The Polling Center: Lubbock Poll or Leave It? Leave It.
The only thing definitively in the weeds here is the reliability of this poll. Full Story
The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
The only thing definitively in the weeds here is the reliability of this poll. Full Story
The former Travis County District Attorney was expected to file for some statewide race, though precisely which one has been something of a mystery. Mystery solved. Full Story
Surely they don’t do it this way in Peoria? Full Story
Not many local polls have been made public, but this one confirms the rumor mill: One, Rick Perry’s lead in conservative areas of the state is a few points above what the UT/Trib poll found statewide. And, two, the impression that, as of now, the Kay Bailey Hutchison campaign is floundering if it's really trying to peel conservative voters away from Perry in significant numbers. Full Story
Writing about congressional travel required days of tedious work because the information isn't easily accessible. Full Story
The CPPP says Texas' high per capita child abuse and neglect death rate is due to the state's high child poverty and teen birth rates — but also how Texas tallies its numbers. Full Story
When political consultants take on wealthy candidates, does that mean they can milk them and their campaigns for all they’re worth? Are they simply trying to help good people get elected? Or both? Full Story
In every major urban and suburban Texas county, where the vast majority of Texans cast their ballots, the Democratic vote share increased betweeen 2004 and 2008. Montgomery County was the single exception. In Denton, Collin, Fort Bend, and Williamson Counties — four of the five most populous traditionally Republican suburban counties — the Democratic vote rose. Full Story
In the health care debate, universal coverage has significant if not overwhelming support, but is also marked by pronounced partisan differences, and Texans appeared truly split down the middle on the “public option.” Full Story
Kinky Friedman’s song “Before All Hell Breaks Loose” begins, “Time to resign from the human race.” Today, we will find out if he thinks it’s time to do the same in the governor's race. Full Story
Think like the political pros and your mind will go to the long game instead of the short one. The short game is the elections of 2010. The long game is redistricting in 2011, when maps are drawn that corral the voters into the districts that will elect legislators for the next ten years. Full Story
Debra Medina may yet have a role to play in the race for governor. Analysts say her potential effect ranges from negligible to potential spoiler. Full Story
Nearly 130,000 students attend Texas charter schools, but 40,000 more are waiting to get in. Full Story
After Houston mayor Bill White joined the race for governor late last week, one of his first stops was Austin, a Democratic stronghold that made for a nice, safe place to start his campaign. Full Story
Candidates from both sides of the spectrum are self-recruited and responsible for their own campaigns. So what's the value of a relationship with the state's political parties? Full Story
It was a political week, with a full-court press from our staff on Bill White's switch to the governor's race and all of the fallout; the moves during the first week of filing for political races; Philpott's look at Republicans challenging Republicans; Hu's latest in the popular Stump Interrupted series; Ramshaw on emergency rooms, family doctors, and child protection; Stiles and Grissom mapping payday lending locations juxtaposed with family income data; Rapoport on the state budget and education; Thevenot on KBH's plans for schools; and Hamilton on the power (or not) of political endorsements. The best of the best from November 28 to December 4, 2009. Full Story
All ears are upon Houston Mayor Bill White — a man whose own ears Texas Monthly calls “perhaps a size too large for the superstructure.” Full Story
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
Remember Van Taylor? Full Story
The collaboration of the big five newspapers on polling in the 2010 election cycle is good news for Texas. Full Story