Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

U.S. Census workers count the transient population gathered at Wooldridge Park in downtown Austin Tuesday night during a regularly scheduled dinner delivery to the homeless by the group Mobile Loaves and Fishes. Some participated in the questioning but others declined to be interviewed.

Your afternoon reading: census inaccuracies; lawmaker predicts $1,000 tuition increase; report says Texans overpay for electricity

Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

Gov. Rick Perry delivering his State of the State address on Feb. 8, 2011

Gov. Rick Perry has said he can't sign an application to receive $10 billion in federal education aid because it requires an assurance he cannot constitutionally make: that the Lege will not use the money to offset state funding of public education. 

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst

One unlikely bout of political drama pitting Texas against Amazon.com has spawned another: Gov. Rick Perry vs. Comptroller Susan Combs.

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For the latest installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked whether colleges can deliver on Gov. Rick Perry's prompt for a $10,000 bachelor's degree.

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, at the state Republican convention in 2010.

Your afternoon reading: Cornyn officially enters whip fray; Granger gets an audience with Hillary Clinton; Perry and Paul to address CPAC

Enlarge credit: Jacob Villanueva

It's no Texas vs. the feds, but in Texas vs. Amazon.com, the state's latest high-profile battle of the wits, things just got testy.

Enlarge credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the House chamber of the Texas Capitol

Your afternoon reading: Cornyn eyes a leadership fight; House members call on prisons to release some inmates; and the Arts Commission's lost money

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Lots of Texans are asking that question in the wake of last week's electricity mess, and nobody's going to be happy with the answer, which is: "It depends" (if you ask the electricity industry); or "Yes" (if you ask consumer advocates).

Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

Dr. Scott Spear, a pediatrician, testifies before the Senate State Affairs Committee on February 9, 2011

Abortion sonogram legislation, which its author says will be the "strongest in the nation," took a step toward becoming law Wednesday.

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The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that it plans to release hard population totals and racial breakdowns for Texas next week, the first step in what could be a politically complicated redistricting process.

Enlarge graphic by: Matt Stiles/Many Eyes

Gubernatorial candidates Rick Perry and Bill White spent more than any other candidates on the ballot in 2010.

How did the candidates on the ballot last year compare in their political spending on advertising, polling and staff? Use our interactive bubble chart to explore category data released recently by the Texas Ethics Commission. 

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Your afternoon reading: House committees announced; eminent domain bill moves through Senate; abortion sonogram testimony under way

Enlarge photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

Gov. Rick Perry delivering his State of the State address on Feb. 8, 2011

Gov. Rick Perry's glass-half-full view of the state's affairs was on full, defiant display on Tuesday.

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We already know that the major-party candidates in the governor's race spent more on advertising than others on last year's ballot, thanks to the cost of television. But some other ad vendors also received lucrative business from the competitive state House races, with mixed results.

Enlarge photo by: Todd Wiseman

Your afternoon reading: State of the State wrap-up, Historical Commission controversy and prison cuts