Rick Perry, re-building his brand after a calamitious presidential campaign, is running some risk in the U.S. Senate race, where Tea Party darling Ted Cruz is stirring anti-establishment anger and where the governor has endorsed David Dewhurst.
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
Cruz’s Work on Penn. Case to Be Put in Campaign Crosshairs
Ted Cruz’s campaign is bracing for a new round of attacks after he revealed on his latest ethics disclosures that he continued to perform civil legal work for a Pennsylvania developer at the center of a corruption scheme.
Posted inState Government
Club for Growth Super PAC Slams Dewhurst
The Club for Growth Super PAC, which helped U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz get into the July 31 runoff with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, is giving the candidate another boost with new radio and TV ads.
Posted inState Government
Updated: Inquiries Preceded Removal of Speeches From Site
The speeches from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst’s state website were pulled down after reporters began calling about his controversial 2007 remarks on border and immigration issues, an aide said.
Posted inState Government
Cruz to Pay $200 Fine for Late Financial Report
U.S. Senate hopeful Ted Cruz is facing a $200 fine for failing to file his personal financial statement on time as required by law, his campaign acknowledged Tuesday evening.
Posted inState Government
Updated: Cruz Stands By Criticism of Dewhurst’s Legislative Record
After David Dewhurst’s campaign criticized Ted Cruz for spreading “misinformation” about the legislative record of Texas Republicans, Cruz stood by his portrayal of Dewhurst as a profligate spender.
Posted inState Government
Lobbyists Provide Campaign Funding, Ammo for Cruz, Dewhurst
Both Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and former Solicitor General Ted Cruz are trying to make hay out of the financial support their opponent is drawing from lobbyists.
Posted inState Government
Cruz Mega-Donor is Gay, Pro-Pot Billionaire
Tea Party-backed Senate candidate Ted Cruz points with pride to the army of small conservative donors supporting him. But his largest longtime contributor is a gay billionaire who supports same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization.
Posted inState Government
A Tale of Two Parties
Big tents and boos on one hand, and talk about how to start a fire on the other: Notes from the Republican Party’s convention in Fort Worth and from the Democratic Party’s convention in Houston.
Posted inState Government
Ted Cruz and China: What Are the Facts?
In the U.S. Senate race, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has suggested that his rival Ted Cruz puts the interests of China above the United States. The Tribune reviewed the allegations, ads and position papers to get to the bottom of the controversy.
