Analysis: The middle is intriguing but uncrowded in Texas politics
In a state that has been closely tied to conservative politics for decades, some Texas politicians are edging into a political desert: the middle. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmerich for The Texas Tribune -
Former Texas House Speaker Joe Straus calls on Supreme Court to protect workplace rights for LGBTQ Americans
Straus' op-ed comes a month after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments for three employment discrimination cases in which a person was fired for being gay or transgender. Full Story
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![Former state House Speaker Joe Straus at a Texas Tribune event on March 29, 2019.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A race for speaker of the Texas House? Not so fast.
With Dennis Bonnen not seeking another term, state representatives are once again at the start of a race for Speaker of the Texas House. This could take a while. Full Story
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![Empty chamber of the Texas House of Representatives at the state captiol.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A haunted House story about Texas speakers and redistricting
Texas House speakers come and go. So do redistricting sessions in the Texas Legislature. And maybe — just maybe — there's a relationship between those two cycles. Full Story
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![State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, is sworn in as House speaker by U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey on Tuesday, Jan. 8,…]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Jonathan Stickland and Joe Straus, still sailing in opposite directions
As one of the most rambunctious officeholders in Texas leaves the political scene, one of the quietest is swooping back in. Full Story
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![From left: State Rep. Jonathan Stickland, R-Bedford, and former House Speaker Joe Straus. Stickland announced he's not runni…]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Is Joe Straus keeping the door open for a 2022 statewide run?
On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Aman, Brandon and Cassi about the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, state Rep. Jonathan Stickland’s departure from the Texas Lege and former House Speaker Joe Straus' new PAC. Full Story
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![Former Texas House Speaker Joe Straus.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Using $2.5 million in old campaign funds, former Texas House Speaker Joe Straus launches a PAC
A statement from the political action committee, called Texas Forever Forward, said, "Texas should embrace diversity and promote inclusive, non-discriminatory policies and laws." Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, campaigns for re-election at The Barn Door restaurant in San Antonio on Jan. 21, 20…]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas conservatives, in search of a new nemesis
The conservative groups who made a feast of former House Speaker Joe Straus for 10 years have a new target: Straus successor Dennis Bonnen. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, on the House floor on May 6, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
Texas House votes to strengthen sexual harassment investigations
The chamber voted on a resolution that moves misconduct complaints to a committee with subpoena power. Full Story
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![House Speaker Dennis Bonnen presiding over his first votes as speaker of the house. Jan. 9, 2019. Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The…]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: It’s still a Republican Texas government, but it’s a new one
Between the general election results and the changing management of the Texas House — where Joe Straus is retiring and Dennis Bonnen is poised to be the next speaker — the state government is getting a reboot. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton (left), and outgoing House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, at a Legislative Budget Bo…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: You can debunk this Confederate plaque in minutes. What’s taking Texas so long?
Everybody in the Texas Capitol has known about a factually impaired Confederate memorial plaque for more than a year. So why is it still on the wall? Full Story
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![The "Children of the Confederacy Creed" plaque has drawn controversy for its denial that preserving slavery was an underlyin…]()
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Texas House Speaker Joe Straus: Texas and the Republican Party are “moving in opposite directions”
In a wide-ranging conversation with Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith, Straus launched jabs at two fellow Republicans: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and President Donald Trump. He declined to weigh in on who should succeed him as the leader of the lower chamber. Full Story
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![Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith records an interview for a Texas Tribune podcast with Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, in the Sp…]()
Credit: Rodolfo Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
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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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…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: Candidates to replace Joe Straus aren’t the only power-seekers in the House
The race to replace Speaker Joe Straus is the talk of the Texas House, but it's just the most visible part of a power shift that affects every state representative's standing. Full Story
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![San Antonio Democratic Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, center, confronts State Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman, with a Point of O…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Analysis: So far, there’s not much to handicap in the race for Texas House speaker
State Rep. Travis Clardy has this in common with every other candidate for speaker of the Texas House at this point: His is the only sure vote he's got for that contest. Full Story
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![State Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, on the House floor on May 9, 2017]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: More fundraising headlines, Texas GOP reaction to Trump and Russia, SD-19 special election
On this week's TribCast, Patrick talks to Ross, Aman and Evan about the latest campaign finance reports, how Texas Republicans reacted to President Donald Trump's summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the July 31 special election for Senate District 19. Full Story
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Texas House Speaker Joe Straus asks Trump to end policy of separating immigrant children
House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, wants President Donald Trump to end his administration's "zero tolerance" policy that has led to thousands of immigrant children being separated from their parents at the border. Full Story
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![Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, gives a lunchtime speech to the Greater Austin Crime Commission on Wednesday,…]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Texas House and Senate leaders take early steps to consider Gov. Greg Abbott's school safety plan
Both chambers hope to have certain fixes in place before students return to school in August. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus (left) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Hard-line conservatives lose big in Texas House runoffs
Most of the seven Texas House Republican primary runoffs fell along familiar ideological fault lines in the Republican Party. The more moderate candidates won in most cases. Full Story
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![9:50 p.m. Arguments break out on the House floor.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune