. 12, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott tells state agencies to develop standards to block books with "overtly sexual" content in schools
Abbott targeted two books that have been removed by schools recently that center on LGBTQ characters. One of the books includes a graphic illustration and the other includes depictions of sex. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8c913a6ec0b0d61d0abfb64ea43127d2/Library%20File%20JV%20TT%2005.jpg)
![Shelves filled with books at a school library in San Marcos.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Early signs point to another Republican-dominated election cycle in Texas
Republican incumbents enter their reelection campaigns well ahead of their Republican challengers and with most voters unacquainted with the Democratic challengers in the field, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Joe Biden’s popularity continues to plunge with Texans on issue of economy, border security and COVID-19, UT/TT Poll finds
Gov. Greg Abbott has a higher approval rating among Texans than Biden, but more Texans still disapprove of the governor’s performance than approve. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/eede9be5e3ee421af88777b55372d483/UT-TT%20Biden%20TT.jpg)
![President Biden speaks during a campaign stop in Dallas on March 2, 2020.]()
Credit: Cooper Neill for The Texas Tribune -
More Texas voters unhappy than satisfied over power grid, abortion and property taxes, UT/TT Poll finds
Most voters approve of using state money to add border barriers between Texas and Mexico. But 57% disapprove of a new abortion law’s provision allowing lawsuits against people who help someone get the procedure. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/265c4ff42cabf6a3eb9050c325115a29/UT-TT%20Lege%20Issues%20TT.jpg)
![The main switchyard at Vistra Corp.’s Midlothian Power Plant on October 15, 2021. This is where the power produced at this plant is transformed into usable energy.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Biden's COVID-19 vaccine rules for big businesses temporarily blocked by federal appeals court
The order followed a joint petition filed by a handful of states, including Texas, plus several businesses and advocacy groups that argued overreach by the administration. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/30749e2e80da4209ba1727e5f9998e5c/Moderna%20Vaccine%20JV%20TT%2005.jpg)
![Vials of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine ready to be administered on Dec. 30, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Sara Stapleton Barrera, 2020 primary challenger to state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., announces comeback bid as he retires
Lucio announced Thursday that he is not seeking reelection after three decades in the Senate. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/321abab45973f250c7cf3ac65af18081/Sara%20Stapleton%20Barrera%20BB%20TT%2003.jpg)
![Sara Stapleton Barrera, a Brownsville lawyer who last year challenged state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., in downtown Brownsville on July 4, 2020. Stapleton Barrera said she is again running for the seat after Lucio decided against seeking reelection.]()
Credit: Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribune -
Congress approves $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, sending measure to Biden for enactment
No vote was taken on the $2 trillion tax-and-spending package that progressive Democrats had hoped to tie to the bipartisan infrastructure bill. President Joe Biden said he's confident the Build Back Better plan would be passed in the House by Nov. 15. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4cab81c354f5f5b473f30f8960128522/Pelosi%20Infrastruture%20REUTERS%20TT.jpg)
![House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivers remarks with U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-MD, and James Clyburn, D-SC, at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 5, 2021.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz -
Watch three Texas House Democrats discuss their year playing legislative defense against GOP priority legislation
State Reps. Gina Hinojosa, Donna Howard and Eddie Rodriguez talked about everything from redistricting to “critical race theory” with Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a7dfc506740af40698721722b4c3afa6/TTE-Austin-87thSession-leadart-v3.png)
![Article thumbnail]()
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3dbd674a518409f4ca2feaf5027eb9ae/Gohmert%20Impeachment%20Hearing%20REUTERS%20TT)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/6287167b62b898b9eb3279c26ef25067/Abbott%20Border%20Announcement%20SP%20TT%2027)