In ads, Gov. Greg Abbott boasts of expanding pre-K. Advocates say that's misleading.
Early childhood education advocates say the governor created an "unfunded mandate" for higher-quality pre-K that Texas schools are unable to meet. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
How excluding Canada in Trump’s new trade deal could hurt Texas
Texas sees more than $40 billion in total trade with Canada every year. Canada's potential exclusion from any new U.S. trade deal could result in the nation implementing costly tariffs that would hit Texas business, a trade expert says. Full Story
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Valdez agrees to debate Abbott on Sept. 28 in Austin
Lupe Valdez, the Democratic nominee for governor, has agreed to debate Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Sept. 28 in Austin. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera: Abbott/Laura Buckman: Valdez -
Abbott taps Nebraska official to lead Health and Human Services Commission
Courtney Phillips currently leads the Department of Health and Human Services in Nebraska. Full Story
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![Courtney Phillips, Gov. Greg Abbott's newly named pick to head the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.]()
Credit: Office of the Governor -
Ted Cruz leads Beto O’Rourke by 4 points, according to NBC/Marist Poll
A new poll showed the U.S. Senate race between U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke is tight, just as the fall campaign is about to begin. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke (left), D-El Paso, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.]()
Credit: Doug Young: O'Rourke/Michael Stravato: Cruz -
Analysis: What would Pa Ferguson do? What would Ma do?
Giving Texas governors the power to edit proposed regulations under a veil of secrecy — as Gov. Greg Abbott is vying to do — could provide new opportunities for campaign finance shenanigans. Full Story
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![Miriam "Ma" Ferguson, who served as the 29th and 32nd Governor of Texas, and her husband James "Pa" Ferguson, who was the 26th governor, his term cut short after he was impeached and removed from office.]()
Credit: Texas State Library and Archives Commission -
Dispute over resignation letter holds up special election to replace state Sen. Sylvia Garcia
Garcia, who is widely expected to be headed to Congress next year, is at odds with the governor's office over whether her resignation letter was worded properly to allow him to call a special election. Full Story
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![Texas Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, speaks with Evan Smith at TT Events at the Austin Club on April 19, 2018. Garcia is favored in the November election for Congressional District 29 seat now being held by Gene Green.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich/BDP, Inc. -
Retiring GOP state rep blasts Abbott's move to expand power over agencies
In a June 22 letter, Abbott's office directed agencies to run rules by him before publishing them. In a letter this week, state Rep. Byron Cook questioned the governor's authority to do that. Full Story
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![State Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, during the first hearing of the House Select Committee on Economic Competitiveness on Nov. 15, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Abbott sets runoff to replace state Sen. Carlos Uresti for Sept. 18
Gov. Greg Abbott has scheduled a Sept. 18 special election runoff for Senate District 19. 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.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich: Gallego/Campaign website -
Analysis: Can Texans handle this kind of tough love about schools?
The state is about to hand out report cards on Texas schools and school districts, raising anxiety levels among educators and — once the grades are out — with parents, businesses, politicians and taxpayers. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Benjamin Hasson -
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott proposes bail reform after death of DPS trooper
Abbott said he wanted to fix a flawed system in Texas that allowed the man suspected of killing a trooper last year to get out of jail on bond despite having been previously accused of assaulting a deputy. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott. joined by DPS Director Steve McCraw (seated, left) and Kasey Allen, widow of Damon Allen, speaks at a press conference in Waco on August 7, 2018. Abbott announced a proposal to reform the bail system in Texas. The proposal is in honor of State Trooper Damon Allen, who was killed while on duty in 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
After tweeting — then deleting — fake Churchill quote, Abbott rails against antifa
Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted and then deleted a fake quote from Winston Churchill on Tuesday. Asked about it afterward, he used it to criticize the anti-fascist activists known as antifa. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott gives the keynote Friday speech at the Republican Party of Texas convention in San Antonio on June 15, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Pleased to meet you, you wonderful/terrible candidate
The political advertisements are starting, and candidates are racing to introduce themselves (positively) and their opponents (negatively) to Texas voters. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (top) and U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
With O'Rourke gaining momentum, Cruz's November alarm hits new volume
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, hit the campaign trail Saturday with amped-up warnings that his re-election is anything but a sure thing in November. The incumbent's comments came a day after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott brushed off assertions of a "blue wave." Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz meets with Austin-area home schoolers on August 4, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: A San Antonio special election surprise, latest Cruz-O'Rourke polling
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks with Evan, Jolie and Patrick about the Republican who came out on top in Tuesday's Texas Senate special election, how conservatives reacted to Gov. Greg Abbott's cautious consideration of a "red flag" gun law and the latest polling numbers in the Ted Cruz-Beto O'Rourke U.S. Senate matchup. Full Story
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![Democrat Pete Gallego (left) and Republican Pete Flores are in a runoff for state Senate District 19.]()
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Analysis: In the dance over Texas debates, some would rather be wallflowers
The debate over Texas political debates, which blossoms every two years, is now fully underway. Some of it's going just as you might expect. But there are some surprises this season. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
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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Analysis: Winning an election without money is hard. It’s hard to win with money, too.
Democrats challenging Republican incumbents are doing pretty well this year on the campaign finance front. It's very hard to win a big political race without that kind of success. But money alone is not the key to victory. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Senate confirms a top Abbott adviser, Andrew Oldham, to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals
Oldham is the third Texas nominee to be confirmed to the powerful, conservative-leaning appeals court since President Donald Trump took office. Full Story
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![Andrew S. Oldham testifies as the Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing to confirm him as United States Circuit Judge for the 5th Circuit, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., April 25, 2018.]()
Credit: Allison Shelley for the Texas Tribune -
Valdez commits to a gubernatorial debate with Abbott — but not the one Abbott has agreed to
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Lupe Valdez has agreed to debate Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Oct. 8 in Houston. A week ago, Abbott committed to a different debate — on Sept. 28 in Austin. Full Story
![Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera: Abbott/Laura Buckman: Valdez
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