The Austin Democrat’s haul is the largest-ever sum for a Senate candidate — in any state — in the first quarter of an election year.
Gabby Birenbaum
Gabby Birenbaum is the Washington Correspondent for the Texas Tribune. She covers the Texas congressional delegation and the impact of federal policy on Texas. Gabby previously covered Washington for The Nevada Independent, where she wrote the weekly D.C. Download newsletter and covered the 2024 presidential election and competitive Senate race. Prior to The Nevada Independent, Gabby worked at The Washington Monthly and Vox. Gabby graduated from Northwestern University, where she studied journalism and political science. She is a native of Arlington, Virginia and is based in Washington, DC. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, watching movies and being a long-suffering fan of DC sports teams. Her work is supported by a partnership with Report for America.
Posted in
Congress
Rep. Tony Gonzales resigns from Congress amid backlash over sexual misconduct allegations
House members were set to vote this week on expelling both the San Antonio Republican and Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell. Gonzales’ announcement came shortly after Swalwell said he would step down.
Posted in
Congress
Rep. Tony Gonzales could face expulsion from Congress amid furor over sexual misconduct
U.S. House members say they will bring resolutions to the floor this week to expel the Republican Gonzales and Democrat Eric Swalwell. Each motion would require a two-thirds majority.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Five weeks after teasing endorsement, Trump remains on the sidelines of Cornyn-Paxton Senate runoff
The president could still weigh in over the next seven weeks. But his inaction before last month’s dropout deadline has only hardened the rivalry.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Democratic congressional candidate Bobby Pulido toured with bandmate convicted of child sex crime
The revelation reported first by the New York Post is the latest hit against the Democratic rising star who Republicans are casting as morally depraved because of his past social media posts.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Cornyn, Paxton decline to withdraw from Texas Senate runoff ballot as deadline passes
The day after the March 3 primary, President Donald Trump pledged to endorse either John Cornyn or Ken Paxton “soon,” and call on the other to drop out. He has yet to make an endorsement.
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2026 Texas Elections
Jace Yarbrough is GOP nominee in North Texas congressional district after second-place finisher bows out
After finishing a distant second in the March 3 primary, Ryan Binkley dropped out of the runoff. Yarbrough is favored to win the general election for the redrawn 32nd District.
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2026 Texas Elections
With Tony Gonzales out, Democrats sense an opening against new hardline GOP nominee Brandon Herrera
Herrera’s history of brash comments, and the leftward drift of Hispanic voters, has renewed Democrats’ interest in the 23rd Congressional District, which runs from San Antonio to El Paso.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Cornyn voices support for nixing filibuster, reversing course as he courts Trump’s endorsement
Cornyn’s change of heart comes amid a grueling primary battle with Attorney General Ken Paxton, who said he’d consider dropping out if Republicans scrapped the filibuster to pass a voter ID law.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Hardline House Freedom Caucus gains ground in Texas GOP primaries
If they win in November, Steve Toth and Brandon Herrera are poised to join the group known for its conservative absolutist approach and willingness to defy GOP leaders.
