Abbott chases bigger share of Hispanic vote in 2018
As he seeks another term in 2018, Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking to build on the inroads he made with Hispanic voters when he first ran for governor in 2014. Full Story
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Patrick Svitek
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Patrick Svitek was the primary political correspondent for The Texas Tribune. Patrick covered elections, state leaders, the Legislature and political trends across the state from 2015 until 2024. He previously worked for the Houston Chronicle's Austin bureau. Patrick graduated in 2014 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Past Contributions
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![Gov. Greg Abbott and wife Cecilia leave the front door of a Bentsen Heights residence where no one was home during a block walk in McAllen on July 15, 2017. Abbott announced a re-election bid for governor the day before in San Antonio.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Attorney General Ken Paxton's trial is delayed for a third time
A Harris County district court judge sided with prosecutors and delayed Attorney General Ken Paxton's securities fraud case — which had been scheduled for Dec. 11 — for a new date yet to be determined. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton during a press conference announcing a lawsuit filed against the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice and other agencies requiring Texas public schools to open restrooms and locker rooms to both sexes on May 25, 2016.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Hearing in Paxton case to consider prosecutors' push for another trial delay
Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawyers and the prosecutors handling the securities fraud case will debate Wednesday whether his trial should be delayed — for a third time — until the prosecutors can get paid. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton during a press conference to recognize January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month on January 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Facing Texas loyalists, Cruz grapples with GOP inaction under Trump
“As frustrated as y’all are, I’m sitting there everyday!” U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz told a Tea Party group Saturday at one of two events this weekend in which the Texas Republican insisted he too is frustrated with his party's recent performance. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz talks with Sen. John Cornyn and Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, during a TPPF Orientation conference on Jan. 13, 2017 at the Sheraton Hotel in Austin.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Trump taps two Texans — Willett and Ho — for judicial posts
President Donald Trump is nominating two Texans to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals: Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett and Dallas attorney James Ho. Full Story
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![Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett, left, and Dallas attorney James Ho.]()
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Fort Bend school board president challenging state Sen. Joan Huffman
Kristin Tassin, the president of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees, is running against state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, in the 2018 GOP primary. Full Story
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![Kristin Tassin, the president of the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees (left), and state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston.]()
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Court of Criminal Appeals stays ruling that voided Paxton prosecutor pay
Texas' highest criminal court has stepped into the long-running dispute over the prosecutors' pay in the securities fraud case against Attorney General Ken Paxton, putting on hold a lower court's ruling that voided a six-figure invoice. Full Story
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![Special prosecutors Brian Wice, left, and Kent Schaffer enter the Collin County Courthouse during a pre-trial motion hearing for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, in McKinney.]()
Credit: Jae S. Lee/The Dallas Morning News -
John Cornyn says he's supporting Ted Cruz for re-election in 2018
Texas' senior U.S. senator is breaking the thaw: John Cornyn says he is endorsing Ted Cruz for re-election in 2018. Full Story
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![U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (center) and Ted Cruz (right) join Tribune CEO Evan Smith for the closing day of The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 24, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
O'Rourke praises Pelosi but doesn't want her help in Senate bid
"No, I don't want Nancy Pelosi to come to Texas to campaign with me," Democratic Senate candidate says at Tribune Fest appearance. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, discusses his Senate bid against incumbent Ted Cruz with Tribune CEO Evan Smith at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Qiling Wang for The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Phil King declares candidacy for Texas House speaker
State Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, announced Friday that he has filed paperwork to run to be the next speaker of the Texas House. Full Story
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![State Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, brings up Senate Bill 5 — the voter ID bill, declared an emergency item by Gov. Abbott — on May 23, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune