Thousands of bills are expected to be filed during the legislative session, when lawmakers will tackle issues including the next state budget and redrawing the state’s political maps.
Cassandra Pollock
Cassandra Pollock was a state politics reporter for the Tribune. She joined the Tribune full-time in June 2017 after a fellowship during the 85th Texas Legislature. Pollock spent her first two years at the Trib as an engagement reporter, which meant her name likely landed in your inbox every weekday morning with “The Brief,” a newsletter on all things Texas politics and public policy. Pollock is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism. Pollock left The Texas Tribune in 2021.
Posted in
Politics
Texas GOP Chair says party will not “support or accept” Republican Rep. Dade Phelan as next House speaker
Allen West, party chair, does not get to vote on the next speaker since he is not a House member.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
State Rep. Dade Phelan says he has votes to become speaker of Texas House
Phelan, a Republican from Beaumont, made the announcement the morning after the GOP maintained its control of the lower chamber in the 2020 elections.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Republicans appear to keep majority of Texas House
Texas Republicans appeared to have fended off a well-financed Democratic effort to gain a majority in the Texas House.
Posted inState Government
State Rep. Joe Moody joins the Texas House speaker’s race
The El Paso Democrat becomes the eighth candidate for the leadership role. Election Day results will determine whether Republicans maintain a majority in the 150-member chamber.
Posted in
Politics
State Rep. Dade Phelan files to run for Texas House speaker
Phelan joins fellow Republicans Trent Ashby, Chris Paddie and Geanie Morrison in the race for speaker. He’s the seventh candidate for the position.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Texans no longer have a straight-ticket voting option. How that affects Texas House races is unclear.
With control of the Texas House on the line, Republicans and Democrats are closely monitoring the state’s massive voter turnout. But with no straight-ticket voting, how many voters are getting to the end of their ballots?
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
The race for Texas House speaker has quickly become a crowded contest as balance of power hinges on Tuesday’s election
Republican state Reps. Trent Ashby, John Cyrier, Chris Paddie and Geanie Morrison are the first four from their party to file. And state Rep. Oscar Longoria became the third Democrat to file for the leadership post.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Texas hits record high for early voting turnout
Forty-six percent of registered voters in Texas had cast their ballots through Monday. In 2016, the percentage was 43.5% for the entire early voting period.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
As Ken Paxton battles scandal, Land Commissioner George P. Bush considering a 2022 run for attorney general
An aide said Bush has heard from “several donors” who want him to consider running. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, “is absolutely planning on running again,” a spokesman said.