The Midday Brief: Sept. 29, 2010

Your afternoon reading:

• "The Tea Party Express will be stopping by Texas on its last tour of the country before Election Day in November." — Tea Party Express bus tour set to roll through Texas

• "With the November election approaching, Democratic challenger Barbara Ann Radnofsky is on the offensive, blaming Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott for committing legal mistakes related to gay marriage and education funding." — Barbara Radnofsky blames Attorney General Greg Abbott for errors on gay marriage, school funding

• "Governing magazine is out with its latest election forecast for the country's 50 state legislatures. Writer Louis Jacobson concludes that a bad year for Democrats appears to be only getting worse. Of the 28 chambers that could see a shift in the balance of power, 25 are currently controlled by Democrats, according to the magazine." — Analysis: Texas House a not-so-bright bright spot for Democrats, PoliTex

• "Days after debating Republican Danny Clancy in front of the Dallas Bar Association, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins has backed out of a televised forum scheduled to be broadcast Sunday." — Craig Watkins backs out of WFAA forum with Danny Clancy, Trail Blazers

New in The Texas Tribune:

• "Secure Communities, a controversial government program that identifies immigrants in custody in local jails, is now active in every county in Texas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced today." — Controversial Program Now Includes All Texas Counties