The Evening Brief: April 17, 2012

Culled:

• TX Speaker Joe Straus stiff-arms Rick Perry on budget pledge (The Dallas Morning News): "Texas House Speaker Joe Straus said Tuesday he won't sign a no-tax, lower-spending pledge proposed by Gov. Rick Perry, suggesting that while he shares the goals, Perry may be crossing a line in trying to pressure lawmakers in that way. 'We welcome the input of the executive but the Legislature needs to assert itself from time to time as well,' said Straus, a San Antonio Republican. "...Every member has to decide on their own whether they sign pledges or not. Many of the members have signed pledges. I don't, but that an individual decision. I also believe that it's important that we remember the separation of powers, and remember some of the lessons that we all learned or should have learned in civics class.'"

• First Baptist Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress — quick to call Mormonism a 'cult' — now backs Mitt Romney (The Dallas Morning News): "First Baptist Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress — who last year called Mormonism a 'cult' — has apparently set aside his concerns to back Mitt Romney, a prominent member of that faith, in the GOP presidential race."

New in The Texas Tribune:

• New Dewhurst, Cruz Ads Focus on Cruz: "Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz, both candidates for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, launched new television ads this morning on the same topic: Ted Cruz."

• State Officials Aim to Take Over Women's Health Program in November: "Texas health officials have delivered their much-anticipated plans for taking over the Women's Health Program from the federal government. They want to assume full responsibility for the program in November."

• Interactive: First-Quarter Filings by Congressional Candidates in Texas: "Texas candidates running for congressional seats have filed first-quarter campaign-finance reports with the Federal Election Commission. We have compiled a list of the major numbers for those candidates, including first-quarter contribution and expenditure totals, debt and cash on hand."