Republican confidence grows as they eye a South Texas congressional sweep
Democrats are spending big to stop Republicans from flipping two of the three key battleground seats that have historically gone blue. 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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![Republican Mayra Flores is greeted by a woman during her primary night watch party in San Benito, on June 14, 2022.]()
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“I’m in no rush”: Voter apathy takes hold of early voting ahead of Texas midterm election
Republicans may be waiting to vote on Election Day after former President Donald Trump pushed voting in person on Nov. 8 at a rally in South Texas. Full Story
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![Students and faculty walk past the Peter T. Flawn Academic Center at The University of Texas while early voting takes place Oct. 25.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo/The Texas Tribune -
O’Rourke outraises Abbott in final month of Texas governor’s race
In the homestretch of the state’s governor race, Beto O’Rourke outraises incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott though he still trails in the polls. Full Story
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![Gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke speaks to attendees during a Get Out the Vote Rally hosted by the Asian American Democrats of Texas in Asiatown on October 15, 2022.]()
Credit: Briana Vargas for The Texas Tribune -
Bernie Sanders tours Texas hoping to amp up progressive turnout, including in key South Texas race
The two-time Democratic presidential candidate visited Central Texas and South Texas amid concerns that young and working-class voters are not mobilized enough for the midterm election. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters of Democratic congressional candidate Michelle Vallejo in McAllen on Oct. 30, 2022. Sanders addressed issues like inflation and said Republicans fail to mention the record profits corporations are generating.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Dark-money group features Uvalde shooter footage in ad criticizing Abbott’s gun policies
The ad drew swift pushback from Republicans criticizing its use of the gunman’s image. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a presser at the Uvalde High School on May 27, 2022. Gov. Abbott addressed the response to the recent school shooting, and emphasized the need to respond appropriately to mental health crises.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Republicans in tight races open to rape and incest exceptions to abortion ban
In some battleground state legislative races, Republicans have been making overtures to those who believe the ban as too extreme. They have said they are open to revising the ban to include the exceptions — and even voiced confidence that the Legislature will do so when it reconvenes in January. Full Story
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![People rallying for abortion rights march down Congress Avenue in Austin on May 3, 2022.]()
Credit: Lauren Witte/The Texas Tribune -
As early voting begins, pressure is on for Beto O’Rourke to close the gap with Greg Abbott
O’Rourke has not had the upper hand in any polls, or even come within low single digits, compared with 2018, when he more regularly showed up within the margin of error against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Full Story
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![Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto OíRourke speaks at a rally in downtown McAllen on Nov. 17, 2021. OíRourke has decided to stop at the Rio Grande Valley on his first week of announcing his gubernatorial run.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Donald Trump energizes South Texas voters ahead of early voting as Republicans predict red “tsunami”
Trump rally attendees said they were basing their midterm votes on issues such as the economy and the border and were hopeful Trump would run for president again. Full Story
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![Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Robstown, a western suburb of Corpus Christi, on Oct. 22, 2022.]()
Credit: Lucas Boland/Caller-Times USA Today Network -
Greg Abbott widens lead over Beto O’Rourke with likely voters in latest UT poll
The 11-point margin is one of the wider advantages Abbott has registered among likely voters in a public survey yet. Abbott had a smaller 5-point advantage in the last UT poll, which was done in August, though that was among registered voters. Full Story
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![Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke speaks to a packed auditorium during a stop on his College Tour campaign at Texas State University on Oct. 5, 2022, in San Marcos.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune -
For Republicans, winning Hispanic voters will be a bigger fight than South Texas
Nearly half of Hispanic Texans live in the state’s five largest counties, a voting bloc Democrats cannot afford to lose as they struggle to compete in the state’s vast rural areas. Full Story
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![Straight Edge barbershop owner Virginia Murillo discusses how she has shifted her political views to those that align more with the GOP. Although Murillo comes from a Democratic supporting family, including immigrant parents, she has gradually moved towards a more Conservative point of view, citing religion and children moral welfare. She remains ambivalent on some issues and finds herself straddling views that have long been part of the Democratic Party’s platform too. Oct. 6, 2022.]()
Credit: Jaime R. Carrero for The Texas Tribune