“None of us are willing to go backwards and say, ‘Oh, well, we lost a few seats, so our policy agenda is going to change,” state Rep. Mitch Little said at last week’s Texas Tribune Festival.
Renzo Downey
Renzo Downey is the lead writer of The Blast, The Texas Tribune’s premium politics newsletter. Prior to joining the Tribune in February 2023, he worked as a state government and politics reporter and a newsletter editor for Florida Politics. He was previously an intern on the state desk at the Austin American-Statesman. A San Francisco Bay Area native, Renzo received his bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Northwestern University.
Posted in
State Government
Texas lieutenant governor: Who is running and what to know
The lieutenant governor’s office is often described as the most powerful in Texas government. Here’s where GOP candidate Dan Patrick and democractic candidate Vikki Goodwin stand.
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The 2026 Texas Tribune Festival
John Fetterman pushes back against allegations he’s a lazy senator, bad Democrat
The Pennsylvania senator has regularly criticized his party, sparking speculation he could caucus with Republicans after the 2026 midterms. At the Texas Tribune Festival, he called on Democrats to embrace a diversity of views.
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2026 Texas Elections
GOP nominee for San Antonio House seat apologizes for “crude and immature” social media posts
Jorge Borrego said he has matured since the years when he used homophobic slurs and racist tropes, and referenced cocaine use, in a series of social media posts that bubbled up this week.
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2026 Texas Elections
Ted Cruz warns Talarico has “real chance” to flip Texas’ U.S. Senate seat
Calling into Gov. Greg Abbott’s guest-hosted Hannity radio show, the Republican senator said Talarico is “charming” enough to win over voters “who may not be paying close attention to the issues.”
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2026 Texas Elections
Senate Leader John Thune and other national Republicans rallying for Paxton at fundraiser this month
A fundraiser for the GOP nominee for Senate will feature a number of major Senate Republicans who previously supported John Cornyn.
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2026 Texas Elections
A Muslim Texan sought to find his place in the party at the state GOP convention. He left in tears.
Muslim delegates and attendees hoping to participate in the state Republican convention were shunned and rejected by members as they espoused themes of party unity ahead of the November election.
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Politics
At GOP convention, Abbott vows to “demolish” Democrats, calls for crackdown on H-1B visas and Sharia law
The governor sought to tie the minority party, and its U.S. Senate nominee, James Talarico, to “Bernie Sanders socialism” in a fresh look at his message for the fall midterms.
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Politics
Texas GOP Chair Abraham George ousted by second-in-command D’rinda Randall
Randall’s supporters were animated by a mix of factors, including the perception that George was too friendly to establishment Republicans.
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Politics
Texas Republicans open state convention projecting unity after years of infighting
Gov. Greg Abbott is a top sponsor and Speaker Dustin Burrows will be the first sitting speaker to address the gathering, as Republicans close ranks ahead of a tough midterm.
