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Republican Party Of Texas

The latest Republican Party Of Texas news from The Texas Tribune.

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Ross Ramsey

    Ramshaw on how hard it is to sue over emergency room mistakes, Galbraith on paying for roads in an era of fuel-efficient vehicles, Aguilar on a disagreement about gun regulation, my interview with tort reformer Dick Trabulsi, Grissom on Perry's parsimonious pardoning, Hu and Chang interactively look at House committee chairs, M. Smith on an election challenge and who'll settle it, Ramshaw and Stiles on Dallas County's blue streak and Hamilton on a Valley school district that leads the nation in preparing kids for college: The best of our best from Dec. 20 to 24, 2010. Full Story 

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  • Interactive: Committee Chairs

    By Elise Hu and Christopher Chang

    All the schmoozing and strategizing involved in seeking the job of House Speaker is worth it come February, when the leader of the lower chamber gets to choose the chairmen of committees, who have the power to stop, slow or speed legislation through the process. Click the tabs on this interactive table to see what the chairmanships looked like in 2009 and who’s coming back to the House in 2011. Full Story 

  • D is for Democratic

    By Emily Ramshaw and Matt Stiles

    Texas may be reddening, but Dallas County’s turning a darker shade of blue. While the GOP picked up hotly contested Dallas-area state House seats in November, the county voted for challenger Bill White over incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry by a margin of 12 percentage points. Straight-ticket voters also helped Democratic District Attorney Craig Watkins cling to his office in a squeaker and gave the County Commissioners Court its first Democratic majority in nearly 30 years. Full Story 

    Dallas County has grown increasingly Democratic in the last decade. In the map, darker precincts represent support for Democrats Tony Sanchez and Bill White, who ran in 2002 and 2010, respectively.
    Credit: Graphic by Ben Hasson/Matt Stiles

  • A Tale of Two Switchers

    By Ross Ramsey

    Now that state Reps. Allan Ritter of Nederland and Aaron Peña of Edinburg have ditched the Democrats, attention turns to how they'll hold on to their seats. The former is following a time-tested strategy that has worked for others. The latter is challenging political history. Full Story 

    State Representatives Aaron Pena and Allan Ritter announce their switch to the Republican Party in a press conference at Republican Party of Texas headquarters in Austin.
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Evan Smith

    Ramsey on what a GOP supermajority means, Ramshaw on a crime victim not eligible for crime victims' compensation, M. Smith on grave matters and state regulation, Hamilton on the college pipeline at San Antonio's Jefferson High, Hu on a senator's anticlimactic return, Grissom on the coming closure of juvenile lockups, Aguilar on the return of residents to their drug-war-torn Mexican town, Galbraith on next session's energy agenda, Philpott on the legal fight over federal health care reform and Stiles on the travel expenses of House members: The best of our best from Dec. 13 to 17, 2010. Full Story 

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  • Guest Column: Yes, Invest in Texas Democrats

    By Chris Bell

    If we ever hope to see the change we desire, we have to continue to support our candidates — even after a terrible loss. The alternative is to simply give up, and just as that was not acceptable for Republicans when they found themselves on the losing side, it’s not acceptable for us. Full Story 

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  • Pete Gallego: The TT Interview

    By Ross Ramsey

    The 10-term Democratic state representative from Alpine on what he thinks of Tuesday's newly minted Republicans, the perils of party switching, the potential death of the middle and what the 49-member minority does now. Full Story 

    State Sen. Pete Gallego
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • The Defectors

    By Elise Hu

    After announcing they were defecting from the Democratic Party, state Rep. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland, and state Rep. Aaron Peña, R-Edinburg, were welcomed by Texas Republican leaders at a Tuesday afternoon press conference. Full Story 

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  • TribBlog: Party Boys

    By Ross Ramsey

    Surrounded by statewide elected officials and a pack of fellow lawmakers, Democrats Aaron Peña of Edinburg and Allan Ritter of Nederland defected to the Republican Party this afternoon. Full Story 

    State Rep. Aaron Pena, R-Edinburg, at the Texas Republican Party headquarters on Dec. 14, 2010, after announcing he switched parties.
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • What 100 Means

    By Ross Ramsey

    When state Rep. Allan Ritter, D-Nederland, switches parties today, he'll give the Republicans the votes to do anything they want. With a two-thirds majority, the GOP will be able to suspend the rules that govern House business and will have the numbers to keep working even if the Democrats take a walk. On a practical level, Ritter's switch gives Republicans an even bigger buffer on votes that just require a majority of the 150-member House. "It means we can lose 24 votes and still win," says state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, the chairman of the House Republican Caucus. Full Story 

    State Rep. Allan Ritter
    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Grand Old Parties

    By Ross Ramsey

    Now that the Republicans have a huge majority in the Texas House, they aren't sharing power with the Democrats; they're sharing power with themselves. More precisely, one faction of Republicans is sharing power with another faction of Republicans. However you label it — moderate vs. conservative, country club vs. country, Bush vs. Perry — it's bumpy. Full Story 

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    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • MALC's Makeover

    By Julián Aguilar

    The addition of five Hispanic Republicans to the Texas House means the Mexican American Legislative Caucus will now include at least a few dissenting voices on issues like immigration. "It does Latinos a huge disservice to say we all think alike," says state Rep.-elect Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock. Full Story 

    Members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus
    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • What 99 Means

    By Ross Ramsey

    When a party wins everything, as the GOP has in Texas this year, it gets almost everything its way. It also has everything to lose. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • What Victor Carrillo Problem?

    By Ben Philpott, KUT News

    Republican victories in Texas House races included several by Hispanic Republicans. But as Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, those freshman members may have to perform a bit of a balancing act in a party that seems likely to push hard-line immigration legislation. Full Story 

    The group Hispanic Republicans of Texas at a news conference Nov. 3, 2010.
    Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera

  • The Weekly TribCast: Episode 53

    By Elise Hu

    In this post-election TribCast, Evan, Elise and Ben look back on the election year that was and discuss Gov. Rick Perry's political future and the implications of the massive Republican landslide in the Texas House. Full Story 

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