With longtime state Sen. Kevin Eltife’s retirement, four GOP candidates in Senate District 1 are racing to define themselves as conservative outsiders, including state Reps. Bryan Hughes and David Simpson.
84th Legislative Session
Posted inState Government
VanDeaver, Lavender Face Off Again in NE Texas House Race
Two years after Rep. Gary VanDeaver defeated George Lavender in a race to represent part of Northeast Texas in the state House, the two will face each other once more on the Republican primary ballot March 1.
Posted in
Politics
Old Rivals Face Off in Dallas House Race
Bennett Ratliff lost his Dallas-area Texas House seat to Tea Party-backed Matt Rinaldi in 2014, and is running to win it back in a March 1 GOP primary that parses the definition of conservative.
Posted in
Politics
Video: A Conversation with José Menéndez
Full video of my 2/11 conversation with state Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, who is running for reelection to his District 26 seat.
Posted in
Politics
Jonathan Stickland Eats His Words in Vigorous Re-election Primary
Bedford state Rep. Jonathan Stickland’s challenger in the GOP primary for Texas House has dredged up more than 3,000 of Stickland’s old posts on a fantasy football forum. It ain’t pretty.
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Politics
Molly White, Hugh Shine Get Personal in Central Texas House Race
Incumbent Tea Party darling state Rep. Molly White and challenger Hugh Shine are clamoring to tell voters about the personal experiences they say most qualify them as the most ardent foes of abortion and illegal immigration.
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Health care
Video: Bending the Health Care Cost Curve
Our 1/28 conversation on bending the health care cost curve with Sue Bornstein of the Texas Medical Home Initiative, state Reps. Nicole Collier and Stephanie Klick, and Daniel Varga of Texas Health Resources.
Posted in
State Government
Analysis: The Death of Taxes on Illegal Drugs
Until the most recent legislative session, the state had a tax on illegal drugs, adding tax evasion to the list of things that could put buyers and sellers into jail. Those drugs remain illegal, but the transactions are now tax-free.
Posted inState Government
GOP Brags, Democrats Wince as HD 118 Goes Red
A day after a Republican unexpectedly snatched away a long-held Democratic statehouse seat in San Antonio, state GOP leaders were crowing while Democrats swore the low-turnout special election was a non-repeatable fluke.
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Economy
Video: A Conversation with Glenn Hegar
Full video of my 1/21 conversation with Glenn Hegar, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Topics discussed: oil prices, taxes, jobs and economic incentives.