The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
One of the state's most prominent Tea Party activists needled the one-term incumbent agriculture commissioner over a variety of perceived missteps at a debate Tuesday night. Full Story
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Julián Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio and a major fixture in Texas Democratic politics, said this week he has "every interest" in running for president in 2020. Full Story
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State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, went almost two years without filing any campaign or personal financial reports, racking up more than $50,000 in fines. He still hasn't paid anything and it's unclear whether any state agency has the power to make him. Full Story
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With less than a month until the March 6 primaries, it's hard to find a Republican nominating contest for the Legislature where the "bathroom bill" is a central issue. Full Story
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A veteran Democratic lawmaker known as a brash tactician, Trey Martinez Fischer is mounting a primary challenge against incumbent Diana Arevalo for the House District 116 seat he used to hold. Full Story
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State Sen. Carlos Uresti's criminal fraud trial has entered its third week. The case could hinge on the testimony of one of Uresti's former legal clients. Full Story
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State Rep. Poncho Nevárez, D-Eagle Pass, violated campaign finance regulations in four semiannual reports he filed to the Texas Ethics Commission between January 2013 and January 2015. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott gave his support Monday to another Republican challenging an incumbent member of the Texas House, this time backing Chris Fails in his race against Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio. Full Story
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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew White is vying against eight other Democrats to take on Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has a $43.3 million war chest. Full Story
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The state has approved three dispensaries to provide cannabis oil to seizure patients. But with only 18 doctors able to prescribe it, the oils still can be tough to secure. Full Story
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Texas will host the first statewide primaries of 2018 on March 6. Unlike some other states, Texas doesn't allow voter registration on the day of an election. Full Story
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Rising property taxes are a legitimate political issue, driven by what elected officials and aspiring officeholders hear from their angry constituents. Local governments are on the other side of this, however, hearing from those same voters about deficiencies in schools and roads, crime protection and whatnot. Full Story
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Federal officials said this week that a change to how the federal government decides asylum cases is meant to stamp out fraud. But immigration attorneys and human rights watchdogs said the policy would probably do more harm than good. Full Story
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It's not enough to join a political party as a candidate. They have to believe you're one of them. Full Story
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A young Texan on Thursday became the first person in the state to receive a legal delivery of medical cannabis — more than two years after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law legalizing the sale of a specific kind of cannabis oil to Texans with intractable epilepsy. Full Story
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We’ve compiled an overview of everything Texans should know about campaign finance reports and why they’re important. Full Story
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On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Ross and Patrick about the Republican infighting this primary season and Beto O'Rourke closing the fundraising gap in his race to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Full Story
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Texas Republicans are enjoying a historic majority and fighting an escalating factional war at the same time. The state's majority party can't seem to agree on who's a true Republican and who isn't. Full Story
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Texas liquor laws are infamously complex, and the reason dates back to the end of Prohibition. Full Story
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Though unemployment is low and tax revenue is on the rise, big bills coming due for the state’s highways and health care programs are giving Texas lawmakers some heartburn. Full Story
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