Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick focuses scorn on Public Utility Commission after winter storm, testing Gov. Greg Abbott
Abbott has previously directed much of the blame for the storm’s power outages on the state’s electrical grid operator. 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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![An eastbound view of East Stassney Lane in South Austin on Feb. 15, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Social network Gab fuels latest conflict among Texas Republicans
The Texas GOP said Thursday it would not abandon the site after the party's vice chair, Cat Parks, demanded it do so — and after Gov. Greg Abbott denounced it as an anti-Semitic platform. Full Story
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![Texas Republican Party Chairman Allen West spoke to a crowd at the Governor’s Mansion to protest business closures and mask mandates. Oct. 10, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott appointee to a river authority steps down after contentious confirmation hearing over inflammatory tweets
The Brazos River Authority appointee, Darren Yancy, faced questions from Democratic senators Monday about his social media activity targeting President Joe Biden and former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid. Full Story
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![The south end of the Texas State Capitol on June 28, 2012.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge for The Texas Tribune -
Legislation backed by casino giant would allow casinos, sports gambling in Texas
Las Vegas Sands is pushing to create the opportunity for casinos at "destination resorts" in the state's four largest metropolitan areas. Full Story
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![Gene Koonce plays on a craps table fitted with protective plexiglass panels during the reopening of Bellagio hotel-casino, closed since March because of COVID-19. Las Vegas, Nevada on June 4, 2020.]()
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Just one Public Utility Commission member remains after another resignation in aftermath of winter storm
Shelly Botkin's departure comes a week after the commission's chair, DeAnn Walker, also stepped down. Full Story
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![Power lines along a row of homes in South Austin. Many residents experienced power outages due to the winter storm that rolled through Texas. Feb. 16, 2021.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers plan slate of bills in response to power outages, but experts skeptical there will be meaningful change
Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday also said he wants lawmakers to prioritize correcting any ERCOT-related billing errors, including inaccurately high electricity charges. That came after the Public Utility Commission said it will not fix ERCOT's $16 billion power billing mistake. Full Story
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![Snow at the Capitol in Austin on Feb. 15, 2021.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Cat Parks paves own path as Texas GOP vice chair under bombastic Allen West
Parks has risen quickly in Texas GOP politics since being tapped to run a small county party a few years ago. Full Story
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![Cat Parks, Republican Party of Texas Vice-Chair, stands for the pledge of allegiance before speaking to The Woodlands Republican Women’s Club at Landry’s Seafood in The Woodlands on Feb. 10, 2021.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott rejects aid from Biden administration in dispute over coronavirus testing for migrants
Abbott said it is the federal government’s responsibility to test the migrants. Full Story
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![Migrants in MPP cross the Paso del Norte International Bridge from Ciudad Juárez to El Paso on Feb. 26, 2021.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
Debate ramps up at Texas Legislature over governor’s emergency powers during pandemic
Gov. Greg Abbott is well aware that some lawmakers, particularly in his own party, are interested in reining in his authority. However, it remains to be seen how much power Abbott is willing to relinquish. Full Story
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![Medical personnel wear personal protective equipment at a COVID-19 testing site at Nations Tobin Recreation Center in El Paso on Oct. 21, 2020.]()
Credit: Joel Angel Juarez for The Texas Tribune -
23 candidates join the race to replace late U.S. Rep. Ron Wright
The field for the May 1 special election features 11 Republicans, 10 Democrats, one independent and one Libertarian. Full Story
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![People wait in line to vote at Carrollton Public Library on the first day of early voting in Carrollton on Oct. 13, 2020.]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for The Texas Tribune