With coronavirus cases climbing, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says "no real need" to scale back business reopenings
He cited the number of hospital beds available in the state as a reason. 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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![Signs posted on the door of Ruth's Chris Steak House outline the restaurant's social distancing guidelines on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 in Austin.]()
Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune -
Donald Trump cautions against “falsely labeling” racists while in Dallas to talk about George Floyd
The president largely expressed deference to police, arguing that there are "bad apples" but "not too many of them." Full Story
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![U.S. President Donald Trump watches as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson gets a standing ovation after saying “We are not each other’s enemies” during a roundtable discussion with members of the faith community, law enforcement and small business at Gateway Church Dallas Campus in Dallas on June 11, 2020.]()
Credit: Jonathan Ernst/Pool via REUTERS -
As Texas grapples with a pandemic, officials must also prepare for what could be an unusually active hurricane season
State and local officials are adjusting their plans during the coronavirus outbreak to inform residents in the Houston area and along the Gulf Coast of safe steps they could take in advance of the year’s first storm. Full Story
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![Damage from Hurricane Harvey near the gulf coast on August 27, 2017.]()
Credit: Tomas Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Five Texas GOP county leaders share racist Facebook posts, including one juxtaposing an MLK quote with a banana
Gov. Greg Abbott called on two Republican county chairs in Bexar and Nueces counties to resign after they shared a racist conspiracy theory about George Floyd's death. The post was also was shared by the GOP chairs in Comal and Harrison counties. Full Story
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![Republican Party emblems and signs at the Republican Party of Texas office in downtown Austin.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
With convention plans in flux, Republicans considering Dallas for Trump nomination acceptance speech
The North Texas city is among several that RNC officials are looking at after the president's announcement that Charlotte, North Carolina, won't work out. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump arrives at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston on Oct. 22, 2018. Trump is in Texas to attend a rally at the Toyota Center.]()
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Almost all Texas businesses are allowed to open at 50% capacity, Gov. Greg Abbott says
The governor announced his third phase Wednesday of reopening the state’s businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott announced a strike force in charge of laying steps to re-open the Texas economy at a press conference in the capitol in April.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr/The Texas Tribune -
Joe Biden to attend George Floyd's funeral in Houston, family attorney says
Biden, the former vice president, has spoken out multiple times about Floyd's death in recent days, including in a speech Tuesday morning that called the tragedy a "wake-up call for our nation." Full Story
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![Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks to a supporters in Dallas the night before Super Tuesday.]()
Credit: Cooper Neill for The Texas Tribune -
Julián Castro makes his support for Joe Biden official
Castro's endorsement came Tuesday after the former vice president delivered a speech calling on Congress to pass police reform. Full Story
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![Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro at the 2019 Texas Tribune Festival in downtown Austin.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas does not need U.S. military's help responding to protests
Abbott also said Texas will not be sending the National Guard to Washington. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott declares a statewide emergency amid new cases of COVID-19 in the state on March 13, 2020 at the state capitol.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats' convention begins online-only Monday, while state GOP officials stick to in-person plans in July
Both state parties could be providing a template for their national counterparts. Full Story
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![Democratic signage, mugs, stickers, and buttons on display at the Travis County Democratic Party office in Austin on Oct. 8, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune