The Evening Brief: Feb. 15, 2012

New in The Texas Tribune:

• Redistricting Lawyers Agree on Senate Maps: "Election officials were told to prepare for a possible May 29 primary, as redistricting foes reached agreement on a map for Texas Senate elections this afternoon and continued talks on state House and congressional maps. That Senate deal means they won't alter Democratic Sen. Wendy Davis' Tarrant County district."

• Record Arrests at TCU Following Early Morning Drug Bust: "An early morning drug bust led to a record number of student arrests on the TCU campus in Fort Worth. Law enforcement officials indicate that the investigation is ongoing and more arrests could still be made."

• Campaign Roundup: The Week's Political News: "Candidates are still waiting for maps and primary dates, and if those fall right, there could be a new name on the list for state Senate."

• 2013 Budget Plan Facing Border Security Criticism: "The White House's proposed 2013 budget has the Texas Border Coalition insisting that the administration's lack of money for port improvements puts trade and security in peril."

• UT-Austin Unveils Plan to Boost Four-Year Graduation Rates: "Can 70 percent of UT-Austin's incoming freshmen graduate in four years? The university's current four-year graduation rate is barely above 50 percent, but a university task force released a plan today to bring that number up by 2016."

Culled:

• The runoff race: Leppert vs. Cruz (Politico): "With Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst expected to be the lead vote getter in the Texas GOP Senate primary, the more pertinent question being pondered by operatives is which candidate will make the runoff to advance to the second round. Assuming that Dewhurst fails to reach the magic 50 percent + 1 necessary to clinch the nomination without another vote, the real battle being waged is between former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and former Solicitor General Ted Cruz."

• Sadler to Dewhurst: ‘work or resign’ (Houston Chronicle): "Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst should 'get to work or resign,' says Paul Sadler, former House Public Education chairman, who believes state lawmakers need to come back to the state Capitol to work on school funding in a special legislative session. Dewhurst is running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate; Sadler is running for the Democratic nomination."

• John Cornyn Still Favored to Win GOP Whip Contest (Roll Call): "Sen. Richard Burr (N.C.) is the new underdog in the race for Republican Whip, having displaced Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) as Sen. John Cornyn’s foil in the Texan’s bid for the No. 2 GOP leadership post."

• Should Ron Paul demand a new vote count in Maine? (Christian Science Monitor): "Evidence is mounting that the vote totals for the Maine caucuses, in which Mitt Romney edged out Ron Paul, were pretty messed up. In addition to towns that hadn't voted yet, others' totals were not recorded."