Agriculture is the second largest industry in Texas, which is home to more than 230,000 farms. Here’s a look at who’s running in the 2026 Democratic and Republican primaries to oversee the agriculture department and where they stand on the issues.
Kate McGee
Kate McGee is an Austin-based enterprise and investigative reporter. She joined the Tribune in October 2020 as a higher education reporter. She was a three-time finalist for the Education Writers Association's Beat Reporter of the Year award, winning the title in 2024. She was also a Livingston Award finalist for her coverage of the University of Texas at Austin. Before the Tribune, she spent nearly a decade as a reporter at public radio stations nationwide, including in Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Austin; Reno, Nevada; and New York. Kate was born in New York City and primarily raised in New Jersey. She earned her bachelor's degree from Fordham University.
Posted in
Politics
Gov. Abbott endorses Nate Sheets over Sid Miller for agriculture commissioner
In a statement, Abbott said Texans deserve a commissioner focused on Texas agriculture and “with zero tolerance for criminality.”
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Austin police officer Christopher Taylor acquitted in 2019 shooting by appeals court
Taylor’s conviction was the first time a Travis County police officer had been found liable in an on-duty fatal shooting.
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Politics
Texas appeals court says AG Ken Paxton can’t require counties to hand over case data
Over half of the district attorneys affected by the rule filed lawsuits challenging it, saying it violates state and federal law.
Posted in
Higher Education
6 takeaways from our investigation into the ouster of Texas A&M’s president
Mark Welsh III’s two-year tenure as president of Texas A&M University was marked with political controversies.
Posted in
Higher Education
How the political tide turned on Mark Welsh, the four-star general ousted as Texas A&M president
The A&M Board of Regents came to want a more explicitly conservative leader who would shut down controversy before it reared its head, as members grew weary from the steady drumbeat of online posts accusing the university of embracing liberal ideology.
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Politics
USDA slaps down Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller over New World screwworm
The federal agency accused Miller of disregarding proven strategies to combat the parasitic pest “in favor of clickbait publicity stunts.”
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Higher Education
Harrison vs. higher ed: How one lawmaker is weaponizing social media to eradicate LGBTQ+ curriculum
Harrison has been on a crusade against Texas universities, scouring course catalogs and university websites for examples of “gender ideology” or LGBTQ+ curriculum, and riling up his X followers about “liberal indoctrination” on campuses.
Posted in
Demographics
Anti-DEI crusader Sid Miller urged UT to enroll student emphasizing her race and socioeconomic status
In May 2023, Miller wrote a letter urging university leaders to reconsider admitting a student whom he described as a “biracial Latina,” who was also the daughter of his political associate.
Posted in
Politics
How a secret recording of a gender identity lecture upended Texas A&M
Officials have struggled to detail the exact reasons for the A&M professor’s termination, citing a technical issue with her course description. Faculty say the move was politically motivated.