U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul briefly detained after appearing intoxicated at airport
A nervous flier, the House Foreign Affairs chief said he made a “poor decision” to mix Ambien and alcohol before his flight home to Texas on Nov. 4. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, speaks to reporters outside a House Republican Caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Oct. 12, 2023.]()
Credit: Julia Nikhinson for The Texas Tribune -
John Cornyn loses longtime bid to be next Senate majority leader to John Thune
Cornyn has for years signaled he wanted to succeed his close ally GOP leader Mitch McConnell. He lost in a vote decided by the Republican members of the Senate. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn speaks to reporters after a briefing on Ukraine and additional funding requests at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.]()
Credit: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
A push to change a 2019 Texas law that bars certain felons from becoming social workers
Texas prohibits people with assault convictions, among other felonies, from becoming social workers. A new lawsuit says the ban is unconstitutional. Full Story
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![Tammy Thompson, left, and Katherin Youniacutt, right, pose for a portrait the night before filing a lawsuit against the state of Texas to try and reverse the 2019 law that prevents convicted felons from becoming licensed social workers.]()
Credit: Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Texas Tribune -
Trump taps former Texas congressman John Ratcliffe to lead CIA
Ratcliffe represented Texas’ 4th Congressional District until Trump picked him to serve as director of national intelligence in 2020. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Heath, testifies before a Senate Intelligence Committee nomination hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. on May 5, 2020.]()
Credit: Gabriella Demczuk/Pool via REUTERS -
John Cornyn spent years preparing to run for Senate majority leader. Will it be enough?
John Cornyn is running to succeed Mitch McConnell after years waiting in his shadow. But the far-right, in Texas and Washington, are putting up a fight. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023.]()
Credit: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via Reuter -
Texas’ 90,000 DACA recipients can sign up for Affordable Care Act coverage — for now
Those enrolled in the federal program shielding them from deportation can enroll through Jan. 15, but a lawsuit and Trump’s anti-immigration stance threaten to eliminate eligibility. Full Story
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![Victoria Elizondo, a DACA recipient and chef-owner of Cochinita & Co., poses for a portrait at he restaurant on November 8, 2024, in Houston, Texas.]()
Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune -
A growing and aging population is forcing Texas counties to seek state EMS funding
Although Texas counties are not required to provide ambulance services, many are digging deep to pay for their own fleet or to contract out services. Full Story
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![The interior of a CareFlite ambulance vehicle outside the Johnson County County Commissioners office in Cleburne on November 8, 2024.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
U.S.-Mexico water agreement might bring relief to parched South Texas
The amendment to a 1944 treaty will help Mexico catch up with its water deliveries to the U.S. and might help Rio Grande Valley farmers devastated by low rainfall. Full Story
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![A resaca near agriculture fields near Los Fresnos, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The Rio Grande Valley is facing a drought, greatly affecting farmers in the region.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
New York can’t use “antiquated, unconstitutional” law to block migrant buses from Texas, judge says
Despite the court loss, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said fewer buses brought immigrants to the city after the lawsuit was filed. Full Story
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![Migrants transported from Texas arrive at the Port Authority bus terminal in New York City, New York, on Aug. 25, 2022.]()
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Donald Trump and Ted Cruz scored big wins in Texas, but the president-elect outperformed the senator on his own turf
Cruz beat his challenger by 9 points, while Trump prevailed over his by 14 points. Still, Cruz performed better this year than he did in 2018 Full Story
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![From left: President-elect Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick names private school vouchers as his top legislative priority
School voucher supporters say they have the votes to get a bill across both the Texas Senate, led by Patrick, and the House, which has repeatedly blocked such proposals. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at the 2024 Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on May 23, 2024.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
How “wildly successful” anti-trans ads fired up Texas voters for Republicans
The barrage of ads focused on trans kids playing youth sports motivated the Republican base as Democrats struggled to respond. Full Story
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![People line the railing on all three levels of the outdoor rotunda of the state Capitol in Austin, and wave signs during the "Fight for our Lives" rally in opposition of anti-LGBTQ bills on March 27, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Judge strikes down Biden administration program shielding immigrant spouses from deportation
A Tyler-based federal judge ruled the administration overstepped its authority with the “Keeping Families Together” program. Texas and other states sued to halt it. Full Story
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![President Joe Biden gives remarks during a visit to Brownsville on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024.]()
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Texas Democratic Party chair steps down after dismal election performance
Gilberto Hinojosa’s resignation ends a 12-year run leading the state party, dating back to his election at the 2012 Texas Democratic Convention. Full Story
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![Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa speaks during the first general session at the Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso on June 7, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
Trump’s promise to unravel Biden's climate policies could take years to fulfill
The president-elect has pledged to weaken air pollution regulations, reverse efforts to slow climate change and continue to boost oil and gas production. Full Story
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![Former U.S. President Donald Trump addresses supporters at a rally on November 6, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida.]()
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Texas A&M regents overrule faculty, cut 52 “low-producing” programs including LGBTQ+ studies minor
After conservative criticism over the LGBTQ+ minor, university officials started looking at all its programs. Faculty say they were excluded from the process. Full Story
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![Students walk across the Texas A&M campus on Aug. 20, 2024, in College Station.]()
Credit: Ishika Samant for The Texas Tribune -
How zebra mussels and a Lake Texoma pump station spurred Texas to redraw its border with Oklahoma
The two states agreed to a land swap to ensure that a Dallas-area water district’s pump station lies wholly within Texas. Neither state gained in size from the small change. Full Story
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![A raw water pump station at Lake Texoma on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013. The station is bisected by the state line between Texas and Oklahoma, complicating the transportation of water to its intended destination in Texas.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
Texas State University condemns demonstrators who brought offensive signs to campus
The university is exploring potential legal responses after two men came on campus the day after the election with misogynistic and homophobic signs. Full Story
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![Students walk through an area known as “The Quad” on the first day of the fall semester at Texas State University in San Marcos on August 24, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
After election, Texas House speaker race remains up for grabs
Neither Speaker Dade Phelan, nor his current opponent Rep. David Cook, have enough public support yet from the GOP caucus to win the nomination. Full Story
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![The state capitol on the last day of the regular legislative session, May 29, 2023.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribune -
How to stay politically engaged in between election cycles
From engaging with representatives to joining advocacy groups, there are numerous ways to continue participating in democracy and shaping policy after the polls close. Full Story
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![An Irving City Council meeting on Aug. 01, 2024 in Irving, Texas.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune