The Evening Brief: May 25, 2012

New in The Texas Tribune:

• Dewhurst's "Amnesty" Attack on Cruz Stirs Controversy: "A new radio ad from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst brought race and illegal immigration to the forefront of the U.S. Senate race Friday, the last day of early voting before Tuesday's primary. … George P. Bush, son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and nephew of former President George W. Bush, has leadership positions with both of the Hispanic groups at issue in Dewhurst's ad. He also is a founder of Hispanic Republicans of Texas, a group that has endorsed Cruz. 'When I first heard this false attack ad, I was offended not only as a Hispanic but as a Republican,' Bush said in a statement. 'We are a party of inclusion that welcomes the fastest growing demographic in our state that largely shares our conservative values of limited government, strengthening the family and supporting small business.'"

• Eight Months of the U.S. Senate Race: "Before Tuesday's election, here's a look at the last eight months of polling in the Republican race for U.S. Senate."

• Republicans Battling for Three Open House Seats in D-FW: "The Republican candidates vying to fill three open seats in the Dallas area include Tea Partiers, moderates and a former state representative. In the crowded North Texas field, it's likely all of the races could end in runoffs."

• Patrick Faces Nurse Practitioner in HD-94 GOP Primary: "In Arlington's HD-94, incumbent state Rep. Diane Patrick is being challenged by nurse practitioner Trina Lanza. The candidates — like many this primary season — are fighting over who is the true conservative in the race."

Culled:

• Late-hitting Dewhurst likens Leppert to a Democrat in new TV spot (The Dallas Morning News): "Senate front-runner David Dewhurst, two days after launching an anti-Tom Leppert website, launched a TV spot on Friday that whacks the former Dallas mayor in his own backyard. The 30-second ad, which the Dewhurst campaign said is running in Dallas only, covers mostly familiar territory — accusations that Leppert raised city taxes and spending, 'campaigned with' the liberal group ACORN, won a union's endorsement and called President Barack Obama's economic-stimulus package an 'opportunity.'"

• Dewhurst goes Tea Partying in South Texas (Houston Chronicle): "A couple of days after a well-regarded poll found him within striking distance of wrapping up the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst seemed to be tying down loose ends with Tea Party types more inclined to favor Ted Cruz. An ad hoc consortium calling itself the Tea Party Coalition of Texas invited the top-tier candidates — Dewhurst and Cruz, plus former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and former ESPN analyst Craig James — to a South Texas ranch to talk to Valley farmers and ranchers who feel threatened by illegal immigration. Dewhurst was the only one of the four to accept the invitation."