Analysis: Low Voter Turnout in Texas Gets Obama's Attention
Perhaps it’s not in the best interests of the people now in office in Texas — whatever their party labels — to change the electoral setup that put them in office. Full Story
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![President Obama talked about civic engagement in a digital age during an interview with The Texas Tribune's Evan Smith at the South by Southwest Interactive festival on March 11, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich / Pool -
Analysis: Politics Wasn't at Play With Tax Hearing, Bettencourt Says
After questions about a special Senate committee hearing in San Antonio, and the appearance there of a challenger to House Speaker Joe Straus, state Sen. Paul Bettencourt makes a fairly strong case that there’s nothing to see here. Full Story
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![Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: Endorsements, Loyalties — and Getting Things Done
Endorsements seem harmless enough, but several state senators will have to eat some crow to get their legislation passed next year. They endorsed challengers to fellow legislators — and lost. Full Story
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![The three senators who sent the fewest bills to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk this session: Bob Hall, R-Edgwood (left), Konni Burton, R-Colleyville (middle) and Don Huffines, R-Dallas (right).]()
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How Much Texas Politicians Spent per Vote in 2016 Primaries
House Speaker Joe Straus spent $307 for every vote he got in Tuesday's primary election, leading the pack of state candidates. Here's a table detailing how much money selected state candidates spent for each vote they got. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Stuart Seeger -
Analysis: A Good Election Night to Be an Incumbent
For all of the talk and bluster about replacing the people in government with new folks, Texas voters on Tuesday were remarkably gentle with incumbents, giving nearly all of them a ticket to the general election in November. Full Story
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![Supporters wait for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to take the stage at the Redneck Country Club in Stafford, Texas on the evening of the Texas primary on Mar. 1, 2016.]()
Credit: Eric Kayne -
Liveblog: 2016 Texas Primary Results
Throughout the night, Tribune reporters will keep you updated on the results of Texas' Republican and Democratic primary battles, from the first early voting totals through the last ballots counted. Full Story
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![Travis County voters cast ballots at Travis County Tax Office on Feb. 25, 2016.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles -
UT/TT Poll: Foreign Terrorists the Greatest Threat to U.S., Texans Say
Foreign terrorist groups and illegal immigration are the greatest threats to the United States, according to voters surveyed for the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Emily Albracht -
Open Legislative Races Draw More than 70 Candidates
A slew of open seats in the Legislature means there will be at least 18 freshman lawmakers in the Capitol come January. Two thirds of the open seats are currently held by a Republican. Full Story
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![The March 1 primary ballot will feature 18 open seats in the Texas Legislature – two in the Senate and 16 in the House.]()
Credit: Steve Laugh -
Open Senate Seat Sparks Four-Way Race
With longtime state Sen. Kevin Eltife's retirement, four GOP candidates in Senate District 1 are racing to define themselves as conservative outsiders, including state Reps. Bryan Hughes and David Simpson. Full Story
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![Top Row: David Simpson and Bryan Hughes
Bottom Row: Major General James K. "Red" Brown Jr. and Mike Lee]()
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Senate Republicans Zero in on Religious Freedom Bills
The next Texas legislative session is almost a year away, but Senate Republicans are already zeroing in on proposals to bolster legal protections for religious opponents of same-sex marriage. Full Story
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![Sen. Joan Huffman, chair of the Senate Committee on State Affairs, listens to testimony on the affirmation of First Amendment liberty protections in Texas from invited witnesses on Feb. 17, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Martinez Fischer, Menéndez Meet Again
On major issues there's little daylight between San Antonio Democrats Trey Martinez Fischer and José Menéndez, but their rematch for a Texas Senate seat couldn't produce a greater divergence of styles. Full Story
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![State. Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (l) and state Sen. José Menéndez]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles -
Analysis: Is a Move From the Texas House to the Senate a Clear Promotion?
Moving from the Texas House to the Texas Senate makes sense, but not for every politician: One current candidate for Senate — and a potential future one — each has more clout in the House than he or she would have in the Senate. Full Story
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![State Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, and state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio.]()
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A Familiar Uresti-Madla Ballot In San Antonio
The upcoming face-off between state Sen. Carlos Uresti of San Antonio and Helen Madla, the widow of the senator Uresti defeated in 2006, flips the script on a storied battle between two prominent San Antonio families. Full Story
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![Democrats candidates Helen Madla, left, and incumbent Carlos I. Uresti, right, run in the 2016 election for Texas Senate District 4.]()
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Video: A Conversation with Trey Martinez Fischer
Full video of our 2/4 conversation with state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Texas Senate in District 26. Full Story
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Paul Bettencourt Named Texas Senate GOP Caucus Chairman
Senate Republicans unanimously selected state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, as the next chairman of their caucus at a meeting of the group Tuesday night. Full Story
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![Paul Bettencourt, now a state senator, is shown on Dec. 5, 2014, during the "What the Tea Party Wants" panel at a Texas Tribune event previewing the 2014 legislative session.]()
Credit: Charlie Pearce -
Women Still Underrepresented in Legislative Races
It remains a daunting political reality in Texas. While women make up more than half the state, they are underrepresented in the halls of power, and it appears the 2016 elections will do little to change that. Full Story
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![State senators take the oath of office on the first day of the Texas Legislature on Jan. 13, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Revisit Our Coverage of the Legislative Session
During the 2015 legislative session, the Tribune kept you updated daily on the various policy debates and legislative votes at the Texas Capitol. Use our Texas Legislative Guide to see that coverage, discover the fate of every bill and learn even more about the session. Full Story
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Revisit 31 Ways New State Laws Will Affect Texans
In August, we featured 31 ways in which Texans' lives would change starting Sept. 1, when many bills passed by the Legislature — including the budget — took effect. Take a look back at our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. Patrick Appoints Allen West to Texas Sunset Commission
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday announced the appointment of conservative firebrand Allen West, a former Florida congressman and prominent Fox News contributor, to the state's Sunset Commission. Full Story
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Analysis: For Many Candidates in Texas, Election is No Contest
Now that the political candidates have filed, some of the races in the 2016 election cycle have come to an end. It's not that the elections are over, but 75 federal and state lawmakers don't have any major-party opponents. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at the Flawn Academic Center on the University of Texas at Austin campus on Nov. 6, 2012.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa
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