Beto O’Rourke wants to end the STAAR tests. Here’s why he can’t.
The Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate has said several times he will end the annual standardized tests. State and federal law make it impossible. Full Story
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![Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke speaks at a rally in Austin on Sept. 6, 2022.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Biden is calling for marijuana possession pardons. But that doesn’t mean it’ll happen in Texas.
Biden’s federal pardons will help at least 6,500 people, though most possession crimes are charged at the state level. Gov. Greg Abbott hasn’t yet said whether he’ll follow suit. Gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke was quick to support the measure. Full Story
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![People in support of de-scheduling marijuana hold flags with images of marijuana leaves in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on April 24, 2017.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott acknowledges New York City mayor’s office reached out about migrant busing efforts
Abbott previously said Eric Adams’ office had not reached out to him about coordinating migrant arrivals in New York City and faced criticism that he was rebuffing efforts from the mayor to communicate. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott delivers the Star of Texas awards on Sept. 9, 2022, in Austin, which recognize service members who have died or sustained serious injury in the line of duty.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo/The Texas Tribune -
Conspiracy theorists and 16-hour days: Inside the stress elections officials face ahead of the midterms
Running elections in Texas has never been easy. But since 2020, the scrutiny elections administrators face has grown — even in small Republican-controlled counties that former President Donald Trump carried. Full Story
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![Todd Stallings poses for a portrait at the elections office in Nacogdoches on Oct. 3, 2022.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott appoints first school safety chief four months after Uvalde shooting
John P. Scott, a former U.S. Secret Service agent, is tasked with ensuring Texas schools implement statewide safety policies and safeguard against school shootings. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a press conference at Uvalde High School on Wednesday, May 25, 2022.]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke accused each other of misinforming Texans during their debate. Here are the facts.
O’Rourke and Abbott accused each other of bending the truth during the only planned gubernatorial debate on Friday. Many of their claims needed context and clarification. Full Story
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![Democratic gubernatorial nominee Beto O'Rourke, left, and Gov. Greg Abbott during a debate in Edinburg on Sept. 30, 2022.]()
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Beto O’Rourke says Gov. Greg Abbott “refuses” to debate with a live audience
Abbott’s team rejected the assertion, saying that O’Rourke agreed to the audience-free debate months ago. Full Story
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![The empty auditorium at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley campus in Edinburg prior to the debate between incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Beto O'Rourke.]()
Credit: Social media -
35 family members of Uvalde shooting victims throw their support behind Beto O’Rourke ahead of debate
In a news conference ahead of the only gubernatorial debate, 35 family members of Uvalde school shooting victims said they would support O’Rourke because of Gov. Greg Abbott’s inaction on gun control measures. Full Story
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![Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke hosts a press conference in Edinburg, on Sept. 30, 2022, with parents and families of the 19 children killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.]()
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Abbott, O’Rourke spar over immigration, abortion and Uvalde shooting in debate
The one-hour debate took place in Edinburg. It was the only scheduled debate between the two candidates before the November election. Full Story
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![Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke, left, and Gov. Greg Abbott during a debate in Edinburg on Sept. 30, 2022.]()
Credit: Courtesy of News Nation -
Migrant encounters at the border are higher today than they were before Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star began
The number of migrant encounters at the Texas-Mexico border has climbed from 109,456 in March 2021, the month the mission began, to 116,976 in August — a failure of Abbott’s office’s stated desire to “stop this revolving door and deter others considering entering illegally.” Full Story
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![Department of Public Safety agents oversee a group of three undocumented migrants as they continue the process of arresting them after they were caught in private property as part of Operation Lone Star in Kinney County near Brackettville, on Nov. 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for ProPublica/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats try to convince voters they aren’t bad for oil and gas
Candidates like Beto O’Rourke and Mike Collier say they want to work toward a cleaner energy future but aren’t looking to eliminate the energy jobs that boost Texas’ economy. Full Story
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![Oil pumpjacks in Andrews County, northeast of Kermit.]()
Credit: Jerod Foster for The Texas Tribune -
1836 Project promotes sanitized version of Texas history, experts say
The Texas Tribune reviewed the 15-page document, which will be handed out to new drivers, and asked historians to comment on how accurately and thoroughly it chronicles the state’s history. Full Story
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![The Texas and U.S. flag wave in the wind outside of the John Reagan State Office building on Jan. 15, 2020.]()
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Ahead of the 2023 session, Texas lawmakers previewed their objectives. Here are five things you need to know.
Texas lawmakers on both sides of the aisle talked schools, abortion and guns in advance of next year’s session in a range of panels at The Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
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![From left: Tribune political correspondent Patrick Svitek moderates a discussion about the 88th legislative session withHouse Republicans Four Price, Dustin Burrows, Ellen Troxclair and Craig Goldman at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 23, 2022.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo/The Texas Tribune -
Republican Texas senator says he will support new rape exceptions for abortion
One of the longest-serving Republican state senators, Robert Nichols is among the first to say publicly he’d support revising the state’s abortion prohibition. He spoke Friday at The Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
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![Senate Republicans Peter Flores, Kevin Sparks, Robert Nichols and Phil King speak on a panel moderated by Tribune political reporter James Barragán at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23, 2022 in Austin, TX.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo/The Texas Tribune -
Long the subject of rhetoric, migrants have now become props in political theater
A long-reliable political playbook of highlighting immigration in election season has been escalated by Govs. Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis. Full Story
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![Dozens of migrants, including several family units, leave on a New York City-bound bus outside a shelter in El Paso on Aug. 31, 2022. The city and county of El Paso are sponsoring (to be reimbursed by FEMA) the voluntary trips to relieve pressure on local resources and shelters.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
New York Mayor Eric Adams slams Greg Abbott for refusing to coordinate migrant busing effort
In an interview for The Texas Tribune Festival, Adams called the Texas governor’s program shipping migrants to his city “inhumane” and “un-American.” Full Story
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![New York City Mayor Eric Adams delivers keynote remarks at the opening of Concordia annual summit at Sheraton Times Square in New York on Sept. 19, 2022.]()
Credit: Lev Radin/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
Kamala Harris to headline Texas Democratic Party fundraiser one month before midterm election
The Oct. 8 event in Austin will mark the Biden administration’s highest-profile political appearance in Texas since President Joe Biden and Harris took office. Full Story
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![U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at an event marking the anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program at the Executive Office building in Washington, D.C., June 15, 2021.]()
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Second bus with migrants arrives outside Kamala Harris’ residence
The migrants are the latest to arrive as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s busing program. Full Story
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![A Venezuelan migrant reacts as he is led onto a bus at St. Andrews Episcopal Church on Sept. 16, 2022, in Edgartown, Massachusetts, on the island of Martha's Vineyard.]()
Credit: Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/ABACA via REUTERS -
Migrants in San Antonio lured onto Massachusetts flights with false promises of housing and jobs
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration orchestrated the private flights to Martha’s Vineyard, offering work and free rent. Advocates plan to pursue legal ramifications for those involved. Full Story
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![San Antonio migrant resource center located at 7000 San Pedro Avenue. Migrants visiting the center to receive resources and help getting to their final destination.]()
Credit: Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribune -
Texas board rejects posthumous pardon for George Floyd — after recommending one to Greg Abbott
The state’s parole board did not explain why it was denying the request to pardon Floyd, who was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer, for a minor 2004 drug conviction. Last year, the board recommended Abbott pardon Floyd, then rescinded that suggestion. Full Story
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![People gather at the mural for George Floyd in the Third Ward in Houston on June 8, 2020.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune