Sarah Eckhardt wins special election for Texas Senate seat after Rep. Eddie Rodriguez forgoes a runoff
Rodriguez said he would focus his efforts on helping gain a Democratic majority in the House. Full Story
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![Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt speaks at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 29, 2018.]()
Credit: Thomas Meredith for The Texas Tribune -
Sarah Eckhardt and Eddie Rodriguez poised for a runoff in special Texas Senate election to replace Kirk Watson
The victor will serve the remainder of Watson’s term, which ends in 2022. Full Story
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![Former Travis Co. Judge Sarah Eckhardt and state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin.]()
Credit: Texas Tribune -
Six candidates, including two well-known Democrats, file in special Texas Senate election to replace Kirk Watson
State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez and former Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, both Democrats, are among those vying for the seat. So is former Austin City Council member Don Zimmerman, a Republican. Full Story
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![An aerial view of the Capitol during the coronavirus outbreak on March 23, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Watch: Texas Senate candidate Eddie Rodriguez discusses his 2020 bid to succeed Kirk Watson during a pandemic
We sat down for a live interview with Rodriguez, D-Austin, to discuss his campaign to succeed former Sen. Kirk Watson and get his take on how the coronavirus pandemic has reshaped his campaign. Full Story
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Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt pushes back resignation to focus on coronavirus response
Eckhardt had been planning to resign to run for state Senate. Now she says she'll stay on until mid-May. Full Story
![Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt speaks at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 29, 2018.]()
Credit: Thomas Meredith for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott postpones special Texas Senate election due to coronavirus pandemic
The special election is now set for July 14. Full Story
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![Super Tuesday voting lines at the Metropolitan Multi Service Center near downtown Houston on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt resigns to run for Texas Senate
Eckhardt was elected Travis County's first female county judge in 2015. Full Story
Credit: Thomas Meredith for The Texas Tribune -
State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez becomes first to enter race for Senate District 14
Rodriguez, a longtime House Democrat from Austin, announced his candidacy Saturday for the seat being vacated by state Sen. Kirk Watson. Full Story
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![State Representative Eddie Rodriguez during the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and House Elections Commitee press confe…]()
Credit: Emree Weaver / The Texas Tribune -
Texas picklers get a victory from the Legislature
A proposal on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott would make it easier for pickled beets, carrots and other produce to be sold at farmers markets alongside pickled cucumbers. Full Story
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![Anita McHaney displays a photo of her beets and carrots. She and her husband stopped farming after learning that they could …]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
In the House, the property tax bill is being handled with a different speed — and tone
State Rep. Dustin Burrows, author of the House bill, said the House Ways and Means Committee is "not just trying to get something across the finish line as quick as we can." Full Story
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![Members of the House Committee on Ways and Means listen to testimony on HB 2 on Feb. 27, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
"Somebody had to push": One couple's fight to change how Texas defines a pickle
Anita and Jim McHaney just wanted to sell their pickled beets at a farmers market. It turns out that's not an easy task. Full Story
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![Anita and Jim McHaney sit underneath the tree on their property in Hearne, Texas, where they made the tough decision to stop…]()
Credit: Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribune -
Austin-area Reps. Hinojosa, Howard and Rodriguez talk immigration, special education
Watch the full video of our conversation in Austin with state Reps. Gina Hinojosa, Donna Howard and Eddie Rodriguez. Or check out our full recap. Full Story
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After governor's cuts, Texas rep. leads fundraising drive for Travis County
State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, announced plans Friday to raise public funds for Travis County after Gov. Greg Abbott canceled criminal justice grants over the county's new "sanctuary" policy. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott and Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez.]()
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Video: A Conversation with Israel, Rodriguez and Workman
Full video of my 1/14 conversation with three Austin state representatives: Democrats Celia Israel and Eddie Rodriguez and Republican Paul Workman. Full Story
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2015 Tribune Festival: Audio From the Environment Track
The Environment track at The 2015 Texas Tribune Festival featured discussions on the water supply, the climate debate, related legislative issues and lessons from the May floods. There was also a conversation with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Full Story
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Officials Want Review of Privately Funded Prosecutions
Officials in Travis County are calling for a review of privately funded prosecutions in Austin after a public-private partnership between the DA's office and an insurance company was reported by The Texas Tribune and the Austin American-Statesman. Full Story
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End of the Road for Tesla, Ride-for-Hire Bills
With the clock winding down on the legislative session, Tesla Motors, Uber and Lyft have little to show for the money they spent on high-profile lobbying. As deadlines loom, the bills they were steering appear to have run out of gas. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Tesla Motors and Ben Hasson -
Caucus Plants Seeds for Farm-to-Table Movement
The bipartisan "farm-to-table" caucus landed a couple of key victories in its first legislative session, laying the groundwork for its effort to help local agricultural businesses crop up across Texas. Full Story
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Bill Calls for Emergency Alarms at Texas Schools
Legislation filed by state Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, would require Texas school districts to equip their campuses with electronic emergency alarms that could contact the police directly in the event of a school emergency. Full Story
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![Austin Police Officer Cory Ehrler monitors the entrance to Ridgetop Elementary School after classes start on the Monday foll…]()
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Austin Officials Announce Crackdown on Wage Theft
Officials in Austin, Houston, El Paso and San Juan announced plans today intended to make employers aware of a key change in the law passed by the Legislature designed to elevate the importance of prosecuting wage theft. Full Story
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![County attorney David Escamilla and Eddie Rodriguez]()
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