Lawmakers begin work today for their biennial legislative session. They’ll debate over the state budget, school issues, border security and property taxes, among other issues.
Patrick Svitek
Patrick Svitek was the primary political correspondent for The Texas Tribune. Patrick covered elections, state leaders, the Legislature and political trends across the state from 2015 until 2024. He previously worked for the Houston Chronicle's Austin bureau. Patrick graduated in 2014 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House Democrats enter session with bipartisan hopes — and a new leader who’s prepared to fight
There are 64 Democrats in the 150-member House, one fewer than before the election. There is also one fewer Democrat in the Senate.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
GOP Harris County judge candidate contesting her loss after Election Day problems at polling sites
Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo beat Republican Alexandra del Moral Mealer by more than 18,000 votes. An assessment of Election Day problems at polling sites “has not yet revealed” whether any voters were turned away.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Ahead of legislative session, voters say state government mostly ignores the most important issues facing Texans
The survey asked voters how they think corporations are handling six social issues. More than any issue, respondents said businesses were doing “too much” responding to LGBTQ rights, with 36% holding that view.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
After recount, Democrat remains winner of battleground South Texas Senate seat
Republican Adam Hinojosa conceded Friday after a recount that included three counties in Senate District 27, the most competitive senate district in the state.
Posted in
Politics
After disappointing midterms, Texas GOP votes unanimously for a new national leader
Ronna McDaniel has kept the RNC aligned with former President Donald Trump, who some Republicans have blamed for the party’s underwhelming performance in the midterm elections.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House Democratic Caucus elects Trey Martinez Fischer as its new chair
Martinez Fischer replaces Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, who has led the caucus since 2017 and did not seek reelection.
Posted in
Energy
In defamation lawsuit against Beto O’Rourke, lawyers debate whether Kelcy Warren is a public figure
Warren, a Dallas pipeline tycoon, sued O’Rourke in February over accusations he made on the campaign trail that Warren effectively bribed Gov. Greg Abbott with a $1 million campaign contribution following the 2021 power grid collapse.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick diverge ahead of the legislative session on property taxes, power grid
The dueling approaches are coming into focus as lawmakers prepare to return to Austin for the session which begins Jan. 10.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
By tradition, the minority party gets to chair some Texas House committees. Some in the GOP want to end that.
Republican critics say conservative priorities will always be hamstrung if Democrats, who are in the minority party, get a say in which legislation reaches the floor.
