The Texas Tribune reviewed a copy of a draft Texas Parks and Wildlife agenda that included discussion about ceding control of 1,300 acres in Cameron County, home to Boca Chica Beach and SpaceX’s launch site.
Rio Grande Valley
The Rio Grande Valley sits along the Texas-Mexico border, where agriculture, trade and a rapidly growing tech sector shape daily life. The region includes communities such as McAllen, Brownsville and Harlingen. The communities are on the front lines of some of the state’s most consequential immigration and border-policy debates.
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Politics
Disappointed by Trump, dubious of Talarico: This Rio Grande Valley health official mulls his midterm vote
Dr. Ivan Melendez aligned with Democrats for years before moving to the right in recent elections. Ahead of the midterms, he’s weighing his options.
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Politics
Dolores Huerta, trailblazing advocate for migrant farmworkers, dies at 96
Huerta co-founded several organizations to support Texas farmworkers. She was also an ardent advocate for women and immigrant’s rights.
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2026 Texas Elections
As South Texas Republicans brace for losses, Ryan Guillen’s career offers a possible roadmap back
The former Democrat’s reputation as an unflappable moderate stands in sharp contrast to the MAGA firebrands at the top of this year’s GOP ticket.
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2026 Texas Elections
Texas Latinos are turning on Trump. That doesn’t mean they’re sold on Democrats.
Latino strategists and voters say this year’s swing is driven by anger at those in power and hinges on individual candidates. Democrats and Republicans alike agree it may not last.
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Public Education
Four key November races could push Texas education board further right
Three conservative Republicans known for compromise on divisive topics did not seek reelection, while a seat representing the Rio Grande Valley could sway in either political direction.
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2026 Texas Elections
Bobby Pulido pitches himself as the Democrat “you used to vote for” in bid to oust Rep. Monica De La Cruz
In Texas’ 15th Congressional District, the Tejano musician is trying to remind voters of the Democratic Party their abuelitas supported for decades. The GOP incumbent casts him as a relic of a “corrupt, compadre system.”
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2026 Texas Elections
House Republicans pull $3 million reserved for ads against Henry Cuellar
The Laredo Democrat’s 28th District was one of five seats Republicans redrew last summer to flip to GOP control. But the new map has proven less ironclad than the party hoped.
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2026 Texas Elections
Republicans are spending big to boost Ken Paxton on the airwaves, but not in Spanish
Nearly 7 in 10 Latino voters said in a recent statewide survey that when they see a political candidate on Spanish-language media, it “makes me feel they want to earn my vote.”
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Politics
Cuellar and progressives form tenuous alliance amid Trump’s immigration crackdown
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar is known as one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress who often diverges from the party on issues like immigration, abortion and gun rights.
