The Laredo Democrat faces federal charges of bribery, money laundering and working on behalf of a foreign government.
Jasper Scherer
Jasper Scherer is the politics editor for The Texas Tribune. He oversees a team of reporters in Austin and Washington who lead the newsroom’s coverage of campaigns and elections, watchdog Texas' top officials, and translate what the state’s political and legislative developments mean for Texans. Jasper previously reported on politics for the Tribune, which he joined after stints covering politics and government at the state and local levels for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. A native of San Francisco, Jasper graduated from Northwestern University with degrees in journalism and political science in 2017, the same year he began covering Texas politics. He is based in Austin.
Posted in
2024 Texas Elections
GOP leaders snubbed Katrina Pierson in her House primary. Now they need her to pass school vouchers.
Ahead of the primary, Pierson lacked endorsements from Gov. Greg Abbott, former President Donald Trump, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, each of whom backed pro-voucher challengers in a number of other House contests.
Posted in
2024 Texas Elections
Molly Cook beats state Rep. Jarvis Johnson in special election to fill open Texas Senate seat until January
Cook will fill John Whitmire’s unexpired term — but will face Johnson again in a Democratic primary runoff for a full four-year term.
Posted in
2024 Texas Elections
Two Houston Democrats face off in back-to-back elections for John Whitmire’s open state Senate seat
State Rep. Jarvis Johnson and emergency room nurse Molly Cook are duking it out in a sleepy special election to briefly occupy the seat vacated when Whitmire was elected mayor.
Posted in
Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott suggests he wants to bar transgender teachers from dressing in line with their gender identity
Abbott made the remarks as he recounted the story of a male teacher in North Texas who wore a pink dress for his school’s spirit day earlier this year.
Posted in
2024 Texas Elections
North Texas Senate runoff creates strange bedfellows, divides usual allies within GOP
The battle to succeed retiring state Sen. Drew Springer has come down to a May 28 runoff between Brent Hagenbuch and Jace Yarbrough.
Posted in
2024 Texas Elections
Texas House GOP hardliners issue list of demands for a next speaker
The two dozen Republican signatories called on the next House leader to commit to their list of conservative demands that served as a repudiation of Speaker Dade Phelan.
Posted in
Politics
Former Texas House speaker says GOP megadonor Tim Dunn told him only Christians should hold leadership positions
Straus, who is Jewish, publicly confirmed the conversation for the first time Thursday. It had previously been reported by Texas Monthly.
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Politics
House Speaker Dade Phelan’s immigration record central in bid to oust him
The Beaumont Republican’s foes are trying to paint him as soft on the border, even after last year’s passage of far-reaching laws and record border funding.
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Politics
Once the Texas GOP’s “weak link,” Attorney General Ken Paxton is growing more popular and powerful
With his impeachment and securities fraud case behind him, Paxton’s political stock is on the rise.