Texas Planned Parenthood advocates have been outspoken about the hits they’ve taken from Republican state lawmakers in the last year — from massive cuts to family planning financing to a new abortion sonogram law, and being excluded from a Medicaid health program for poor women. One way they're fighting back? A long-awaited merger of three regional Planned Parenthood branches into one 26-clinic mega-organization. 

Ross Ramsey explains the dangers of high expectations. In the case of U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz, the popular belief is that he will perform well in November. If he doesn't, will that help or hurt his chances in future races?

Find these stories and more in this weekend's editions of the The New York Times and at texastribune.org.