With more competitive races than usual, Texas saw deluge of outside spending
A hotly contested U.S. Senate race and an expanded congressional battlefield attracted a flood of super PAC spending to Texas in the general election. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Emily Albracht -
Split Decision: Watch candidates in the 2018 Texas elections virtually debate
During the general election campaign, The Texas Tribune produced six episodes of its Split Decision video series. Watch candidates for lieutenant governor, Congress and agriculture commissioner discuss the various issues in their races. Full Story
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Uncertainty hangs over Texas as voters head to the polls this Election Day
From the intense battle between Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke to hard-fought, well-funded races lower on the ballot, what happens on Election Day could reset — or reaffirm — the trajectory of Texas politics. Full Story
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We took young Texans’ questions straight to the candidates. Here’s what they said.
Voting today? We know there’s a lot to keep up with this election season, so we asked young Texans what issues matter most and crafted a survey for candidates to respond to in their own words. See how candidates in statewide and competitive U.S. House races responded to your questions. Full Story
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![Long lines for the start of early voting snaked around the parking at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center near downtown Houston on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
At federal appeals court, Texas asks to enforce its ban on a common abortion procedure
Texas state attorneys and lawyers for the Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood argued over a law that would ban abortions in which a doctor uses surgical instruments to grasp and remove pieces of fetal tissue. Full Story
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![The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal in New Orleans on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018.]()
Credit: Cheryl Gerber for The Texas Tribune -
Justice Department will send election monitors to 3 Texas counties for Election Day
The monitors will be in Harris, Tarrant and Waller counties. Full Story
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![A long line of voters wait to cast their ballots at the Wonderland of the Americas Mall in San Antonio late Friday afternoon, Nov. 2, the last day of early voting.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Battles between firefighters and mayors among several down-ballot issues in Texas cities
Houston and San Antonio firefighters are at odds with their mayors over local ballot measures. Austin is asking residents for $250 million for affordable housing. And in Dallas, voters will replace a city council member facing jail time for corruption. Full Story
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![A long line of voters wait to cast their ballots at the Wonderland of the Americas Mall in San Antonio late Friday afternoon, Nov. 2, the last day of early voting.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Here's how Texas voted in every U.S. Senate election since 1961
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz won re-election in 2018 against Democrat Beto O'Rourke by about 2.6 percentage points. Here's a look at the margins of victory for every U.S. Senate election in Texas since 1961. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso (left), and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
Credit: Rodolfo Gonzalez: O'Rourke/Marjorie Kamys Cotera: Cruz -
The final 2018 Hotlist: The most competitive races in Texas’ midterm election
Texans have just one more day — tomorrow — to cast ballots in hundreds of races. Beyond the blockbuster match-up between Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke, which ones are still on my final short list? Full Story
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With days to go, contest for attorney general shows signs of a competitive race
Attorney General Ken Paxton has run a mostly under-the-radar re-election campaign, but new ads and big donations in the final days suggest Republicans aren't taking anything for granted. Full Story
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![Houston lawyer Justin Nelson (left) and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.]()
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After SNL mocks his war injury, Texas congressional candidate Dan Crenshaw says he tries hard "not to be offended"
Crenshaw is running for an open seat in a Houston-area district. His opponent also condemned the joke. Full Story
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U.S. militia groups head to border, stirred by Trump’s call to arms
The Texas Minutemen, according to its president, have 100 volunteers en route to the Rio Grande who want to help stop the migrants, with more likely on the way. Full Story
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![The isolated United State Border Patrol inspection station on Highway 87 between the border town of Presidio, TX and Marfa, TX is responsible for checking northbound traffic for illegal aliens and drugs.]()
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Cruz, O'Rourke blitz state in final weekend of campaigning
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and his Democratic rival, U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke of El Paso, made their closing arguments Saturday as they embarked on their last weekend of campaigning in the hotly contested race. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso (left), and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, both campaigning on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, O'Rourke in Dallas, Cruz in Victoria.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson: O'Rourke/Bob Daemmrich: Cruz -
Texas voter turnout in 2018 races toward presidential election year levels
At the end of early voting on Friday, turnout in the state's largest counties already surpassed the entire turnout of the 2014 midterm elections. Full Story
![A long line of voters wait to cast their ballots at the Wonderland of the Americas Mall in San Antonio late Friday afternoon, Nov. 2, the last day of early voting.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
More than 4,884,528 Texans voted early in the midterm election
Early voter turnout in the 2018 midterms surpassed turnout from the 2012 presidential election in the 30 Texas counties where most registered voters in the state — 78 percent — live. Full Story
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![Long lines for the start of early voting at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center near downtown Houston Monday, Oct. 22. (Photo by Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune)]()
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Democratic super PAC injects $2.2 million into Texas House races in closing days
The investment by Forward Majority reflects Democratic optimism about significantly expanding their ranks in the Texas House come Tuesday. Full Story
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21st District race to test boundaries of Democrats' expanded congressional battlefield in Texas
The race for Texas' 21st Congressional District pits Democrat Joseph Kopser against Republican Chip Roy for the seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio. Full Story
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![Chip Roy (left) and Joseph Kopser are the Republican and Democratic nominees for U.S. Congressional District 21, currently held by outgoing U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio.]()
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Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke entered Congress at the same time. Here’s what they have accomplished.
Over their six years in Congress, what have Cruz and O'Rourke gotten done? We dug into their legislative histories and asked both men for their top accomplishments in the Capitol. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso (left), the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
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Beto O'Rourke camp says spending highlighted in Project Veritas video went to charity, will be "appropriately reported"
After a controversial conservative group released an undercover video featuring O’Rourke’s staffers, his campaign said that those staffers "took it upon themselves" to use campaign funds to donate supplies to an El Paso nonprofit. Full Story
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![Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Beto O'Rourke speaks at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 29, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
In midterms, Democrats see a chance to disrupt GOP dominance of state appeals courts
Enough judicial seats are up for election that Democrats could flip the four sprawling appellate court districts that serve Austin, Dallas and Houston. Hillary Clinton won those districts in 2016. Full Story
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![The Texas Third Court of Appeals in Austin on Oct. 17, 2018.]()
Credit: Rachel Zein for The Texas Tribune