If history is any guide, candidates that earned first place in their primary race are likely to win their runoff — especially if they finished with a lead of more than 10 percentage points. But there are instances when second-place primary finishers come out on top.
Alex Samuels
Alex Samuels was a reporter for The Texas Tribune from 2017 to 2021. She helped with national campaign coverage, wrote stories about the intersection of race and politics in Texas, and covered the hottest political news bubbling out of local communities. She was also one of the primary authors of The Blast, the Tribune’s subscription-only daily newsletter for political insiders. Alex began at the Tribune as a fellow in 2016. She graduated in 2017 from the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism. She originally is from Massachusetts and is the best pingpong player at the Tribune.
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Politics
Attorney General Ken Paxton sides with restaurants, retailers on enforcement of “Barbecue Bill”
A nonbinding opinion issued Monday by Attorney General Ken Paxton continues a battle between lawmakers, restaurants and the Texas Department of Agriculture over the regulation of scales used to measure food.
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Health care
Medical cannabis oil is legal in Texas, but epilepsy patients still struggle
For Texans with severe epilepsy, a new treatment recently became legal: medical cannabis oil. As the state’s first dispensaries open, we followed two families trying the medication to reduce seizures. Watch our video documentary, “Out of Options.”
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Guides
Texas teachers’ pay is average. But their pensions are among the lowest in the country.
Benefits for Texas teachers have been a point of contention between educators and lawmakers for years — and often a hot topic at the Legislature. But where does Texas fall nationally when it comes to teacher pay, health care and retirement benefits?
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Criminal Justice
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul: “Working as a team” was key to catching Austin bomber
Last month’s bombing spree “would have overwhelmed any major city police department,” Austin’s interim police chief told a congressional committee as he thanked state and federal agencies for their help in tracking down a serial bomber.
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Demographics
It’s not easy being Green: Third party faces long odds to make it onto Texas ballot
No Green Party candidate got enough votes in 2016 to guarantee the party a place on the November ballot. As it prepares for its convention, the party isn’t optimistic that it can collect the signatures it needs to be a player in this year’s election.
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Energy
Texas is making billions from oil and gas drilling, but counties say rural roads are being destroyed
Damage from heavy trucks has battered local roads in and around the state’s oil fields, and many counties want the state to help pay for repairs and maintenance. Will lawmakers take action?
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This Is Your Texas
Texas students are taking the STAAR tests this week. Take our quiz to see how you’d fare.
Students across Texas are taking state standardized tests this week. Take some of the tests’ most difficult questions to see if you’d pass.
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Guides
A Texas Democrat’s campaign just unionized. Here’s why so few campaigns do that.
Labor groups are praising Democrat Laura Moser’s campaign for its collective bargaining agreement. But some argue campaigns are too unpredictable to guarantee workers the benefits that come with unionizing.
Posted in
This Is Your Texas
Teachers in other states are striking. Texas teachers can’t do that.
Texas state law says that teachers could lose their teaching certificates and pensions if they go on strike.
