The Brief: June 13, 2014
Could President Obama be so unpopular in Texas that he's making it difficult for Democratic candidates in the state, such as gubernatorial hopeful Wendy Davis? Full Story
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The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
Could President Obama be so unpopular in Texas that he's making it difficult for Democratic candidates in the state, such as gubernatorial hopeful Wendy Davis? Full Story
Saying the U.S. Border Patrol is overwhelmed by an influx of minors crossing the border illegally, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has asked the Obama administration for $30 million for state-based border security operations. Full Story
Attorney General Greg Abbott leads state Sen. Wendy Davis by 12 percentage points in the race for Texas governor, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
With state Rep. Ron Reynolds preparing to stand trial in late summer on criminal and civil charges related to an alleged elaborate kickback scheme, Republicans see a chance to take back a district long held by Democrats. Full Story
Republican statewide candidates at the top of the ticket hold double-digit leads on their Democratic rivals, paced by Greg Abbott who is up 12 points on Wendy Davis, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
The defeat of U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has dashed hopes of Congress passing immigration reform anytime soon. But in Texas, a number of Republicans say they’ll keep pushing Washington on the issue. Full Story
As unaccompanied minors from Central American stream across the border, overwhelming federal resources, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, says U.S. aid is needed to help Mexico secure its southern border. Full Story
The Texas GOP's hardline stance on immigration in its party platform has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans. And it comes as GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott tries to court Hispanic voters. Full Story
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's stunning loss in his GOP primary contest in Virginia on Tuesday has boosted the political fortunes of Texas Republican Jeb Hensarling. Full Story
Some analysts think Leticia Van de Putte is the Democrat most likely to win a statewide race in November. For that to happen, she would have to find voters willing to switch from Republican Greg Abbott in the first race to her in the second. Full Story
The results of a new audit of the Department of Veterans Affairs shed light on the root causes of the agency's wait time scandal while at the same time showing the scope of the problems is nationwide. Full Story
As an influx of undocumented immigrants arrives in El Paso from the Rio Grande Valley, federal officials are looking for help from local shelters and immigrants' rights groups. Full Story
Officials with a Texas-based nonprofit operating a binational charity learned a difficult lesson about running a facility in Juárez, Mexico. What happened to them, they said, could happen to others if they are unprepared. Full Story
Post-convention analyses touch on the Cruz effect, the challenges in managing a political transition from Perry to Abbott as well as fissures that might be appearing within the party. Full Story
Political analysts say that state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte's prospects in her lieutenant governor race rely largely on a significant turnout from Hispanic voters in the general election. Could her last name impact her ability to motivate some of those voters? Full Story
After hours of debate on the final day of the biennial state GOP convention, Republican delegates reverted the party's immigration plank to a more hardline stance on immigration. Full Story
Texas' junior senator received 43 percent of the vote in the 2016 presidential preference poll Saturday at the Texas GOP convention. Gov. Rick Perry came in fourth with less than 12 percent of the vote. Full Story
State Sen. Dan Patrick, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, told delegates at the state GOP convention that the party will attract Hispanic voters, because Republicans stand "for the future of their family." Full Story
We're livestreaming the Texas Republican Party convention in Fort Worth. We're expecting candidates for statewide office to begin speaking at about 9:15 a.m. Full Story
As they enter the final day of the Texas GOP convention and decide on the party's political platform, Republican delegates are set to debate key voting issues among conservatives — immigration and homosexuality. Full Story