As stakeholders focus on the U.S. Senate during the debate on comprehensive immigration reform, the lower chamber has begun marking up a measure that would expand immigration enforcement powers to local law enforcement. Full Story
Cain quits, James files, the Williamses go for it, and other state campaign news, candidate announcements, retirements and rumors from the past week. Full Story
Some are waiting to see what the courts will do. Others want to see if any opponents surface. Regardless, with six days to go until the filing deadline, how many incumbents haven't filed yet? A whole bunch. Full Story
At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, talked about the political and personal consequences of having briefly challenged U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, in the Democratic primary for Congress. Full Story
Responding to "stonewalling" allegations by U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, Homeland Security officials said they are spending hours compiling immigration arrest data. If it doesn't please the congressman's committee, DHS could be held in contempt. Full Story
Credit:
Illustration by Ryan J. Reilly / Todd Wiseman
Texas congressional incumbents raised more than $4.7 million during the third quarter of the year, but some of them face challengers who also displayed a knack for raising political cash. Full Story
Texas’s congressional Republicans seized on new unemployment numbers to decry President Obama’s economic policies days after he stopped in Mesquite to sell his jobs plan. Full Story
Did the federal government drag its feet in providing disaster relief to the victims of the devastating Bastrop County fires? It depends on whom you ask. It's the latest chapter in a dispute between Texas and the feds that began in April. Full Story
Austin Democrats are pretty unhappy with the Republican Legislature’s redistricting maps, and Rep. Lloyd Doggett is the poster child for their frustrations. Their anger might save him. Full Story
A CNN spokesman confirms that the cable network is producing a documentary featuring rising Hispanic political stars Joaquin Castro, the Democrat state representative and congressional candidate from San Antonio, and his twin brother, Julián, the city's mayor. Full Story
While Gov. Rick Perry and his supporters prayed in Houston, several hundred protesters rallied against him at the state Capitol on Saturday afternoon. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and others said the governor was cynically using his "Prayerpalooza" to launch his presidential campaign. Full Story
More than 30,000 worshipers poured into Reliant Stadium Saturday, staging a boisterous prayer meeting with gospel music and Christian rock, emotional sermons and perhaps a political boost for the man who started it all: likely presidential candidate Rick Perry, the governor of Texas. Full Story
Republican U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith’s attempt to strip the Obama administration of its immigration enforcement powers has drawn a harsh rebuke from Texas Democrats in the U.S. House. Full Story
The legislative session is over, the new maps have been drawn, and candidates are starting to make their decisions about whether to run, and for what offices. Full Story
A senior member of Texas’ congressional delegation wants to strip the Obama administration of its immigration enforcement duties, alleging the president is attempting to create a “backdoor” amnesty for illegal immigrants. Full Story
San Antonio State Rep. Joaquin Castro will take on veteran U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett to vie for a newly-created congressional district that spans from San Antonio up to southern Travis County. Full Story
Credit:
Illustration by Caleb Bryant Miller / Justin Dehn
A new redistricting map, drawn to promote and protect Republican interests in the U.S. Congress, sailed out of the GOP-led state Senate Monday. The map, approved along strict party lines, would give Republicans a decent chance of retaining every congressional seat they now hold plus a new one they don't. Full Story
Aaronson and Grissom on a freshman lawmaker who didn't mind making waves, Aguilar on E-Verify's new lease on life, Galbraith on the state's plodding progress toward solar power, Hamilton on Warren Chisum's exit, Philpott on the remapping of Lloyd Doggett's district, Ramsey on a proposed change to ethics laws for Texas pols, Ramshaw on efforts by the state to take control of Medicaid and Medicare, Root on why a Rick presidential bid shouldn't be underestimated, M. Smith on the unraveling of school finance legislation and Tan and Dehn on the highs and lows of the 82nd legislative session: The best of our best content from May 30 to June 3, 2011. Full Story