Abbott Gets 25 Six-Figure Donations
Attorney General Greg Abbott demonstrated his fundraising prowess over the last half year with 25 six-figure donations, including a total of $900,000 from the late Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons. Full Story
Jay Root is an award-winning journalist who reported for the Tribune from 2011 to 2020. He covered the dramatic collapse of Gov. Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential campaign and went on to write an ebook about it called “Oops! A Diary from the 2012 Campaign Trail.” Root also broke the story that put the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, on the path toward criminal indictment, co-wrote an exposé that brought an end to privately funded prosecutions in Travis County, and authored a series of watchdog articles that prompted a wave of firings and resignations at two major state agencies. In 2017, Root co-directed “Beyond The Wall,” a film exploring border politics in the age of Trump, which won a national Edward R. Murrow award for best news documentary. Root’s latest film, “Border Hustle,” was released in early 2019 and reveals how desperate migrants have become cash cows on both sides of the border. Previously, for a dozen years, Root was Austin bureau chief of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he chronicled the rise of then-Gov. George W. Bush, wrote about cartel violence in Mexico and covered Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. During a three-year stint at the Associated Press, Root was twice named AP Staff Reporter of the Year for his watchdog reporting, including a story that sparked felony charges against a sitting state representative.
Attorney General Greg Abbott demonstrated his fundraising prowess over the last half year with 25 six-figure donations, including a total of $900,000 from the late Dallas billionaire Harold Simmons. Full Story
Democrat Wendy Davis got several huge contributions in her race for Texas governor, including a $1 million donation from an Austin doctor. Full Story
Wendy Davis and a joint "victory committee" committed to her election as governor have raised a combined $12 million since July, her campaign announced Tuesday. Greg Abbott announced he raised $11.5 million in the same period. Full Story
If the past is a guide, gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott will soon report big money from wealthy donors, and his opponent, state Sen. Wendy Davis, will report many small donors from around the U.S. Full Story
In a new twist, Lisa Fritsch, a longshot Republican candidate for governor, has released a silent web ad to dramatize her view that average Texans are being shut out of the political process. Full Story
State Sen. Wendy Davis, in her first major policy proposal as a candidate for Texas governor, said on Thursday that she would increase the supply of teachers and give them more money. But she didn't say how she'd pay for the new programs. Full Story
An aide to Gov. Rick Perry says Democrats' recent attacks on William White, the Texas Finance Commission chairman, are politically motivated. Full Story
Three Democrats in the Senate have joined Wendy Davis in calling for ouster of Texas Finance Chairman William White. Full Story
Welcome to the marquee political contest this year in Texas, where the gubernatorial primaries are all but decided and both candidates are looking toward a November showdown with knives drawn. Full Story
Democrats say the the decision by Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Lawrence Meyers to leave the Republican Party gives them something to build on for the 2014 elections. But GOP officials see no evidence of a sea change. Full Story