O’Rourke confronted a heckler at a campaign event Wednesday who laughed while he was talking about the Uvalde school shooting, telling the person, “It may be funny to you, motherfucker, but it is not funny to me.”
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 2022 Elections
A new MAGA: Mothers Against Greg Abbott mobilizes against the incumbent governor seeking a third term
Mothers Against Greg Abbott has grown into a potent political force in the governor’s race, with a membership of over 50,000 on Facebook. The group recently caught more attention after releasing ads that have gone viral on social media.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Greg Abbott agrees to one debate with Beto O’Rourke, but O’Rourke wants more
The governor said Tuesday he has agreed to debate O’Rourke, his Democratic opponent, on Sept. 30 in the Rio Grande Valley.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Republicans, Democrats prioritize legislative races targeting Collin County and South Texas seats
The Republican majority in the Texas House appears safe in November — and the battlefield is smaller than it was in 2020 — but both sides says the races have high stakes.
Posted in
Politics
Texas Republicans rally their base at CPAC, but draw criticism over Hungarian prime minister’s appearance
Viktor Orbán appeared at the convention in Dallas after saying last week that Europeans “do not want to become peoples of mixed race.” Texas officials attending, though, stayed focused on criticizing Democrats.
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Economy
Texas House speaker says he’s confident Legislature will revive expiring corporate tax break program
Lawmakers let the program, known as Chapter 313, expire at the end of this year after the Senate declined to consider a bill extending it. It was the first time in its 20-year history that legislators decided not to renew the program.
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Immigration
Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas is now busing migrants to New York City
Abbott made the announcement Friday in the state’s latest confrontation with an East Coast city that is steeped in politics.
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Texas 2022 Elections
With rural Texas watching, Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke dig in on school vouchers fight
O’Rourke is hammering Abbott over vouchers on the campaign trail in rural Texas, where Democrats know they need to do better and where vouchers are a political hot potato for Republicans.
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Texas 2022 Elections
To stay in Congress, Mayra Flores bets Democratic South Texas is ready for an outspoken conservative
A Mexican immigrant who worked in cotton fields to pay for school supplies, Flores is a source of hope for Republicans looking to gain ground in the Rio Grande Valley. But her staying power will be put to the test this November.
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Politics
Texas AG Ken Paxton bans staff lawyers from speaking at state bar events, escalating feud sparked by 2020 election
The bar, which licenses lawyers and offers training sessions, is suing Paxton in an attempt to sanction him for trying block the certification of Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump.
