The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, has asked Gov. Rick Perry to meet with the entire Texas congressional delegation to discuss the influx of illegal immigrants at the border and to “help set a more positive tone.” Full Story
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Five Republican nominees for seats in the Texas Senate voiced public opposition Monday to a proposal that would allow a controversial new form of betting on horse races in Texas. Full Story
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The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bob Ray Sanders is pushing back against one major tenet of the conventional wisdom surrounding the race for governor: Wendy Davis needs to maintain a healthy separation between her and President Obama. Full Story
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In Texas, the traditional model for general election campaign advertising — don't run ads before Labor Day — is being challenged by some campaigns. Full Story
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A North Texas town's effort to ban hydraulic fracturing may prompt an unprecedented showdown between two powerful rights: a city's authority to shape development and mineral owners' right to tap their resources. Full Story
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Can those National Guard troops being sent to the border arrest people? The latest word is they can. And the reason why is that Rick Perry sent them, and not the federal government. Full Story
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If lawmakers do not act to address the immigration crisis on Texas' southern border before their August break, smugglers will get the message that the government does not take the crisis seriously, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar says. Full Story
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Texas could add $180 million to its economy if it allowed same-sex couples to get married, according to a new study. But odds are that Texas lawmakers won't repeal the ban on gay marriage anytime soon. Full Story
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The Rick Perry Presidential Watch has revved up in a big way. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry said a plan to send National Guard troops to the state's border with Mexico was necessary because the federal government isn't doing enough there. The move could also address a political weak spot he discovered in his 2012 presidential run. Full Story
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Check out Falling Behind, our 10-part series on the flip side of state leaders' aggressive pursuit of the "Texas Miracle" — from water woes and backed up traffic to missed opportunities in public education and climate change. Full Story
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Story lines continue to spin out from Gov. Rick Perry's Monday announcement that he was activating up to 1,000 National Guard troops to back up existing DPS border operations. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry’s office said on Tuesday that because of the surge of illegal immigration on the southern border, a planned binational border governors conference will be scaled back to only a dinner with the elected officials. Full Story
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The future of federal subsidies for Texans who buy insurance under the Affordable Care Act is unclear after two courts on Tuesday issued opposite rulings about eligibility for assistance. Full Story
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Critics of Attorney General Greg Abbott say he has not fairly represented Texas homeowners who were charged too much by an insurance company whose employees' PAC has given generously to his campaign. Full Story
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The words of the day on Monday were "force multiplier," as in what Gov. Rick Perry said the activation of up to 1,000 National Guard troops would do for the border surge effort already underway by the Department of Public Safety. Full Story
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The Texas Ethics Commission has ordered Michael Quinn Sullivan, leader of the conservative advocacy group Empower Texans, to pay a $10,000 fine for failing to register as a lobbyist in 2010 and 2011. Full Story
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A handful of Texas communities have passed resolutions barring immigrants from being housed there on an emergency basis. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst will make a border security announcement at 2 p.m. at the state Capitol. The two are expected to announce the deployment of 1,000 National Guard troops to the Rio Grande Valley. Full Story
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As attention centers on the thousands of unaccompanied minors crossing the Texas-Mexico border, activists in the Rio Grande Valley are working hard to ensure that their ongoing campaigns continue to gain traction after the current crisis subsides. Full Story
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