Texas Democrats left the state to stop a Republican-led effort to change the state’s congressional boundaries, setting off a national conversation.
Kayla Guo
Kayla Guo covers state politics and government. Before joining the Tribune, she covered Congress for The New York Times as a reporting fellow based in Washington, D.C. Kayla has also covered transportation policy for Politico and local news for The Raleigh News & Observer, and she was a part-time digital producer for The Boston Globe. She graduated from Brown University, where she studied public policy and served as editor-in-chief and president of the independent student newspaper. She was born and raised on Long Island, New York. She is based in Austin.
Posted in
Redistricting Texas 2025
Texas House Democrats flee the state in bid to block GOP’s proposed congressional map
The lawmakers’ absence means the lower chamber won’t have enough members present to function, stalling passage of a draft map Democrats have condemned as a political power grab.
Posted in
Redistricting Texas 2025
Texas House panel advances redrawn congressional map that would add more GOP seats
The new district lines could be considered by the entire state House as soon as early next week.
Posted in
Redistricting Texas 2025
Why the proposed Texas congressional map may not be a lock to net five new GOP seats
The new proposed lines would also prevent few, if any, opportunities for Democrats hoping that an aggressive gerrymander could backfire on Republicans.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Attorney General Ken Paxton requests death row inmate Robert Roberson be executed Oct. 16
A court hearing on Wednesday will determine whether to proceed with Paxton’s request.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
As Texas Republicans prepare for mid-decade redistricting, cautionary tales loom from the past
Spurred by President Donald Trump’s political team, Texas lawmakers will try to redraw the state’s congressional map to boost Republicans — but some GOP incumbents are uneasy.
Posted in
Politics
Texas Democrat Colin Allred launches 2026 U.S. Senate campaign
Allred lost to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz last year by 8.5 points while outperforming the top of the ticket.
Posted in
Politics
State Rep. Nate Schatzline drops Texas Senate bid, endorses conservative activist Leigh Wambsganss
The North Texas district opened up last week when Republican Kelly Hancock resigned from the upper chamber to take over as the state’s acting comptroller.
Posted in
State Government
Texas can require porn websites to verify users’ ages, Supreme Court rules
The case involves a 2023 state law requiring adult websites to verify users’ ages, but the ruling is expected to have broader implications for free speech law.
Posted in
Courts
U.S. Supreme Court rules in favor of Texas death row inmate pushing for DNA evidence tests
Ruben Gutierrez is challenging the constitutionality of a state law that restricts death row inmates from seeking tests that he says will prove he’s not a murderer.
