U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, is sailing toward a 2018 Senate campaign, an uphill battle that would pit the little-known congressman against one of the state’s most prominent Republicans in the unpredictable era of President Donald Trump.
Beto O’Rourke
Trump team’s alleged Russia ties get muted response from Texas Republicans
Texas Democrats on Capitol Hill are calling for more Congressional oversight, amid news reports of Trump allies communicating with Russian officials.
Vela on the ICE raids, the border wall, and Beto vs. Joaquin (video)
Full video of Evan Smith’s 2/13 conversation with U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville.
Rep. Beto O’Rourke “very likely” to run for Sen. Ted Cruz’s seat in 2018
U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke said Thursday he is all but certain to make a run for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s seat in 2018.
A conversation with Beto O’Rourke
Full video of my 11/4 conversation with U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, Democrat of El Paso. Topics discussed included border security, free trade, term limits, the 2016 presidential race and his possible run for the U.S. Senate.
Video: Homeland Security Begins at Home
Here’s full video of our “Homeland Security Begins at Home” panel discussion Saturday at The Texas Tribune Festival. The panel featured U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro, Henry Cuellar, Blake Farenthold, Beto O’Rourke and John Ratcliffe.
Campaign Chatter
Ted Cruz tries to lure David Dewhurst into a fight, while Tom Leppert taunts them both in a new TV ad.
Q3 Fundraising Could Mean Tight House Races
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.
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson interactively asks if stimulus funds created jobs in Texas, Aguilar on new voter registrar rules that could decrease voter turnout, Galbraith on a UT professor’s debunking of climate change “myths,” Grissom on an epic clash of El Paso political titans, Hamilton on the right’s new higher ed guru, Murphy maps household data from the 2010 Census, Ramsey on a coming rules fight in the Texas Senate, Root and M. Smith on Rick Perry’s performance at the New Hampshire debate and M. Smith talks public ed cuts with the state’s Superintendent of the Year: The best of our best content from October 10-14, 2011.
In El Paso, an Epic Clash of Political Titans
The stage is set for an epic political battle between two El Paso political powerhouses: an established incumbent congressman touting his seniority and accomplishments and a young former councilman in the city’s “progressive” camp.


