TribCast

Jay, Reeve, Evan and Ross discuss the plodding pace of the special session, the revelation of a Tea Party leader’s racially tinged remarks and the state’s lagging levels of civic engagement.

Evan, Morgan, Ben and Reeve review the end of the regular session, the abrupt start of the special session and the latest news about possible 2014 candidates for statewide office.

Reeve, Aman, Jay and Ben talk about the final stages of lawmakers’ efforts to put together a budget deal, state Sen. John Carona’s day job and the legislative casualties of tension between the Senate and the House.

Evan, Emily, Ben and Reeve discuss the musical stylings of Houston physician and major Republican donor Steve Hotze, recently released emails from the governor to University of Texas System regents, and the state of the state’s water funding.

Ross, Reeve, Becca and Jay cover a range of topics including bills dying in the legislature, a political fight over religious gestures, the effort to create a new university in South Texas and President Obama’s visit to the state.

Emily, Reeve, Ross and Evan calculate the chances of the following: the Texas Legislature funding the state’s water plan, Sen. Ted Cruz running for president, and/or any ethics bills making it to the governor’s desk.

Reeve, Ross, Kate and Jay discuss the recent fertilizer plant explosion in West, Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg’s recent drunk driving arrest, and a fight in the Legislature over a bill that aims to bolster transparency.

This week Evan, Ross, Emily and Ben take a look at the real — and fake — ways that candidates are trying to gain advantages before the May 29th primaries, along with an update on the GOP race for the U.S. Senate nomination.