Analysis: A “special” session of culture wars, politics and unfinished business
The agenda for the special session that begins today previews some of the issues you're likely to hear about during the 2022 election cycle. Full Story
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Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Democrats fear Texas Republicans will push even harder in second bid to pass new voting restrictions
As the Legislature's special session dawns, political developments have raised the stakes for how far Republicans might go in enacting new voting restrictions, and how they might impact voters of color. Full Story
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![Harris County residents waiting in line at the Bayland Community Center during the first day of early voting in Houston on Oct. 13, 2020.]()
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Allen West’s final days as state GOP chair filled with intraparty drama
With only days before he steps down from the helm of the state GOP, West is embroiled in a fight with his vice chair and under attack by county GOP chairs. Full Story
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![State GOP Chairman Allen West speaks at a Texas Republican Party rally on the east side of the Capitol Grounds on Jan. 9, 2021.]()
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TribCast: Previewing the special legislative session
In this week's episode, Cassi speaks with Alexa and James about the upcoming special legislative session that starts July 8 in Austin. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott includes voting restrictions, critical race theory and rules for transgender student athletes on special legislative session agenda
Abbott also put border security and restoring funding to the Legislative branch — which he vetoed last month — on the special session agenda. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the surge in immigration in 2021 at a border wall tour accompanied by former President Donald Trump.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Former legislative leaders from both parties oppose Abbott veto of legislative funding as state defends him
In a new court filing, the attorney general's office said the governor properly used his veto power when he nixed funding for the Legislature in response to House Democrats walkout over a Republican priority bill on elections. Full Story
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Analysis: The noisiest branch of Texas government goes into overtime
Special sessions are tempting for governors, but they’re risky. Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest attempt — starting Thursday — might go better if it’s relatively short. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks with lawmakers on the House floor during the legislative session on May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Allen West announces he is running against Gov. Greg Abbott in Republican primary
The Texas GOP chairman made his campaign official Sunday. Full Story
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![State GOP Chairman Allen West speaks at a Texas Republican Party rally on the east side of the Capitol Grounds on January 9, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Special legislative session is packed with controversy but not clarity, Tribune reporters say
The list of questions is as long as the list of issues for the new session. Full Story
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State museum canceled book event examining slavery’s role in Battle of the Alamo after Texas GOP leaders complained, authors say
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick confirmed on Twitter that he called for the event to be canceled. Abbott, Patrick and other GOP leaders are board members of the State Preservation Board, which oversees the Bullock museum. Full Story
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![The Bullock Texas State History Museum in Downtown Austin on Oct. 9, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
2,100 state workers caught in the crosshairs of Gov. Greg Abbott’s veto of Legislature funding
The legislative branch budget includes funding for House and Senate lawmakers, their staffers and those working in nonpartisan legislative agencies. In total, there was more than $410 million allocated in the 2022-23 fiscal budget. Full Story
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![A staffer passes out papers while state Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, speaks during session on the House floor at the state capitol on May 25, 2021.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott says more apprehensions, drug seizures justify a border wall. Advocates say he's misrepresenting the numbers.
The governor said Texas needs to build a border wall to reduce migrant apprehensions and fentanyl seizures. But immigration and drug treatment experts say Abbott's oversimplifying the issue. Full Story
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![Asylum-seeking migrant families walked to turn themselves into the U.S. Border Patrol after crossing the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico in Roma on June 9, 2021.]()
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"Everything is on the table": Democrats mull options for special session, including another walkout
After killing Republicans' priority voting bill during the regular legislative session, Democratic lawmakers are mulling how to try to stop it in the special session that starts July 8. Full Story
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TribCast: Donald Trump and Greg Abbott visit the U.S-Mexico border
In this week's episode, Matthew speaks with Ross, Patrick and Reese about the politics surrounding Donald Trump's trip to Texas and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on student learning. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott and former President Donald Trump during a border security briefing in Weslaco on June 30, 2021.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott wants to build a border wall. South Texas landowners are divided over whether they want it.
Some landowners who sued the Trump administration say they aren't "just going to roll over and give up" now that Abbott has taken on a border wall project. Others say a wall is needed to protect people and property on the border. Full Story
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![Gerardo Vargas stands on his favorite cliff overlooking the Rio Grande River on June 23, 2021.]()
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Donald Trump visits Texas to tour “unfinished border wall” on U.S.-Mexico border with Gov. Greg Abbott
The former president is touring the border Wednesday with Abbott, who has promised to build a state-funded border wall. Full Story
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![Texas Lt Gov. Dan Patrick, left, Gov. Greg Abbott, and former President Donald Trump attend a border security briefing to discuss further plans in securing the southern border wall on June 30, 2021, in Weslaco.]()
Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images via POOL -
Analysis: On the border with Trump, Abbott and an enthusiastic GOP base
Gov. Greg Abbott’s proposal to build a wall between Texas and Mexico taps into a lasting preoccupation with immigration and border security among Texas Republican voters — and one of former President Donald Trump's favorite issues. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump makes remarks as he meets with Gov. Greg Abbott in the Oval Office on Thursday, May 7, 2020.]()
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Texas voters split over Gov. Greg Abbott’s job performance, but he remains popular among Republicans, UT/TT Poll finds
The June 2021 poll shows that 44% of Texans approve of Abbott’s job as governor, while 44% disapprove. His approval rating from Texas voters is better than those of Joe Biden, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dade Phelan. Full Story
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Immigration and border security remain top concerns of Texas voters, UT/TT Poll finds
Immigration and border security continue to top Texas voters' list of most important problems facing the state. It is a particular concern of Republican voters. Full Story
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![Raymond Lewis at his home in Galveston, Texas on Thursday, October 12, 2017. Lewis cast his first ballot during the 1968 presidential election when he was a college student at Huston-Tillotson University. Photos by Shelby Knowles]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A majority of Texas voters isn’t enough to sway a Republican state government
The Texas Legislature has a Republican majority, and knowing what most voters want isn't the best way to predict what lawmakers will do. You have to know what Republican voters want. Full Story
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune
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