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U.S. House of Representatives

The latest U.S. House of Representatives news from The Texas Tribune.

  • Now the Fun Begins

    By Ben Philpott, KUT News

    Texas won big Tuesday with the release of 2010 census data. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune takes a look at the numbers, which will have legislators redrawing state maps to add four congressional seats. Full Story 

    Texas gained four seats in the 2010 congressional apportionment process, more than any other state.
    Credit: Graphic by Matt Stiles

  • 2010: Big Solomon Concedes

    By Evan Smith

    Politico is reporting tonight that U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, has finally conceded his 2010 race to his Republican challenger, Blake Farenthold, who finished nearly 800 votes ahead on Election Day. Full Story 

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  • The End of Pork?

    By Ben Philpott, KUT News

    U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison says she will join U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in calling for a ban on all Congressional earmark spending. In the past, both used the controversial budget maneuver to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars back to Texas. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Gene Green on "Leader" Pelosi

    By Evan Smith

    During his TribLive interview Wednesday morning, U.S. Rep. Gene Green, D-Houston, was asked if — in light of his party's Election Day disemboweling — he would support outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi's bid for minority leader. Full Story 

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    Credit: Justin Dehn/Todd Wiseman

  • And They're Off!

    By Ross Ramsey

    The start of the 2010 election sprint finds Texas Republicans feverish: Even the sober ones think they could snatch up to 10 more state House seats. Democrats maintain they can still wrest majority control away from the GOP. Full Story 

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  • 2010: Chet Edwards Gets NRA Nod

    By Evan Smith

    The Waco Democrat, in the fight of his career as he runs for re-election in the most Republican House district held by a Democrat anywhere in the country, got a big boost Monday when the National Rifle Association's Victory Fund announced it would support him over his GOP opponent, Bill Flores. Full Story 

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  • Night of the Insurgents

    By Ross Ramsey and Morgan Smith

    Voters routed state Reps. Delwin Jones and Norma Chavez on Tuesday, turned back former Rep. Rick Green's bid for a spot on the Texas Supreme Court and handed victories to at least three candidates who appeared to benefit from the Tea Party insurgency in Texas. Full Story 

  • Runoff Day: A Spectator's Guide

    By Ross Ramsey

    Today’s elections in 18 Texas primary races, all but two involving Republicans, probably won't change the overall temperature of the statehouse or our delegation to Congress. The partisan makeup of those places isn't at stake until November. But for three House incumbents and challengers in two other races — for the State Board of Education and the Texas Supreme Court — how the vote turns out is a big deal. Full Story 

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    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

  • The Price of Reform

    By Emily Ramshaw

    Behind the fiery health care rhetoric is a measure expected to dramatically expand Texas’ Medicaid program, adding up to 1 million adults to the state’s insurance roll — but at a steep cost. Texas will have to come up with hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue to foot its share of the bill. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • Ready to Runoff

    By Morgan Smith

    Let's say, thanks to Debra Medina, neither Rick Perry nor Kay Bailey Hutchison cracks 50 percent in the Republican gubernatorial primary. What exactly happens next? When? And which of the two top finishers will have the edge? Full Story 

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  • Is Ralph Hall Too Old?

    By Julián Aguilar

    The Rockwall Republican, first elected to Congress almost thirty years ago, turns 87 in May. His seven challengers — five fellow Republicans, a Democrat, and a Libertarian — aren't shy about making his age an issue. Full Story 

    Congressman Ralph Hall waves to the crowd at Frisco 2008 community parade.
    Credit: friscoparade.com

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Ross Ramsey

    Roll your own political videos ... interactive travel maps of your federal and state legislators ... scary movies, to keep the kids out of the border's scary drug wars ... puttting dropouts back in class ... rates squeezing families out of home health care ... how many lobby and trade associations do teachers in Texas need? ... enjoying the silence before an expected two-month siege of political advertising ... the dean of Texas political writers gets shut out of the gubernatorial debates ... and we have an interactive database of the state's best and worst public schools. The best of our best for a short news week, from December 19 to 26, 2009. Full Story 

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  • Frequent Flyers

    By Andrew Kreighbaum

    Members of the Texas congressional delegation took more than 200 privately funded trips, at a cost of more than $350,000, in 2008 and 2009. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • Mapmaker, Mapmaker

    By Ross Ramsey

    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 

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