The Evening Brief: July 19, 2012

New in The Texas Tribune:

• Cruz and Dewhurst Agree to Third Televised Debate: "Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz will participate in a third televised debate on Monday in Houston."
• Texas Congressmen Give Dueling Statements on Deferred Action: "President Obama’s decision to grant deferred action to thousands of immigrants eligible for deportation was in the spotlight again Thursday, as members of Texas’ congressional delegation either admonished or applauded the move in statements."
• Video: Houston Mayor Annise Parker on The Colbert Report: Houston Mayor Annise Parker stopped by Comedy Central's The Colbert Report on Wednesday night to talk about the secret to the city's strong economy.

Culled:

• Texas executes its 1st inmate using single drug (The Associated Press): "A Texas man convicted of carjacking and fatally shooting a stockbroker was put to death Wednesday, becoming the first prisoner in the nation's most active capital punishment state to be executed under a procedure using one lethal drug instead of three."
• Dewhurst airs radio ad on ‘short fuse Cruz’ (The Dallas Morning News): "Senate candidate David Dewhurst has begun airing a radio ad that says rival Ted Cruz 'lost control' during a radio broadcast with Houston conservative talk-show host Dan Patrick last month."
• David Dewhurst, an Air Force veteran, makes emotional appeal for veterans’ support in Senate runoff (The Dallas Morning News): "U.S. Senate hopeful David Dewhurst made an emotional appeal to Texas’ large veterans population Thursday, telling a Veterans of Foreign Wars post that they need someone who 'understands the needs of the military and understands the dangerous world we live in.' And the lieutenant governor, an Air Force veteran, choked up as he explained how he remains motivated to serve because of his father — a World War II Air Force pilot, who flew 85 missions before being killed by a drunken driver after returning home. 'I’d like to fly my dad’s 86th mission,' Dewhurst said, his voice catching, 'and I need a crew.'"
• Yarbrough outlines “50/50″ plan for minimum wage workers (San Antonio Express-News): "Democratic Senate candidate Grady Yarbrough missed his planned forum with contender Paul Sadler earlier this week, but he provided the Houston Chronicle/San Antonio Express-News Austin bureau with an outline Thursday of his proposed talking points, including an unheard of expansion of federal funding aimed at cutting unemployment."
• Asian American leaders express concern about voter ID laws (Houston Chronicle): "New voter ID laws could threaten Asian American voters this November, community leaders said today. With changing laws, voters may not be aware of the state’s requirement for proper identification, said Christine Chen, executive director of Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote. 'Every state has really changed and updated their laws, some for the better, some for the worse,' she said. 'For even the volunteers who we’re relying on to educate and reach out to our first-time voters, they’re having a hard time understanding what’s actually happening.'"