Government watchdogs raised conflict-of-interests concerns, but Christian said his involvement in the venture is “separate” from his elected position on the Railroad Commission.
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
Politics
Texas House Democrats who walked out over congressional map fined over $8,000 each
A Republican-led House committee approved the penalties Friday, charging Democrats $500 for each day they were absent, plus costs borne by law enforcement to bring them back.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2027
Dan Patrick adds data centers, prediction markets and THC to Senate priorities
Patrick’s Friday release of priorities calls on lawmakers to study the emerging issues ahead of the 2027 legislative session.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
At CPAC, Texas Railroad Commissioner candidate Bo French calls for deportation of 100 million people
French, a former Tarrant County GOP chair, also said Republicans should more openly embrace Islamophobia.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
How a 27-year-old upstart unseated longtime Texas House Democrat Chris Turner
Junior Ezeonu, a Grand Prairie City Council member, defeated Turner in the Democratic primary, becoming the representative-elect for the southeast Tarrant County House district.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2027
Speaker Dustin Burrows lists data centers, property taxes and annexing slice of New Mexico among 2027 priorities
The Republican speaker’s interim charges also covered water resources, foreign threats and government accountability.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
“God is nonbinary”: GOP activates over Talarico’s past comments characterizing him as too radical for Texas
Talarico has suggested he would communicate some of his views differently today, but stood by the principles behind the comments Republicans are using to tar him as an extreme liberal.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
How Jasmine Crockett slipped from Democratic frontrunner to decisive defeat in the Senate primary
Crockett embarked on her primary bid with a makeshift operation that lacked a campaign manager, a developed fundraising strategy and comprehensive infrastructure for a ground game.
Posted in
State Government
Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick easily win their Republican primaries
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa captured the nomination to take on Abbott while Rep. Vikki Goodwin is in the lead for the lieutenant governor nomination.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
James Talarico defeats Jasmine Crockett in blockbuster Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
The Austin Democrat’s win comes after a bitter primary that focused on which candidate’s political and electoral strategy would get the party’s first statewide victory in over 30 years.
