Gov. Rick Perry got a thunderous reception Thursday when he spoke to the Republican convention’s Texas delegation. Perry said he’d do anything former rival Mitt Romney asks him to do to help Romney take the White House.
Jay Root
Jay Root is an award-winning journalist who reported for the Tribune from 2011 to 2020. He covered the dramatic collapse of Gov. Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential campaign and went on to write an ebook about it called “Oops! A Diary from the 2012 Campaign Trail.” Root also broke the story that put the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, on the path toward criminal indictment, co-wrote an exposé that brought an end to privately funded prosecutions in Travis County, and authored a series of watchdog articles that prompted a wave of firings and resignations at two major state agencies.
In 2017, Root co-directed “Beyond The Wall,” a film exploring border politics in the age of Trump, which won a national Edward R. Murrow award for best news documentary. Root’s latest film, “Border Hustle,” was released in early 2019 and reveals how desperate migrants have become cash cows on both sides of the border.
Previously, for a dozen years, Root was Austin bureau chief of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he chronicled the rise of then-Gov. George W. Bush, wrote about cartel violence in Mexico and covered Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. During a three-year stint at the Associated Press, Root was twice named AP Staff Reporter of the Year for his watchdog reporting, including a story that sparked felony charges against a sitting state representative.
Posted inState Government
GOP Delegates Talk About Getting New Blood in ’14
Many Texas party activists at the Republican National Convention say they have supported the same state leaders time and time again. But now, they are ready for a change in management.
Posted inState Government
George P. Bush Pushing GOP’s Hispanic Outreach
George P. Bush, nephew and grandson of two former presidents, is stepping up his efforts to drive more Hispanics into the Texas Republican Party.
Posted inState Government
Cruz Appeals to Hispanics in Prime-Time Speech
U.S. Senate hopeful Ted Cruz appealed directly to Hispanics and portrayed his smashing primary victory as part of a “great awakening” of American voters during a prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention.
Posted in
Public Education
Dewhurst Declares Support for School Choice Legislation
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, throwing some red meat to conservatives after his bruising defeat at the hands of Tea Party darling Ted Cruz, has put private school vouchers and expanded “parental choice” back on the legislative agenda.
Posted inState Government
Video: Dewhurst Discusses Plans to Run for Re-Election
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who spoke Tuesday to the Republican National Convention’s Texas delegation in Wesley Chapel, Fla., said that he expects to run for re-election in 2014 “to build on what we’ve been able to achieve.”
Posted in
State Government
Dewhurst Plans to Run for Re-election
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, after getting a standing ovation by the Texas Republican delegation in Florida, announced Tuesday that he plans to run for re-election.
Posted inState Government
Texas GOP Delegation Cheers Cruz, Jeers National Proposal
The Texas delegation kicked off the first day of the Republican National Convention with a standing ovation for its newest rock star, U.S. Senate hopeful Ted Cruz — and a swipe at a proposed rules change on national delegates.
Posted inState Government
Supporters Blast Treatment of Paul at GOP Convention
Tampa is the end of the road for Ron Paul’s presidential hopes, but his supporters aren’t going quietly into the night. They’re complaining that Paul got a raw deal from the managers of the Republican National Convention.
Posted in
Congress
Courting Controversy Works for Gohmert
U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, who has a knack for propelling himself into headline-grabbing controversies, is a favorite target of comics and liberal commentators. But in his district, he is seen as a devoted advocate for his constituents’ values.