The Evening Brief: June 18, 2012

New in The Texas Tribune:

• Dewhurst Calls Cruz "D.C. PAC Man" in New Web Ad: "In its first attack video of the runoff, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's campaign for U.S. Senate reached back to a 1980s-era arcade classic for inspiration."

• A&M System Lands Major Federal Biosecurity Deal: "A Texas A&M University System-led team has won a federal contract to develop one of three new national centers for developing and manufacturing medicine and vaccines to respond to pandemic diseases and bioterror threats."

• Two Different Parties, Two Very Different Moods: "Texas Democrats are looking for a place at the table, but they don't have much weight to throw around these days. Texas Republicans control the table, but they are trying to stop the food fights as different factions debate over who is holding truest to the conservative mission. Running a political party isn't easy."

• Texans Brace for Supreme Court's Upcoming Health Care Verdict: "State officials, insurers and physicians are preparing for how the Supreme Court's pending ruling on the Affordable Care Act could influence health care in Texas."

• UT-Arlington President Announces Retirement: "University of Texas at Arlington President James Spaniolo told the Tribune that he is not leaving due to any outside pressure or internal dissatisfaction. 'It just reflects a personal decision on my part,' he said."

Culled:

• Ron Paul endorses Randy Weber's congressional bid (The Associated Press): "Retiring U.S. Rep. Ron Paul has endorsed state lawmaker Randy Weber's bid to replace him in Congress. The pair spent time together at the Texas Republican Convention earlier this month, and Weber's campaign on Monday quoted Paul as saying, 'I am pleased to endorse Randy Weber.'"

• Texas Dispute With Time Warner Cable Denied Court Review (Bloomberg Businessweek): The U.S. Supreme Court refused to revive a provision in Texas’s state cable television franchising system that barred some providers, including Time Warner Cable Inc., from opting out of their municipal contracts.