State Rep. Chris Turner won’t run for House Democratic Caucus chair again
The Grand Prairie lawmaker has led the minority party’s House caucus since 2017. Full Story
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![State Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, House Democratic Caucus Chairman, speaks at a press conference on the opening day …]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats make moves to be early presidential primary state in 2024
The Democratic National Committee has decided to allow new states to bid for the coveted status, which has long belonged to places like Iowa and New Hampshire, in an effort to kick off the nominating process in states that better reflect the diversity of the broader electorate. Full Story
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![Denise Simmons and her son, Graham, 8, walk out of Austin Oaks Church after waiting 30 minutes to vote on election day on Ma…]()
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Texas Democratic Party leadership election roiled by accusation that a candidate shoved a staffer
Witnesses say Kim Olson pushed the party’s top staffer during a bus tour in 2018. Olson denies the allegation. Full Story
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![Kim Olson, a Democrat running for commissioner of agriculture, speaks to attendees of the WomenWin conference on Saturday Ju…]()
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Meet the three Democrats competing to oust Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Mike Collier, Carla Brailey and Michelle Beckley are facing off for the Democratic nomination in the lieutenant governor race. Financially, the three candidates are outmatched by Dan Patrick’s $25 million war chest. Full Story
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![From left: Mike Collier, Carla Brailey and Michelle Beckley, Democratic candidates for Lieutenant Governor.]()
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As critical race theory and mask mandate debates heat up, Texas GOP takes aim at local school board and municipal races
The Republican Party of Texas announced Monday it had launched a new Local Government Committee to work with county parties on backing candidates for nonpartisan local offices. Full Story
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![The Carroll ISD Administration Building is photographed in Southlake, TX on November 18, 2021. The U.S. Department of Educat…]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
After Texas Democrats’ woeful performance last year, the 2022 race to chair the party is already heating up
Current state party leader Gilberto Hinojosa has indicated he isn’t going anywhere. But that hasn’t stopped open discussion about leadership of the party with several months until convention delegates vote on the position. Full Story
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![Democratic Party signage and logos at the Texas Democratic Party office in Austin.]()
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Longtime Houston Democrat Garnet Coleman to retire from Texas Legislature
The lawmaker has represented parts of central and southeast Houston in state House District 147 since 1991. Full Story
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![State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, on the House floor on Aug. 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats rely on voters of color to be competitive. So why are their top statewide candidates mostly white?
The GOP slate for statewide office includes two high-profile Latinos and two Black candidates who have previously held state or federal office. Republicans are making a play to be more competitive with voters of color as the state’s electorate grows more diverse. Full Story
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![Democratic Party signage and logos at the Texas Democratic Party office in Austin on Oct. 8, 2019.]()
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With special session’s end looming, Texas Democrats and Republicans mull their next moves
Abbott has promised to call a second special session to pass the GOP’s priority voting bill, but the exact timing is uncertain. And House Democrats have not yet revealed what they have planned after the session ends this week. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dade Phelan speaks with legislators on the opening day of the special session at the Texas Capitol on July 8, …]()
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Texas House Democrats spar with congressional Republicans over their protest of state voting bills
Three Texas House Democrats testified before a congressional committee on their efforts to thwart voting restrictions — and were met with heat from their Republican counterparts. Full Story
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![State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, testified at a House Oversight and Reform's Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subco…]()
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State Rep. John Turner says he won't seek reelection to Texas House
Turner has represented House District 114 since 2019 after he flipped the previously GOP-held seat during the 2018 elections. Full Story
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![John Turner was first elected to represent House District 114 in 2018. Turner and volunteers at his campaign office in Dalla…]()
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Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers take Gov. Greg Abbott to court for defunding Legislature
The governor had vowed to veto the Legislature’s funding in the final hours of the regular legislative session in May after House Democrats broke quorum and left the chamber to prevent passage of a controversial elections bill. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 2 and Senate Bill 3 at the Texas Capitol on June 8, 2021. The omnibus power grid bills wi…]()
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Texas Democrats blame lack of in-person campaigning, inefficient voter outreach for 2020 disappointment
Despite an underwhelming performance in the most recent election cycle, Texas Democrats continued to paint an ambitious picture of a “sustainably blue” state in the next 10 years. Full Story
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![Texas Democratic Convention at the Alamodome on June 17th, 2016.]()
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Top two staffers at Texas Democratic Party to step down
The party's executive director, Manny Garcia, and deputy executive director, Cliff Walker, are leaving their posts at the end of the month. Their exits come two months after an election in which Texas Democrats underperformed expectations throughout the ballot. Full Story
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![Democratic signage, mugs, stickers, and buttons on display at the Travis County Democratic Party office in Austin on Oct. 8,…]()
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What went wrong with Texas Democrats' 2020 plans? State party leaders intend to find out.
The state party chair plans to do a "deep dive" after executive committee members asked for answers about the outcome of the November election and demanded reforms. Full Story
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![The main stage at the 2014 Texas Democratic Convention held at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, June 27, 2014.]()
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Analysis: Texas Republicans and Allen West, their nettlesome party animal
Republican officeholders couldn't have had a better election in Texas this year, but they've still got noisy and loud critics — inside their own political party. Full Story
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![The Honorable Allen West gave remarks during TPPR's Policy Orientation on February 9, 2018.]()
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“It’s not purple. It’s not blue. It’s conservative.” Watch what happened in the Texas elections
The Republican party dominated races up and down the ballot, dashing Democrats' high hopes. Our analysis sheds light on what happened. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at Dan Ruiz Branch Library in Austin on Election Day. Nov. 3, 2020.]()
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Harris County Democrats' headquarters vandalized
The local party said its locks were filled with super glue, preventing officials from accessing their office. Also, federal officials are sending election monitors to Harris and Waller counties. And Texas is on pace to set a record for voter turnout Tuesday. Full Story
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![A voting sign at the South Austin Recreation Center polling site on Oct. 14, 2020.]()
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Analysis: The 2020 election and Texas’ incremental blues
Democrats have their eyes on winning back the Texas House majority they lost in 2002. That wouldn't give them the power to pass legislation, but it would give them the power to stop legislation they don't like. Full Story
![Democratic Party signage and logos at the Texas Democratic Party office in Austin on Oct. 8, 2019.]()
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In Texas, Republicans fight voting by mail expansion while encouraging their voters to use it
What was once a lightly used and largely uncontroversial voting option in Texas, one even Republicans relied on, is now the crux of the latest fight over who gets to vote and, equally as crucial in a pandemic, who has access to safe voting. Full Story
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![Ballot by mail clerk Jim Ragland organized ballot packages at the Travis County Elections Division in Austin in 2014.]()
Credit: Charlie Pearce for The Texas Tribune