Webb County’s top elected official switches to Republican Party
Tano Tijerina was elected as a Democrat to lead Webb County, which includes Laredo. It is among many border counties that Trump won in November. Full Story
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![Webb co. Judge Tano Tijerina.]()
Credit: Washington's Birthday Celebration website -
Republicans pour money into attacking Texas Democrats on LGBTQ+ issues ahead of Election Day
In his largest ad buy to date, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz attacks U.S. Rep. Colin Allred for his support of the Equality Act. It would have prohibited gender discrimination in public places. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled "Texas Unconstitutional Abortion Ban and the Role of the Shadow Docket", in Hart Senate Office Building in Washington on Sept. 29, 2021.]()
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Texas GOP investing in South Texas races as some Republicans worry about party's performance in November
Several local party officials have signed an open letter warning that “grave and deteriorating” fundraising and voter outreach efforts could leave some candidates vulnerable. Full Story
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![Newly elected Republican Party of Texas Vice-Chair D’rinda Randall, left, and Chair Abraham George and speak during the Texas GOP Convention Saturday, May 25, 2024 in San Antonio.]()
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Paul Pressler, a former Southern Baptist leader accused of sexual abuse, dead at 94
One of the most influential evangelical figures of the last half-century, Pressler died about six months after he settled a high-profile lawsuit with a former member of his youth group. Full Story
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![Paul Pressler, retired justice of the Texas 14th Circuit Court of Appeals.]()
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With new rules, the Texas GOP seeks to keep its elected officials in line
The state party plans to limit primaries to registered Republicans and keep elected officials it censured off the ballot. It’s unclear if it can without legislative approval. Full Story
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![Texas GOP Party Chair Matt Rinaldi speaks on stage along with convention leadership during the 2024 Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on May 24, 2024.]()
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Brandon Herrera to request recount in primary runoff against U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales
Herrera said he doesn’t expect the results to change, “but I feel I owe it to my volunteers, voters, and supporters to leave no stone unturned.” Full Story
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![From left: U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, and his challenger in the GOP runoff, Brandon Herrera. Election Day is May 28.]()
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Majority of incoming Texas House Republicans calls for end to Democratic committee chairs, narrowing path for Phelan
House Speaker Dade Phelan has stuck to the tradition of appointing chairs from the opposing party, drawing fierce pushback from the GOP’s right wing. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, gavels the House into session on the House floor during session at the state Capitol in Austin on April 11, 2023.]()
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“A sham”: Texas Republicans defend Trump after guilty verdict
Republicans across the party’s political spectrum denounced Trump’s guilty verdict on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records. Full Story
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![Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits at the defense table as the jury in his criminal trial is scheduled to continue deliberations at New York State Supreme Court in New York, New York on May 30, 2024. Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.]()
Credit: Justin Lane/Pool via REUTERS -
At Texas GOP convention, Republicans call for spiritual warfare
At the three-day convention, delegates moved the needle further to the right, preaching Christian nationalism and approving rules that would give them unprecedented control of elections. Full Story
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![Scenes from the Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio, Texas on May 24, 2024.]()
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Proposed Texas GOP platform calls for the Bible in schools, electoral changes that would lock Democrats out of statewide office
The platform was voted on Saturday, with tallies expected next week. Other planks call abortion homicide and gender-transition care “child abuse.” Full Story
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![Conventioneers listen to speeches during the Texas GOP Convention Friday, May 24, 2024 in San Antonio.]()
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Texas GOP convention kicks off with party leaders attacking Speaker Dade Phelan
Phelan’s foe Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick urged Republicans to stop giving Democrats a say in the speaker election. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at the 2024 Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on May 23, 2024.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ Republican old guard mobilizes to protect Dade Phelan from the far right
Phelan’s primary has emerged as a last stand for the Republican Party’s business-minded establishment against an insurgency primarily motivated by social and cultural issues. Full Story
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![Dade Phelan addresses the floor after being elected for his second term as Speaker of the House on the opening day of the 88th legislature on Jan 10, 2023.]()
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Travis County GOP Chair Matt Mackowiak announces run to lead state Republican Party
The political consultant joins a crowded field to replace outgoing Chair Matt Rinaldi when party delegates meet next week. Full Story
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![Matt Mackowiak in Austin on Sept. 20, 2018.]()
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Far-right activist Jonathan Stickland starts new group, months after white supremacist scandal
The former lawmaker registered “RaTmasTeR Holdings” along with Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi. The name is a nod to Stickland’s alias as an infamous internet troll. Full Story
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![State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, on the House floor on May 21, 2019.]()
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Race to succeed Texas GOP chair Matt Rinaldi has become referendum on his tenure
Some Republicans and candidates are calling for a serious change, warning that the party could be vulnerable in future elections because of the ongoing disunity that has defined Rinaldi’s two terms. Full Story
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![Texas Republican Party Chair candidates Dana Myers, left, and Abraham George.]()
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They counted primary ballots by hand. Now a Texas county Republican party says they found errors.
After declaring a successful hand count of ballots, Gillespie County Republicans had to fix a series of errors in the results reported from almost every precinct. Full Story
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![Gillespie elections staffer Alan Littman, left, and election worker, Joy Smith, review precinct totals at the county’s election office to aggregate election results before submitting them to the Texas Secretary of State’s office on March 14, 2024.]()
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Texas GOP chair Matt Rinaldi won’t seek reelection
Rinaldi’s three-year tenure as chair of the GOP saw vicious infighting and historic gains for the state’s far right. Full Story
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![Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi at a press conference on Aug. 30, 2021, amid talk about punishing House Democrats for breaking quorum.]()
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Texas GOP leaders reverse course, ban antisemites from party
The party’s executive committee also formally censured House Speaker Dade Phelan on Saturday. Full Story
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![Republican Party emblems and signs at the Republican Party of Texas office in downtown Austin.]()
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Texas GOP increasingly considers push to close its primaries
Presidential candidate Nikki Haley has talked openly about targeting states like Texas that have open primaries to get a boost over Trump. Full Story
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![Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign event ahead of the South Carolina Republican presidential primary election, in Conway, South Carolina on Jan. 28, 2024.]()
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Texas GOP vice chair challenges Matt Rinaldi for party leadership
Dana Myers has been critical of the party’s ties to Defend Texas Liberty PAC, a hard-right group that’s been tied to white supremacists. Full Story
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![Former State Rep. Matt Rinaldi spoke to Tarrant county Tea Party supporters in Grapevine for an event called Spread the Red on Oct. 17, 2018.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune