The pay for Texas lawmakers is low, but the pension benefits are sweet. Some say, though, that lawmakers who break the law should have to forfeit their pensions.

Domingo Garcia's campaign for Congress may boost Hispanic turnout enough to unseat state Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, who is facing his first primary challenge in 16 years.

Michael Quinn Sullivan said he hadn't seen the ethics complaints filed by two Republican legislators, but "I do know, they're just trying to distract people about their record."

Reeve, Emily, Jay and Kate talk about a Texas hospital that won't hire obese workers, Texas farmers watering crops that won't grow, and the primary challenge for the Speaker of the Texas House.

Now that the filing deadline has passed, the congressional and legislative candidates are scouting their field. Some are shoo-ins, others have a primary crowd and a few are seeking another chance at the Lege. Here's who's who. 

Most attention goes toward political races that either have a lot of candidates or are close for other reasons. But lots of elections are decided quietly, without drama. 

Flanked by the state's leading Republicans, inlcuding Gov. Rick Perry and House Speaker Joe Straus, state Rep. J.M. Lozano, R-Kingsville, made his switch to the GOP official today.

With the redistricting battle headed to resolution, another controversy could await lawmakers next week. After months of wrangling with the Department of Justice, a decision on the voter ID law could come as soon as Monday.

Pushing the state's primaries from March back to April (or further) could cheat Texas voters out of a rare chance to choose the next nominee for president.

"Suspended" doesn't necessarily mean a campaign is in its final state of rest, a congressman becomes a poster boy for a bill he probably didn't want to get tangled in, and other news in state politics.

We asked the insiders about who's influential in the primaries, which kinds of third-party groups have the most influence, and what kinds of Republicans will be in vogue with voters this year.

In a political season that has revolved around questions of transparency and fiscal integrity, lawmakers in the U.S. House are getting ready to vote on the STOCK Act. But many of them — including several from Texas — are still under scrutiny. 

There's still that pesky problem after the maps are drawn: When will Texans vote?

In two weeks, the federal judges in San Antonio will be drawing a new set of maps. Between now and then, the lawyers on both sides have a lot of writing and arguing to do.

State Rep. Aaron Peña, R-Edinburg, says he can't win re-election under new court-drawn redistricting maps and won't seek another term in the Texas House. It would have been his first election as a Republican.

State Rep. Jerry Madden, R-Plano, won't seek an 11th term in the Texas House, he told the Tribune this afternoon.

Railroad Commission Chairwoman Elizabeth Ames Jones will end her campaign for the U.S. Senate to run instead for the Texas Senate against incumbent Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio.

As the field of candidates shapes up for the March 2012 primaries, a new — at least since last election cycle — breed of GOP hopeful is emerging: the education Republican.