Abbott also put border security and restoring funding to the Legislative branch — which he vetoed last month — on the special session agenda.
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 2021
Former legislative leaders from both parties oppose Abbott veto of legislative funding as state defends him
In a new court filing, the attorney general’s office said the governor properly used his veto power when he nixed funding for the Legislature in response to House Democrats walkout over a Republican priority bill on elections.
Posted in
State Government
State Sen. Jane Nelson announces she won’t seek reelection
The Flower Mound lawmaker is the most senior Republican in the upper chamber and has served as its top budget writer for the past four sessions.
Posted in
Politics
Allen West announces he is running against Gov. Greg Abbott in Republican primary
The Texas GOP chairman made his campaign official Sunday.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
“Everything is on the table”: Democrats mull options for special session, including another walkout
After killing Republicans’ priority voting bill during the regular legislative session, Democratic lawmakers are mulling how to try to stop it in the special session that starts July 8.
![State Rep. James White, R-Hillister, spoke at the Women's [In]Justice Day rally on the south steps of the Capitol on March 8, 2019.](https://i0.wp.com/www.texastribune.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/0620Women20Prisons20March20TT20MG-2-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
State Rep. James White announces primary challenge to Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller
Miller is running for a third term.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Eva Guzman, former Texas Supreme Court justice, officially starts campaign for attorney general
The Republican made her bid official Monday, touting her experience and integrity. She’ll face incumbent Ken Paxton and Land Commissioner George P. Bush in the primary.
Posted in
Politics
Beto O’Rourke tours Texas again to rally Congress to take action on voting rights legislation
O’Rourke has visited at least 19 cities this month and plans to hold a final rally Sunday at the Texas Capitol in Austin.
Posted in
Politics
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick waffles over whether he still supports stronger gun background checks
In September 2019, he said he was “willing to take an arrow” and go against the National Rifle Association by pushing for Texas to extend background checks to gun sales between strangers. On Thursday, he sat next to NRA leader Wayne LaPierre as an expansion of gun rights became law.
Posted in
Public Education
Gov. Greg Abbott wants lawmakers to target critical race theory in a special session, but is so far mum on details
The governor said Wednesday he would add the issue to the agenda for an anticipated special session.
