Four Democrats and one Republican vie for Justin Rodriguez's Texas House seat
The Democratic state representative from San Antonio gave up his seat in January after being appointed Bexar County commissioner. Full Story
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![From left: Gov. Greg Abbott and Republican candidate for Texas House District 25, Fred Rangel. Jan. 31, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Donald Trump and Beto O’Rourke go head-to-head in El Paso
As the president kicked off his re-election campaign and tried to marshal support for his border wall, one of his possible 2020 opponents spoke to thousands across the street in a counter-rally. Full Story
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![U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at El Paso County Coliseum in El Paso on Feb. 11, 2019.]()
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Days after heated meeting, Texas Senate property tax committee passes 2.5-percent rollback rate bill
The Senate panel's vote came despite fierce pushback from city and county leaders, who say a lower election threshold on increased property tax revenues could hamstring their budgets. Full Story
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![The Senate Property Tax Committee Hearing on Feb. 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver / The Texas Tribune -
Point of Order: Investing in the future of Texas
In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith asks state Rep. John Zerwas, the chief budget writer in the Texas House, whether we have enough money to fund today’s priorities and tomorrow’s — and which hard choices we have to make. Full Story
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Beto O'Rourke spoke in El Paso in a counter-rally to Donald Trump's event
Beto O'Rourke spoke in El Paso Monday night at the same time as President Donald Trump's El Paso rally. Watch it here. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, thanks a crowd of supporters as he leaves the stage during Turn Out For Texas Rally with Willie & Beto, held at Auditorium Shores in Austin on Sept. 28, 2018. O'Rourke is running against Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in one of the top national Senate races this year.]()
Credit: Rodolfo Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
The AG's office told lawmakers it isn’t investigating voters on Texas’ citizenship review list. It told a local official the opposite.
A Paxton deputy told a Guadalupe County official Feb. 1 that the attorney general's office "has pending criminal investigations related to these issues." Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton walked across the Supreme Court plaza to hold a press conference in 2016.]()
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As Trump arrives for rally, El Pasoans say history shows he was wrong about their city
As another government shutdown looms later this week, the president follows his State of the Union speech with a rally in the city he said was plagued by crime before border fencing went up. Here's what history shows about border enforcement and crime in El Paso. Full Story
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![The border fence between El Paso and Juarez on Feb. 10, 2019. Photo by Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: The challenge of reining in property taxes at no cost to schools
A Texas Senate committee is moving rapidly to require voter approval for local property tax increases over 2.5 percent. But some want to see the Legislature's school finance bill before they vote on property taxes. Full Story
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![Property Tax committee Chairman and state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, during the Senate Property Tax Committee Hearing on on Feb. 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver / The Texas Tribune -
Watch Donald Trump's El Paso rally
President Donald Trump visited El Paso for his first campaign rally in the border city. Full Story
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![U.S. President Donald Trump listens to questions from reporters about an impending U.S. Government shutdown during a bill signing ceremony for the “First Step Act” and the “Juvenile Justice Reform Act” in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts]()
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What we know about the migrant caravan waiting at the Texas-Mexico border
The roughly 1,600 migrants, who are mostly Honduran, are being housed in a former warehouse in Piedras Negras — and being guarded by Mexican law enforcement — while they wait to be let into the U.S. But processing is slow. Full Story
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![U.S. border patrol cars are seen through the fence of the bridge connecting Eagle Pass with Piedras Negras, Mexico, near the banks of the Rio Grande on February 7, 2019.]()
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Beto O'Rourke to march, speak against border wall during Trump rally in El Paso
The rally comes as O'Rourke enters the final stages of deliberation over a potential presidential campaign. Full Story
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Congressional negotiators near border deal that would offer Trump less money for barriers than he has demanded
“I can tell you this just for sure. It’s not $5.7 billion for the wall. It’s not anywhere close,” said U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, at a Texas Tribune Event on UT San Antonio Campus, Sept. 24, 2014.]()
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Texas AG Ken Paxton says his office hasn't launched criminal investigations of voters flagged for citizenship review
Some lawmakers had fretted that sending the preliminary, faulty list to the state's top prosecutor would intimidate voters. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks to gun owners at the Republican Party of Texas convention in San Antonio on June 15, 2018.]()
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Analysis: A green appointee’s harsh introduction to Texas election politics
Between his office's bungled efforts to find noncitizens among the state's registered voters and Democrats pouncing on state actions they believe are targeted at Hispanics and other groups, Texas Secretary of State David Whitley's confirmation is in peril. Full Story
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![Texas Secretary of State David Whitley at a state Senate Committee on Nominations hearing on Feb. 7, 2019. Whitley was appointed to the job by Gov. Greg Abbott, but Whitley must first clear the committee, then win a two-thirds vote in the full Texas Senate.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
With eager candidates waiting in the wings, Texas Supreme Court slot sits open
An appointment to the high court would require a two-thirds confirmation vote, potentially handing Texas Senate Democrats an important bargaining chip in the contentious legislative debates to come. Full Story
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![Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hect speaks during the hearing of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice v. Maurie Levin, et al. case on Jan. 23, 2019.]()
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Texas’ savings account is poised to hit $15 billion. How much will lawmakers spend?
As lawmakers debate costly investments in property tax reduction and public schools, they're eyeing the state savings account for a sizable withdrawal. Full Story
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Point of Order: Everybody hates property taxes
In the latest episode of our podcast about the 86th Legislature, Evan Smith talks with state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, the chairman of the Senate Property Tax Committee, about off-the-charts appraisals and off-the-leash local officials — and whether his reform plan has the votes to pass. Full Story
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Texas Secretary of State David Whitley defends releasing flawed data about voter citizenship review
At his confirmation hearing, Whitley faced tough questioning from Democrats over his decision to erroneously question the citizenship status of tens of thousands of voters. Full Story
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![Texas Secretary of State David Whitley attended a hearing with the Senate Committee on Nominations on Thursday. Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Whitley, but he must clear the committee and win a two-thirds vote in the full Texas Senate to keep his job.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Corporations can’t donate to politicians. But $100,000 got them VIP treatment during Gov. Greg Abbott’s inauguration.
Donations to the inauguration are not deemed political contributions under state statute. And the inaugural committee, whose creation is mandated by law, is not required to make financial disclosures before this summer. Full Story
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![Air Force fighter planes fly over the state capitol during the Oath of Office Ceremony. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Governor Greg Abbott were sworn into their respective offices. Jan. 15, 2019. Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
"This is very personal to us": Santa Fe survivors are expecting results from the Texas Legislature
After last year's massacre at Santa Fe High School, survivors told lawmakers the school safety measures they want to see enacted during this year's legislative session. How many of them will become law? Full Story
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![Flo Rice, 56, poses for a portrait in her home in Santa Fe, TX. Rice was shot in her legs at a school shooting in Santa Fe that left 10 dead and 13 injured, and now advocates for more school safety and emergency training for substitute teachers.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune
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