In three of Texas’ most populous counties, organizers are working to use Hispanic support of affordable health care to spur a movement they think could change the state’s electoral tide. Republicans suggest the issue ranks far behind unemployment and the economy — areas where they say their policies have the market cornered.
Alexa Ura
Alexa Ura reported for The Texas Tribune from 2013 to 2023. She covered the complex dynamics of race, ethnicity, wealth, poverty and power and how they are shaping the future of Texas and Texans, in the long and short term. Alexa started at the Tribune as a reporting intern before graduating from the University of Texas at Austin and joining the staff full time. Originally from Laredo on the Texas-Mexico border, she is a native Spanish speaker and is based in Austin.
Posted in
Politics
Van de Putte Calls For Higher Minimum Wage
During a Spanish-language townhall on Univision, state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, advocated for raising the minimum wage in Texas.
Posted in
Health care
Anti-Abortion Groups: Davis’ Disclosure Doesn’t Change Conversation
Texas’ leading anti-abortion groups, reacting to the news that state Sen. Wendy Davis had two abortions years ago for medical reasons, reiterated their opposition to the termination of pregnancies, including ones where an unborn child is diagnosed with severe disabilities.
Posted inState Government
Van de Putte Releases First Two TV Ads
State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, released two television ads on Friday. In the first ad, Van de Putte calls out her Republican opponent, Dan Patrick, over his votes on school finance. In a Spanish-language ad titled “Respecto,” Van de Putte talks about her biography.
Posted in
Politics
Van de Putte Hits Patrick on School Finance Votes
Leticia Van de Putte, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, said Wednesday that her GOP opponent, Dan Patrick, was “rewriting history” by taking credit for the restoration of some education funding cuts. Patrick’s campaign hit back at the criticism.
Posted in
Health care
Battle Over Abortion Law Heads to Federal Appeals Court
Texas abortion providers’ next hurdle in their legal fight against strict abortion regulations is set for next week in a hearing scheduled for federal court.
Posted inState Government
In New TV Ad, Abbott Highlights Personal Story
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott released a new ad Tuesday that highlights his recovery from an accident that left him in a wheelchair. The ad will air on television and radio statewide in both English and Spanish.
Posted in
Health care
Judge Strikes Down Texas Abortion Regulation
A federal judge on Friday struck down new requirements for Texas abortion facilities — a decision that could have shuttered all but a few abortion clinics in the state. The standards were set to go into effect Monday.
Posted in
Health care
Texas Hospitals Say They’ve Lost Insured Patients to Urgent Care
The increasing number of urgent care centers in Texas is proving problematic for hospitals, which say they are competing with the clinics for the same pool of insured Texans at a time when they are also getting less money to cover the cost of treating uninsured patients.
Posted in
Bypassed by the Miracle
For Many Texans, Miracle Economy Doesn’t Apply
State leaders tout the so-called Texas miracle – the idea that the economy here is thriving thanks to their small-government approach. But not everyone benefits. Here are the stories of six Texans who’ve found little relief in the Texas miracle.
