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John Reynolds was the newsletters editor for the Tribune from 2013 to 2017. Prior to that, he was a reporter for Quorum Report, a non-partisan online political newsletter focusing on the ins and outs under the Dome, for more than seven years – covering the waterfront from health and human services and redistricting to pensions and elections. A native of Atlanta, Ga., he started his journalistic career one day after the attacks of Sept. 11 in Lubbock, Texas, where he rotated through a slew of beats at The Avalanche-Journal. He received his undergraduate degree from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and studied at the University of Georgia's graduate school in journalism. When not at work, he actively attempts to convince himself he is adept at tennis with varying levels of success. And he has adopted the Austin custom of appreciating smoked meats and listening to music in grassy/muddy fields.
What was originally planned as the first head-to-head encounter of the Republican runoff race for lite guv will now be a solo appearance by David Dewhurst. His opponent, Dan Patrick, announced late Monday afternoon that he was withdrawing from the debate. Full Story
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The contemplated annexation of three predominately white subdivisions by the city of Jasper has drawn the attention of a Washington, D.C.-based voting rights organization. Full Story
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The Texas Ethics Commission on Monday afternoon reaffirmed its position that it has a right to investigate Empower Texans for possible violations of state ethics laws. That prompted complaints, though, from Empower Texans’ attorney who directed a barb as well at the office of Attorney General Greg Abbott. Full Story
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The rightward tilt of the Texas Senate has one of its more hallowed traditions — the two-thirds rule — in danger of going the way of the dodo. Full Story
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The Dallas Morning News has obtained an email that seemed to reference attempts by UT System Regent Wallace Hall to undermine UT Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa. Full Story
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There were developments this week in a couple of court cases of significance in Texas politics: the challenge to the state's voter ID law and the challenge to an ethics investigation of Empower Texans Full Story
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The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call this week published a handy compendium of Texas GOP politicians thinking about the next election (or two) and where they might choose to run. Full Story
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If the University of Texas System regents tap Gov. Rick Perry's reported favorite, Kyle Janek, as their next chancellor, they won't get pushback from the president of the system's flagship campus. Full Story
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SD-10 GOP candidate Konni Burton is already one of the lucky few Republicans to lock up an official endorsement from Tea Party hero and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Next Wednesday, he'll appear at a campaign rally on her behalf. Full Story
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Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Dante Chinni of the American Communities Project at American University makes the argument that if Texas flips blue, it could do so in a hurry. And not just because of the state's growing Hispanic population. Full Story
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