The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
The uptick in the number of Democrats running across Texas this election cycle has exposed a weakness in the party’s statewide apparatus: a shortage of experienced operatives equipped to run campaigns. Full Story
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Workers have found mold infiltrating their desks, chairs and keyboard hand rests in the Austin State Hospital 636 building. The state has spent nearly $16,000 fighting the mold so far. Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Patrick talks to Ross, Aman and Evan about the latest campaign finance reports, how Texas Republicans reacted to President Donald Trump's summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the July 31 special election for Senate District 19. Full Story
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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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Oldham is the third Texas nominee to be confirmed to the powerful, conservative-leaning appeals court since President Donald Trump took office. Full Story
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State Rep. Jason Villalba, a Dallas Republican who lost his primary in March, writes in a column for TribTalk that it's time for all Republicans to support impeaching President Donald Trump. Full Story
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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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The new audit is yet another scandal at an agency plagued by contracting woes. Six of the commission's leaders have left in the last several months. Full Story
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Candidates for Congress recently filed their second-quarter fundraising reports. In some districts, Democratic candidates raised more than double what the Republican incumbents reported. Full Story
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Parents should have time to make an "informed, non-coerced decision" about whether they want to leave the country with their children, the ACLU had argued. Full Story
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While critics question whether a city-funded pre-K initiative is helping boost long-term educational outcomes, administrators and parents say there's no doubt about the quality of the education children receive at the program's four centers. Full Story
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The law at the center of the case is Senate Bill 8, passed in 2017, which requires the burial or cremation of fetal remains. Full Story
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Schools can pick between programs known as the school marshal program and the Guardian Plan. Here are four things to know about the two existing initiatives that allow school districts to arm their employees. Full Story
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Ahead of November’s general election, The Texas Tribune is creating an election guide with a primary focus on young Texans — and we need your help. Full Story
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Emilio Gutiérrez Soto faced death threats for reporting on cartel crime and government corruption and fled to the U.S. with his son. A judge has set a hearing to determine whether the government has detained them in violation of the First Amendment. Full Story
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The East Texas Republican earned howls from Democrats when he accused a controversial FBI agent of lying under oath and brought up a well-documented extramarital affair in an open hearing. Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Patrick talks to Evan, Ross and Neena about Democrats' impressive fundraising in the U.S. Senate race and some congressional contests, as well as about the latest developments in the family separation crisis at the Texas-Mexico border. Senate hopeful Beto O'Rourke also joins the show to discuss his second-quarter fundraising numbers. Full Story
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U.S. Department of Justice lawyers are seeking permission from a federal judge to offer separated immigrant families two options: remain together in family detention centers, or release kids while parents stay detained. Full Story
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Claudia says she was one of several migrant women moved from an Austin-area detention facility to be closer to their children in South Texas. But Claudia wants to return to Central Texas, hundreds of miles from her 7-year-old son, where her lawyer thinks she has a better shot at being granted asylum. Full Story
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After winning a special election in U.S. House District 27, Republican Michael Cloud officially became Texas' newest member of Congress on Tuesday. But he's not done campaigning yet — to keep the seat, he'll need to win it again in November. Full Story
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