Matthew Dowd won't challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018
Matthew Dowd, a political commentator and former strategist for George W. Bush, announced Wednesday that he will not challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. Full Story
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![Author and political strategist Matthew Dowd at a Texas Tribune event at the Austin Club on May 10, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Joaquin Castro says he won't challenge Ted Cruz for U.S. Senate in 2018
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, has decided not to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in 2018. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (left) and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
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After swearing off consultants, O'Rourke explains exceptions
U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke reported payments to outside political firms on his latest campaign finance report, after initially announcing his campaign against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz wouldn't hire consultants. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, speaks to a packed crowd at Scholz Garten in Austin on April 1, 2017, one day after launching his 2018 campaign against incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Castro faces tough decision as Senate announcement nears
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro is still wrestling with a tough question: Is it worth giving up his seat in Congress for a long-shot challenge to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, particularly when another Democrat is already running? Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, addresses the crowd during a rally at the Texas Capitol on Feb. 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Ted Cruz reports $5.2 million total ahead of re-election campaign
Ahead of his 2018 bid for re-election, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has an imposing war chest collected through three allied groups. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was a keynote speaker at Dallas County Republican Reagan Day Dinner on March 11, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
Poll: Trump approval rating underwater in Texas
More Texans disapprove of the job President Trump is doing than approve, according to a Texas Lyceum poll released Wednesday, which also included early polling on a possible U.S. Senate race between Ted Cruz and Beto O'Rourke. Full Story
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![Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in The Woodlands on June 17, 2016.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
For Texans in U.S. House, 2018 landscape begins to take shape
With less than a year to go before 2018, several U.S. House seats from Texas are drawing interest from potential contenders. Full Story
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![(R-L) U.S. Reps. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, John Culberson, R-Houston, Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas and Pete Sessions, R-Dallas.Â]()
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O'Rourke, in long-shot Senate bid, is no stranger to "calculated risks"
To many familiar with U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the 2012 Democratic primary for the 16th Congressional District is not exactly a blueprint for his 2018 effort to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz — but it's certainly instructive. Full Story
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![Former. U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, left, and current U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, right.]()
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O'Rourke vs. Cruz, budget and bathroom bill (podcast)
On this week's Tribcast, Aman talks to Evan Patrick and Alexa about U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke's campaign to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the marathon House budget debate coming on Thursday, and the NCAA's stance on the bathroom bill. Full Story
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Credit: Emily Albracht / Todd Wiseman -
To beat Ted Cruz, Beto O'Rourke plans to throw out the Democratic playbook
No Texas Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in nearly 30 years or any statewide office since 1994. But U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke is optimistic he can break the streak, in part by eschewing consultants, pollsters and PAC money. Full Story
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![Congressman Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, answers a reporter's question at the Texas Capitol before the NoBanNoWall rally on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
Rep. Beto O'Rourke to launch Senate run against Ted Cruz Friday
The 2018 Texas race for U.S. Senate is poised to start in earnest Friday, as U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke will officially launch his campaign to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, according to a colleague with direct knowledge of the El Paso Democrat's thinking. Full Story
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![U.S. Congressman Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, stands at the Mexican-American Heritage Monument at the Texas Capitol prior to the NoBanNoWall rally on Feb. 25, 2017. Thousands of protesters were expected to voice opposition to President Donald Trump's immigration plans.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
After road trip, Hurd and O'Rourke sign on to one another's bills
Two days after their cross-country road trip drew national attention, Texas U.S. Reps. Will Hurd and Beto O'Rourke signed on to legislation one another is working on. Full Story
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![U.S. Reps. Beto O'Rourke (left), D-El Paso, and Will Hurd, R-Helotes, completed their road trip from Texas to Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2017.]()
Credit: Rep. Will Hurd's Facebook page -
Will and Beto drive to D.C.: top things we learned from the congressional road trip
U.S. Reps. Beto O'Rourke and Will Hurd talked policy and personal matters while live streaming a road trip to Washington on Tuesday. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, and Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, drove across the country when an east coast snowstorm scrambled their flights back to Washington.]()
Credit: Congressman Beto O'Rourke's Facebook page -
O'Rourke on Cruz challenge in 2018: "I really want to do this"
U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, is sailing toward a 2018 Senate campaign, an uphill battle that would pit the little-known congressman against one of the state's most prominent Republicans in the unpredictable era of President Donald Trump. Full Story
![U.S. Congressman Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, stands at the Mexican-American Heritage Monument at the Texas Capitol prior to the NoBanNoWall rally on Feb. 25, 2017. Thousands of protesters were expected to voice opposition to President Donald Trump's immigration plans.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Trump team's alleged Russia ties get muted response from Texas Republicans
Texas Democrats on Capitol Hill are calling for more Congressional oversight, amid news reports of Trump allies communicating with Russian officials. Full Story
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![Donald Trump rallies a crowd of veterans at Drake University on Jan. 28, 2016, while other Republican presidential candidates hold a final Des Moines debate prior to the Iowa caucuses.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Vela on the ICE raids, the border wall, and Beto vs. Joaquin (video)
Full video of Evan Smith's 2/13 conversation with U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville. Full Story
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Rep. Beto O'Rourke "very likely" to run for Sen. Ted Cruz's seat in 2018
U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke said Thursday he is all but certain to make a run for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's seat in 2018. Full Story
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![Tribune Conversation with U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke D-El Paso on November 4, 2016]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
A conversation with Beto O'Rourke
Full video of my 11/4 conversation with U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, Democrat of El Paso. Topics discussed included border security, free trade, term limits, the 2016 presidential race and his possible run for the U.S. Senate. Full Story
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Video: Homeland Security Begins at Home
Here's full video of our "Homeland Security Begins at Home" panel discussion Saturday at The Texas Tribune Festival. The panel featured U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro, Henry Cuellar, Blake Farenthold, Beto O'Rourke and John Ratcliffe. Full Story
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Campaign Chatter
Ted Cruz tries to lure David Dewhurst into a fight, while Tom Leppert taunts them both in a new TV ad. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich / Marjorie Kamys Cotera
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