The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
Do the majority of Texans who call themselves independents actually behave that way at the polls? The inaugural UT/TT poll provides a decisive answer to that question: No. Full Story
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Recommendation: Do not get swine flu. Tracking the vaccine is getting to be like figuring out what happened to all the TARP money. Full Story
Texans say immigration tops their list of state concerns. Nearly half of them say illegal immigrants should be deported, as against 41 percent who think the immigrants should be allowed to keep their jobs, assimilate, and eventually be allowed to apply for legal status. Full Story
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Although Texas has more massive universities and small colleges than just about any other state, higher education doesn't rank high among issues in play during the governor's race. Reporting on the 2010 election for Tribune partner KUT-FM, Nathan Bernier explains why some people think it deserves greater attention. Full Story
The economy clearly leads Texans' list of concerns about the country in the inaugural University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading. Full Story
Ask a Republican who’s not on Gov. Rick Perry or Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s payroll about the 2010 governor’s primary, and you’ll get a response about a well-timed trip to Palm Springs in early March, when the two candidates square off. Party faithful want to stay above the fray: Primary challenges to longstanding incumbents tend to get rough quick. Full Story
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Those watching the Perry-Hutchison brawl for hints of the GOP's future may be looking in the wrong place. A small race for the State Board of Education gives a glimpse into the party's inner-turmoil. Full Story
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To clear up some apparent confusion: Hank Gilbert was included on the survey. Full Story
The results of the first UT/Texas Tribune poll, which was in the field from October 20-27 and sampled 800 Texans who identified themselves as registered voters, shows Texas slowly turning their attention to the 2010 elections. Perhaps more to the point, they have become extremely skeptical about the direction of the federal government. Today we’ll focus on the election match ups and what they tell us about the state of play a little less than six months out from the March primaries. Full Story
Dan Bartlett, George W. Bush's communications director and counselor, talks with the Tribune's Evan Smith about the GOP's missed opportunity to reach out to Latino voters. (To listen to the full thirty-minute interview with Bartlett, see related stories.) Full Story
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In the inaugural University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll, Rick Perry has the support of 42 percent of self-identified GOP gubernatorial primary voters to Kay Bailey Hutchison's 30 percent — but Debra Medina could be a spoiler in March. On the Democratic side, Undecided and Kinky Friedman lead the pack. Full Story
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State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh's decision not to run for reelection in 2010 sets the stage for Democratic showdowns among El Paso politicos. Full Story
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El Paso business developer Jay Kleberg confirmed Sunday that he will run as a Republican in 2010 against state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso. Full Story
The Texas Association of Manufacturers — one of the first groups to back the 2006 rewrite of the corporate franchise tax — endorsed Gov. Rick Perry over U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the 2010 gubernatorial race. Full Story
Evan Smith, Ross Ramsey, Elise Hu and Ben Philpott take off on the Tribcast journey together for the first time. Topics on the table include: Todd Willingham and how it plays politically, the pile-up among GOP statewides, and Bill White for Governor? Full Story