Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison talks with supporters at the Bonnie Ruth's Cafe in Frisco during her run for governor.

Your evening reading: Hutchison responds to conservative critics; A&M trying to distance itself from shooting; state lawmakers debate additional tax for small tobacco companies

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For this week's nonscientific survey of political and governmental insiders, we asked about the Senate in general and its two-thirds rule in particular, and about personal financial disclosures by public officials.

Enlarge photo by: Gage Skidmore

Monday's deadly shooting near Texas A&M University has inevitably touched off yet another round of national debate over gun rights.

Enlarge credit: Bob Daemmrich

Your evening reading: Perry reasserts support for gun rights after shooting near A&M; Obama administration backs UT's admissions policy; appeals court sides with Texas in its fight against EPA

Enlarge photo illustration by: Gage Skidmore / Todd Wiseman

After Ted Cruz's win in the Republican U.S. Senate primary, his name is being thrown around as a future presidential candidate. But is the Canadian-born Cruz eligible to run for the United States' highest office?

Enlarge photo by: Gage Skidmore

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., at the 2011 Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C.

Intended to shake up the presidential race, the announcement of U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's running mate has set Texas Republicans aglow.

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Gov. Rick Perry campaigns at the Iowa State Fair two days after entering the presidential race.

Your evening reading: Perry to campaign for Romney at Iowa State Fair; San Antonio City Council approves Castro's pre-K initiative; UNT Health Science center may merge with university

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Mitt Romney arrives at a debate site in Hanover, N.H., on Oct. 11, 2011.

A Texas couple's mortgage has added another layer of complexity to Mitt Romney's much-debated business record.

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

U.S. Senate candidate Paul Sadler at a TribLive event on March 22, 2012.

Your evening reading: Sadler says campaign has new momentum in wake of Cruz victory; major Republican donor sues Dallas lawyer; firm disputes claims of flaws in state's standardized tests

Enlarge photo by: Gage Skidmore / Ben Philpott

Ted Cruz is already in, but the names of two other prominent Texans are conspicuously missing from the list of Republicans scheduled to speak at the party's national convention.

Enlarge photo by: Todd Wiseman

Your evening reading: more than half of Texas schools fall short of federal standards; state sales tax revenue up again; DeLay case advances

Enlarge photo by: Bob Daemmrich

Ted Cruz speaking at the state Republican convention on June 9, 2012.

Already basking into the national spotlight, Ted Cruz will get an even bigger platform later this month.