The governor at first announced the backing of a dozen sheriffs, but two of them followed up with statements saying they should not have been included.
Kayla Guo
Kayla Guo covers state politics and government. Before joining the Tribune, she covered Congress for The New York Times as a reporting fellow based in Washington, D.C. Kayla has also covered transportation policy for Politico and local news for The Raleigh News & Observer, and she was a part-time digital producer for The Boston Globe. She graduated from Brown University, where she studied public policy and served as editor-in-chief and president of the independent student newspaper. She was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She is based in Austin.
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2026 Texas Elections
How Gina Hinojosa went from progressive to populist, emerging as Greg Abbott’s most formidable challenger
Hinojosa has gone from unknown state lawmaker to Abbott’s most viable Democratic challenger yet — a surge that has dared Democrats to wonder if she could actually topple this mainstay of the Texas Republican establishment.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Ken Paxton to close Senate campaign with “Come and Take It” bus tour ending at the Alamo
The Republican nominee plans to hit over 30 stops across Texas, concluding with a stop at the Alamo on the eve of Election Day, as he competes in an intensely close Senate race against Democrat James Talarico.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Talarico raises $64 million in third quarter, more than any U.S. Senate candidate on record
The Democratic U.S. Senate nominee says he’s raised more than $134 million over the past year.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
At CNN town hall, Senate candidate James Talarico woos moderate and undecided voters
The Austin Democrat used the forum, absent rival Ken Paxton, to discuss policy and present himself as a moderate. Republicans cast those efforts as contrary to his record.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
On the issues: A Q&A with U.S. Senate candidates James Talarico, Ken Paxton and Ted Brown
Ken Paxton and James Talarico are in a close race for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat, with Ted Brown also on the ballot. See where they stand on THC, data centers and Flock cameras. Talarico and Brown answered our questions; Paxton did not, so we used his past public statements to describe his positions.
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2026 Texas Elections
James Talarico returns to campaign trail at ACL festival after illness spurred GOP calls for “proof of life”
Republican Ken Paxton made hay over the Democrat’s nine-day spell between public appearances, while right-wing commentators ran with unverified theories and dismissed that Talarico’s recovery could have been hindered by his Type I diabetes.
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2026 Texas Elections
“We have to suck it up”: Ken Paxton privately suggests cutting federal benefit programs to reduce national deficit
In a conversation that has been leaked in pieces to multiple publications, the GOP Senate nominee called for “reasonable cuts to mandatory spending,” which is driven by Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Most Texas Republicans ignore Democratic calls to debate in statewide races
The last U.S. Senate race in Texas to go without a debate was in 2000. Gov. Greg Abbott, meanwhile, debated his Democratic opponents in each of his last three campaigns.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Texas governor 2026: Who is running and what to know
The governor is Texas’ chief executive, with a hand in everything from enforcing laws to setting budget priorities and responding to crises. Here’s a look at where GOP candidate Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa stand.
