Texas GOP Chair says party will not "support or accept" Republican Rep. Dade Phelan as next House speaker
Allen West, party chair, does not get to vote on the next speaker since he is not a House member. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, held a press conference at the Capitol to declare that he had enough votes to become speaker of the House. Nov 4, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: In Texas, a seasonal shift away from election politics
The seasonal change in Texas politics and government always seems fast, and it's upon us again. Lawmakers, elected last Tuesday, start filing legislation Monday, even as they fill campaign accounts in advance of the legislative session that starts in January. Full Story
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![Bills stack up on the Senate dais on May 24, 2017. The Senate is facing a midnight deadline to consider House bills less than a week before the end of the 85th Legislature.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas voters elect to stay the course
If you're going by the numbers of Republican and Democratic winners, nothing really happened in the general election in Texas this year. But there's a lot beneath the numbers. Full Story
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![A view of the state capitol on Election Day. Nov. 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas voters still fly a red political flag
Texas Republicans might not be able to do everything their most ardent partisans would like, but Tuesday's election left them in the driver's seat in what remains a GOP-controlled state government. Full Story
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![Flags wave on Election Day at a merchandise stand in Kingwood owned by resident Homer Price.]()
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Republicans appear to keep majority of Texas House
Texas Republicans appeared to have fended off a well-financed Democratic effort to gain a majority in the Texas House. Full Story
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![Republican Party emblems and signage are seen at the Republican Party of Texas office in downtown Austin.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Joe Moody joins the Texas House speaker's race
The El Paso Democrat becomes the eighth candidate for the leadership role. Election Day results will determine whether Republicans maintain a majority in the 150-member chamber. Full Story
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![State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, listens to public testimonies on his earlier parole bill on March 13, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Dade Phelan files to run for Texas House speaker
Phelan joins fellow Republicans Trent Ashby, Chris Paddie and Geanie Morrison in the race for speaker. He’s the seventh candidate for the position. Full Story
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![At right, Chairman Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, listens to testimonies during a State Affairs committee hearing on Feb. 27, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribune -
The race for Texas House speaker has quickly become a crowded contest as balance of power hinges on Tuesday's election
Republican state Reps. Trent Ashby, John Cyrier, Chris Paddie and Geanie Morrison are the first four from their party to file. And state Rep. Oscar Longoria became the third Democrat to file for the leadership post. Full Story
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![Empty chamber of the Texas House of Representatives at the state captiol.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
As Ken Paxton battles scandal, Land Commissioner George P. Bush considering a 2022 run for attorney general
An aide said Bush has heard from “several donors” who want him to consider running. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, “is absolutely planning on running again,” a spokesman said. Full Story
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![George P. Bush at The Texas Tribune Festival in 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Democratic state Rep. Senfronia Thompson files to run for speaker of the Texas House
Thompson would be the first woman elected speaker. She filed less than two weeks before an election in which Democrats hope to gain control of the chamber. Full Story
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![State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, spoke on opening Day of the 86th session of the Texas Legislature.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
National Democratic super PAC says it will double its spending to $12 million in battle for the Texas House
The group, Forward Majority, says it's increasing its expenditures in response to major spending from Republican-affiliated groups. Full Story
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![Democratic Party signage and logos at the Texas Democratic Party office in Austin.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas counties temporarily blocked from offering multiple mail-in ballot drop-off locations
An order from a federal appeals court Saturday set up another potential legal showdown over voting in Texas as mail-in ballots are already being collected and just days before early voting begins. Full Story
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![The Travis County Tax Office at 5501 Airport Blvd is now the only drive-thru location open for hand delivery of mail ballots in the county. The drop-off location photographed here on Oct. 2, 2020, will be open until Nov. 3, 2020.]()
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Special election runoff between Shelley Luther and state Rep. Drew Springer set for Dec. 19
Springer, a state representative, faces Luther, the Dallas salon owner who was jailed earlier this year after refusing to shutter her business due to pandemic restrictions, for the seat of state Sen. Pat Fallon, R-Prosper. Full Story
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![Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther and State Rep. Drew Springer, R-Muenster.]()
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Fundraising in Texas House races signals a wildly competitive contest for control of the chamber
Democrats outraised Republicans in battleground districts in the third quarter, though Republicans still have the cash-on-hand advantage. Full Story
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![The Texas House of Representatives chamber on Nov. 20, 2018.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Watch: Three Democratic challengers say there’s an outpouring of national support to flip the Texas House
Akilah Bacy, Joanna Cattanach and Celina Montoya are running for Texas House Districts 138, 108 and 121, respectively. Full Story
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The Texas Legislature meets in less than 100 days. Nobody knows how the session will look.
With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to affect everyday life, Texas legislators know that it won't be business as usual at the Capitol during the 2021 legislative session. But how different things will be is still an issue they're working to resolve. Full Story
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![State Capitol in the late afternoon on June 12, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House Democratic group set a fundraising record in the first six months of 2020. It doubled that total in three months.
The House Democratic Campaign Committee said the $3.6 million haul for July through September came from more than 4,000 donors, nearly all of whom donated online. 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, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
September sales tax revenue in Texas down 6.1% from a year ago
"The COVID-19 pandemic and low price of crude oil continue to weigh on the Texas economy and sales tax revenue," Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. Full Story
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![Closed businesses in the Deep Ellum area of Dallas on March 31, 2020.]()
Credit: Cooper Neill for The Texas Tribune -
State GOP Chair Allen West calls on Donald Trump to visit Texas before Election Day
“I’ve got the message up to him,” said Allen West, who took over as party chair in July. “I’d like to see the president come back to Texas one more time, especially come back to North Texas.” Full Story
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![Allen West at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 24, 2016]()
Credit: Erich Schlagel for The Texas Tribune -
Race for Texas House majority has kept the contest for speaker quiet
No House members have declared their candidacy for speaker. Many say they have their sights set on November first as Democrats aim to flip the lower chamber. Full Story
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![State Capitol on June 20, 2017.]()
Credit: Austin Price/The Texas Tribune