Analysis: If you can’t win a race for Texas speaker, you’re not ready for the job
State Rep. Dennis Bonnen appears to have secured the votes needed to become speaker. Now, the hardest political challenges begin. Full Story
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![Rep. Dennis Bonnen R-Angleton speaks during SB1, the property tax debate on August 12, 2017]()
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Point of Order: Joe Straus on the midterms, Donald Trump’s tweets and the next speaker of the Texas House
In the pilot episode of his new podcast, Point of Order, Evan Smith sits down with Speaker Straus the morning after the midterms to talk everything from the balance of power in the Texas House to President Trump's tweets. Full Story
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Four top takeaways from the 2018 Texas midterm elections
Historic turnout, unusually tight races and a "blue wave" that didn't quite break. Full Story
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![Voters cast their ballots in midterm elections in Houston, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott clinches second term as GOP wins closest statewide races in 20 years
Abbott easily bested his Democratic opponent, Lupe Valdez. Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller faced rare single-digit contests before eventually besting Democratic challengers. Full Story
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![Texas Governor Greg Abbott smiles before a gubernatorial debate against his Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez at the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas, on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018.]()
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Ted Cruz leads Beto O’Rourke by 6 in Texas Senate race, UT/TT poll finds
Republican incumbents lead their Democratic challengers in the top four races on the general election ballot, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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In his long-shot bid to unseat Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Mike Collier is counting on teachers
The Democrat wants to draw teachers and education-minded voters away from the Republican Party. But can he win over enough educators to unseat a powerful incumbent? Full Story
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Watch a virtual debate between Mike Collier and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Watch the latest version of our "Split Decision" series, which includes Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Mike Collier, his Democratic challenger. Full Story
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Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick to speak at Donald Trump's rally with Ted Cruz
The rally will be held in Houston on Monday, the first day of early voting for the Nov. 6 election. Full Story
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Analysis: When the Texas House and Senate fight, legislative agencies squirm
The head of the little-known Texas Legislative Budget Board retired this week, adding a coda to years of differences between the agency's two masters — the Texas House and the Texas Senate. Full Story
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![Legislative Budget Board Director Ursula Parks answers a question from the House Committee on General Investigating & Ethics during a public hearing July 12, 2016 as the committee examines the use of leave and settlement payments to departing state employees.]()
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Analysis: A few Texas Republicans are singing the blues
It's not unusual for former opponents to turn around and endorse their party's candidates, or to go quiet in general elections — to say nothing at all. But it's unusual to endorse the other party's general election candidates. And yet, that's happening in several Texas races this year. Full Story
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Analysis: Dan Patrick and the reddest Texas Senate ever
Texas Democrats had a chance to limit Republican legislators' power in the state Senate. But with a special election loss this week, they may have cemented it instead. Full Story
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![Former Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock (left) and current Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
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How Texas Democrats lost a state Senate seat amid talk of a blue wave
Republican Pete Flores defeated Democrat Pete Gallego on Tuesday in a state Senate district that Hillary Clinton won by 12 points, prompting Democratic soul-searching less than two months before the midterms. Full Story
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![Peter Flores thanks his supporters after his victory over Pete Gallego in a special election to succeed former state Senator Carlos Uresti, on Sept. 18, 2018.]()
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Republican Pete Flores upsets Democrat Pete Gallego in race for Uresti seat
Democrat Gallego has conceded to Flores in the race to replace convicted former state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, in a Democratic-leaning district. Flores will become the first Hispanic Republican to serve in the state Senate. Full Story
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![Texas Senate candidate Pete Flores applauds early returns that show him ahead of Democrat Pete Gallego in SD-19 race to replace disgraced Sen. Carlos Uresti on Sept. 18, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
GOP determined to flip Democratic-friendly state Senate seat in overtime round
The special election runoff Tuesday pits Republican Pete Flores against Democrat Pete Gallego for the seat formerly held by convicted state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Pete Gallego (left), a Democrat, and Republican Peter Flores are running for state Senate District 19.]()
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick agrees to a debate — with Geraldo Rivera
Patrick has refused to debate his November election opponent, Democrat Mike Collier. Full Story
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![Left to right: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Geraldo Rivera and Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor Mike Collier.]()
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TribCast: Looming family reunification deadlines and moldy state office buildings
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Evan, Patrick and Emma about Texas' mold-infested state health services building, whether the feds will meet a court-ordered deadline for migrant family reunifications and why some Republican statewide officials have no incentive to debate their Democratic opponents. Full Story
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![A Texas Department of State Health Services employee found mold on their office keyboard hand rest in June 2018.]()
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has "no plans" to debate Democratic opponent Mike Collier
"There isn’t anyone in the Lone Star State who isn’t absolutely clear about where Dan Patrick stands on the issues," Patrick spokesman Allen Blakemore said. Full Story
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Following Santa Fe school shooting, Dan Patrick says Texas should cut incentive funding for “violent” films and video games
The lieutenant governor said he would withdraw his support for a Texas film and video game incentives program if it funded depictions of violence, blaming school shootings on a "culture where we've devalued life." Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick delivers a keynote address during a Texas Public Policy Foundation orientation session on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said fewer doors could mean fewer school shootings. Here's what experts think.
Three security experts talk with The Washington Post about whether Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s theory has any merit. Full Story
![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick delivers a keynote address during a Texas Public Policy Foundation orientation session on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
A familiar tragedy sparks a familiar debate as Texas politicians react to school shooting
After a deadly school shooting in Santa Fe, Democrats called for swift action on guns. Gov. Greg Abbott said he'd convene roundtable discussions. And Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said schools have "too many entrances and too many exits." Full Story
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![Amulances arrive at a middle school set up as a reunion point for parents and students in Santa Fe, Texas on Friday, March 18, 2018 after a gunman killed at least 10 people at Santa Fe High School.(Photo by Michael Stravato)]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune
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