After a recount affirming his loss to state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, former University of Texas lineman Dan Neil has asked that the Texas House settle the election’s outcome. What happens now?
Austin
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: Four for Paxton
Add four East Texas state representatives to Rep. Ken Paxton’s list, bringing the McKinney Republican closer to a dozen-and-a-half votes in his quest for 76. Paxton is challenging Speaker Joe Straus for the top job.
Posted inState Government
TribBlog: Court Says Judge Can’t Continue Willingham Inquiry
Judge Charlie Baird abused his discretion when he didn’t recuse himself from considering a motion challenging his authority to conduct a court of inquiry in the Cameron Todd Willingham case, according to a ruling issued today.
Posted in
Higher Education
Him Again
State Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, wasn’t expected back at the Capitol this session after seeking two high-profile higher education jobs over the summer. But both opportunities fizzled, and now the 70-year-old says he’s “gunned up and ready to go” for his seventh term in the Senate — even if he’ll return with clout resembling that of a freshman. He’s without the aides who knew him best and stripped of the Jurisprudence Committee he used to chair. Still, his insistence on putting his own political views ahead of his party’s could make him a key player at a time when Senate Republicans are a few votes short of a two-thirds majority.
Posted in
State Government
HuTube: Olbermann on the Supermajority
The new GOP supermajority in the Texas House made MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann tonight. The host joked that Democrats “are now as relevant as the mythical chupacabra.”
Posted in
State Government
The Weekly Tribcast: Episode 59
In this week’s skirmish, Evan, Ross, Elise and Ben talk party switching, what’s left of the speaker’s race and the return of state Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio.
Posted in
State Government
Pete Gallego: The TT Interview
The 10-term Democratic state representative from Alpine on what he thinks of Tuesday’s newly minted Republicans, the perils of party switching, the potential death of the middle and what the 49-member minority does now.
Posted in
Politics
The Defectors
After announcing they were defecting from the Democratic Party, state Rep. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland, and state Rep. Aaron Peña, R-Edinburg, were welcomed by Texas Republican leaders at a Tuesday afternoon press conference.
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: Party Boys
Surrounded by statewide elected officials and a pack of fellow lawmakers, Democrats Aaron Peña of Edinburg and Allan Ritter of Nederland defected to the Republican Party this afternoon.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Audio: Abbott on Health Reform Ruling
The Virginia court ruling declaring parts of federal health care reform unconstitutional elicited plenty of reaction in Texas, which is part of a separate attempt to repeal the new law. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports.
