Democrat Eddie Lucio Jr., known for voting with Republicans on key issues, to retire after three decades in Texas Senate
The Brownsville Democrat, who made the announcement Thursday, has served in the upper chamber since 1991. Full Story
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Patrick Svitek is the primary political correspondent for The Texas Tribune. Patrick logged countless miles on the 2016 campaign trail, covering the many Texas angles of the momentous presidential race. He previously worked for the Houston Chronicle's Austin bureau. He graduated in 2014 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
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![State Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, on the Senate floor on April 11, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats went "all in" to protect a San Antonio-area House seat from flipping. The GOP still took it.
Republican John Lujan attributed his victory in the House District 118 race to a “perfect environment.” It came the same night Republicans captured the Virginia governorship in a contest widely seen as a referendum on Joe Biden’s presidency. Full Story
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![John Lujan, Republican nominee for House District 118, poses for a photograph at an election night watch party in San Antoni…]()
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Republican John Lujan wins special election runoff to flip Texas House seat in San Antonio
Republicans saw flipping the seat as a way to make headway into South Texas, where Democrat Joe Biden underperformed last year. Full Story
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![John Lujan, Republican nominee for House District 118, speaks to reporters at an election night watch party in San Antonio o…]()
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Democratic state Reps. Claudia Ordaz Perez and Art Fierro will vie for the same El Paso House seat due to redistricting
Ordaz Perez announced she will challenge Fierro after new political maps forced her to run against another incumbent if she wanted to seek a new term. Democrats have criticized the GOP-drawn House map for diluting the El Paso area's representation. Full Story
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![State Rep. Claudia Ordaz Perez, D-El Paso, on the House floor on May 7, 2021.]()
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Evan Young, former clerk to conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, appointed to Texas Supreme Court
Young replaces former Justice Eva Guzman, who resigned in June ahead of a campaign for attorney general. Full Story
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![The Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Former ACLU lawyer Rochelle Garza decides to run for attorney general after redistricting upends congressional campaign
Garza, a former lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, had been running to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville. U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, is now running for Vela's seat after redistricting made Gonzalez's seat more competitive for Republicans. Full Story
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![ACLU lawyer Rochelle Garza has announced she will be running for Texas Attorney General.]()
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With a congressional seat suddenly open, Democrats in the Rio Grande Valley race to recruit for a competitive district
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez announced last week he’ll seek reelection in a new seat, leaving his 15th Congressional District open for the 2022 election. Candidate filing begins Nov. 13. Full Story
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![Pedestrians walk in downtown McAllen on Oct. 31, 2021.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
Special election runoff on Tuesday for Texas House seat in San Antonio carries high stakes for both parties
The race pits Republican John Lujan against Democrat Frank Ramirez for the Democratic-leaning seat that former state Rep. Leo Pacheco, D-San Antonio, vacated earlier this year. Full Story
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![Democrat Frank Ramirez and Republican John Lujan are headed into a runoff election for House District 118.]()
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Texas’ new secretary of state doesn’t deny Joe Biden’s 2020 victory, but he’s still prioritizing an election audit
John Scott briefly represented Donald Trump's legal effort to challenge the election results in Pennsylvania. In an interview, he said there’s no question that Joe Biden is the president and he has “not seen anything” to suggest the election was stolen. Full Story
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez will run for a different House seat in 2022 after redistricting made his more competitive
Texas lawmakers made Gonzalez’s current 15th Congressional District more competitive for Republicans. The representative now plans to run in the 34th District, which is safer for Democrats. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, gives a statement regarding family separation after visiting the McAllen Border Patro…]()
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Eva Guzman airs early ads in bid to stand out in crowded primary for attorney general
The former state Supreme Court justice is one of three Texas Republicans vying to unseat incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton. Full Story
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![Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 20, 2014.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott’s pick for top Texas election post worked with Trump to fight 2020 results
As secretary of state, Fort Worth attorney John Scott would oversee election administration in Texas. Full Story
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![A Texas Historical Commission plaque on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 15, 2020.]()
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In fast-growing Central Texas, redistricting sparks political reshuffling in upcoming statehouse and congressional races
The fast-growing region likely will see a considerable number of new state and federal lawmakers after the 2022 election. And in many cases, they will be representing districts whose boundaries have significantly shifted. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol in Austin on Oct. 19, 2021.]()
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Gov. Greg Abbott should call lawmakers back for a fourth special session
In a tweet, Patrick said he supported Abbott calling lawmakers back to Austin to increase the penalty for illegal voting and approve a “forensic audit bill.” Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks from the podium in the Senate on the first day of the special session on July 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott didn’t get everything he wanted in the special session. Will he call lawmakers back for more?
The latest special session ended without lawmakers passing two of Abbott’s priorities — legislation to increase an illegal-voting penalty and to ban vaccine mandates by any entity in Texas. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to the Senate at the Capitol on Jan. 12, 2021.]()
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Longtime U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett will run in the Austin area's new congressional district
The Austin Democrat, who has served in Congress since 1995, currently represents the 35th District, which stretches down to San Antonio. He will run in the newly created 37th District located in Travis County. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett D-Texas, at a press conference at Foundation Communities in Austin on Sept. 2, 2021.]()
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Texas Republicans pave way for new battleground state House district in Rio Grande Valley over local lawmakers’ objections
The likely new district comes as Texas Republicans continue to try to make new inroads in South Texas after the 2020 election. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol on Aug. 13, 2021.]()
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“Extremely influential” or “delusional ideas of grandeur”? GOP primary foe Don Huffines sees impact as Gov. Greg Abbott pushes rightward
Huffines has been the most vocal fellow Republican taking on Abbott, pressuring him over his COVID-19 response, the border and other hot-button issues. Full Story
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![Former state Sen. Don Huffines speaks at a Texas Republican Party rally on the east side of the Capitol Grounds on Jan. 9, …]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
After his Round Rock district was redrawn to help Republicans, state Rep. James Talarico says he’ll move to Austin to run in 2022
“Republicans have gerrymandered me out of my district,” Talarico tweeted. “If they think they can keep me off the House floor, they better think again.” Full Story
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![State Rep. James Talarico, D-Round Rock, speaks with his colleagues on the House floor on Aug. 9, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
GOP state Rep. Lyle Larson, who has increasingly broken with his party, won’t seek reelection
The San Antonio Republican announced Wednesday he will not run for another term in 2022. Full Story
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![State Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, speaks with colleagues on the House floor on Tuesday, August 10, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
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