The Week in the Rearview Mirror

A federal judge in San Antonio heard arguments Wednesday in a case seeking to overturn Texas' gay marriage ban. But even if the judge strikes down the ban, an appeals process will likely prevent same-sex couples from rushing to get married.

Ted Cruz put his party's Senate leaders in a tough spot Wednesday: vote against the Democrats on raising the debt limit and risk damaging global markets, or vote with the Democrats and hand Tea Party challengers a line of attack. In the end, the top two Senate Republicans, including senior Texas Sen. John Cornyn, voted to allow final passage of the legislation.

Former Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos was sentenced Tuesday to 13 years in prison for his role in a corruption scheme that in recent days has become a hot topic in the governor's race. GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott referred to "corruption resembling third-world country practices" in a Dallas speech that raised hackles in the Rio Grande Valley and among Democrats. Abbott later said his comments were not directed specifically at the Valley. In a separate visit to the Valley, land commissioner candidate George P. Bush said Abbott's comments had been "taken out of context."

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis released the latest of her education reform proposals, calling for the state to increase access to full-day pre-kindergarten programs and prioritize early-childhood reading programs.

In January, an additional 89,500 Texans selected a health plan on the insurance marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act, according to federal data released Wednesday.

Through the middle of this week, attorney general candidate Dan Branch and lite guv candidate Dan Patrick had spent virtually the same amount of money in network TV ad buys in the state's four biggest media markets. Branch had spent a little more than $1.9 million, and Patrick had spent a little less than $1.9 million. The third-biggest spender was comptroller candidate Glenn Hegar, who spent about $1.1 million. Early voting in the party primaries begins on Tuesday.

GOP U.S. Sen. challenger Steve Stockman filed a libel lawsuit in Harris County against a PAC supporting the incumbent John Cornyn. In the suit, Stockman accuses the group of spreading untrue statements, including falsely asserting that he was charged with a felony. Media reports later focused on Stockman's own statements to a reporter that during a two-day stint in jail in 1977, officers found three tablets of Valium he had smuggled in his underwear.