The latest Brian Birdwell news from The Texas Tribune.
The McGregor Republican — who quit the Texas Senate earlier this year — talked to the Tribune on Tuesday about politics and parties, redistricting, things left undone and how the Legislature changed during his time there. Full Story
Stiles' and Torres' three-parter on the changing Texas political map, Ramsey on questions about Brian Birdwell's voting history and residency, Aguilar on the Obama administration's immigration crackdown, Reed on hospitals that won't induce early labor, Stiles on what Troy Fraser left off his financial disclosure form, the latest installment of Hu's Face-Off video debate series, Grissom on the problem-plagued Driver Responsibility Program, Galbraith on the controversy over fracking and M. Smith's interview with former Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O'Neill: The best of our best from July 26 to 30, 2010. Full Story
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In this week's episode, the TT podcast gang talks about Texas voting trends, the latest skirmishes in the governor's race and the eligibility questions surrounding state Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury. Full Story
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State Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, says he didn't vote twice in the 2004 elections and disputes the Texas and Virginia records that say he did. Full Story
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Being in two places at once, it turns out, sometimes isn't all it's cracked up to be. Full Story
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State Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, voted in the November 2004 presidential election twice, choosing between George W. Bush and John Kerry in Tarrant County, Texas, and again in Prince William County, Virginia, according to election records in the two states. Full Story
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If the rainbow flavors of the Tea Party feature a common taste, it’s that of fiscally restrained government — and the anti-Washington and pro-state fervor that comes along with it. Not coincidentally, that was the overwhelming theme of the GOP's recent convention, setting the tone — as the Democrats did in their state gathering — for the November general election. Full Story
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Ramsey's interview with Rick Perry's chief consultant, Stiles on the massive amount of cash that cities are collecting from red-light cameras, Grissom on the coming debate over the Democrats' two-step primary/caucus process, Thevenot on the State Board of Education's latest controversial plan, Aguilar on immigrants deported for minor infractions, Ramshaw on the social conscience (or lack thereof) of medical schools, M. Smith on a nascent voter registration effort in Harris County, Hamilton's interview with the newest state senator, Philpott on Bill White's feistier week, Galbraith on how tighter EPA rules will affect Texas and Hu on questions about the governor's transparency: The best of our best from June 21 to 25, 2010. Full Story
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There's restrained optimism in the air today, and that can only mean one thing. Full Story
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The newest state senator talked to the Tribune on Wednesday about being a 9/11 survivor, whether he's really eligible to serve, his ties to the Tea Party, why he'd eliminate property taxes and the Texas pols he'll model himself after. Full Story
The fact that Brian Birdwell, who won election to the state Senate Tuesday night, voted in Virginia in 2006 could put him in an eligibility bind, an Austin election attorney said today. But whether anyone will challenge his residency is another question. Full Story
Outgoing state Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, says he fully intends to retire and will withdraw his name from Senate District 22's November ballot. Full Story
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Three months after his retirement, it might be back to work for Kip Averitt. Full Story
A decisive victory for political novice Brian Birdwell over Capitol veteran David Sibley in a Senate special election reflects a no-compromise attitude among GOP voters — but may not be the final word on who represents District 22 come January. Full Story
Republican Brian Birdwell has beaten David Sibley, a former Republican state senator, in the special runoff election in Senate District 22. Full Story
Kip Averitt does not want to return to the Texas Senate — but depending on how tonight’s special-election runoff to replace him goes, the recently retired Republican Waco state senator says “it’s a remote chance.” Full Story
How many former state officeholders are registered to lobby in Austin? The answer: 65, or a little less than 5 percent of the 1,475 lobbyists on the rolls at the Texas Ethics Commission, according to a Texas Tribune analysis. Full Story
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Republicans David Sibley and Brian Birdwell will meet in a runoff — date to be set by Gov. Rick Perry — for the open state Senate seat in Central Texas. Full Story
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Stiles and Thevenot's searchable database of more than 5,800 public schools, Thevenot on why smaller high schools are better, Garcia-Ditta on the possible unification of Big Bend National Park with Mexico, Grissom on what's likely to happen on immigration reform this year (nothing), Hamilton on how Admm Bobby Ray Inman is managing a crisis, Hu on the health care reform straw man, Ramsey on the no-shoo-in-for-the-experienced-guy special election in Senate District 22, Philpott on the likely post-Arizona immigration brawls, Ramshaw on the emergence of concierge care as a response to health care reform, Aguilar on how Texas will soon become Cuba's top U.S. trading partner, Stiles and Babalola's searchable database of more 160,000 inmates in Texas prisons, M. Smith on the depressing fact that every single U.S. Attorney position in Texas is now vacant, and my on-camera sit-down with Texas Transportation Commission chair Deirdre Delisi. The best of our best from April 26 to 30, 2010. Full Story
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On May 8, voters in Senate District 22 will choose one of these candidates as Kip Averitt's successor: a veteran lawmaker-turned-lobbyist in a bad year for that kind of hyphenate, a 9/11 Pentagon survivor with residency questions dangling over his campaign, a Tea-steeped nullification fan and ... a Democrat. Full Story
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