Rep. Frank Corte Jr., R-San Antonio, became the sixth eighth member of the Texas House to say he won’t seek reelection next year. He says he doesn’t have specific plans, and adds that he’s not endorsing any would-be successor.
Texas House of Representatives
Last Man Standing, Part Two
As a holiday gift to Tribune readers, I’m pleased to present Last Man Standing, my documentary about the 2002 Texas House race between Republican incumbent Rick Green and Democratic challenger Patrick Rose, who mounted his campaign while attending law school at UT-Austin. It’s the story of why people run for office โ and what happens when ideals are pitted against the reality of what it takes to win.
2010: Swinford Won’t Run Again
It’s “time to become a private citizen,” the Dumas Republican said in a press release.
Last Man Standing, Part One
As a holiday gift to Tribune readers, I’m pleased to present Last Man Standing, my documentary about the 2002 Texas House race between Republican incumbent Rick Green and challenger Patrick Rose, a young Democrat who mounted his campaign while attending law school at UT-Austin.
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Roll your own political videos … interactive travel maps of your federal and state legislators … scary movies, to keep the kids out of the border’s scary drug wars … puttting dropouts back in class … rates squeezing families out of home health care … how many lobby and trade associations do teachers in Texas need? … enjoying the silence before an expected two-month siege of political advertising … the dean of Texas political writers gets shut out of the gubernatorial debates … and we have an interactive database of the state’s best and worst public schools. The best of our best for a short news week, from December 19 to 26, 2009.
2010: The Old Carpetbagger Ploy
Holly Turner, running for the Texas House in Austinโs HD-47, got welcomed into the race by a fellow Republicanโs press release with this headline
2010: Is Seven Enough for Isett?
Rep. Carl Isett, R-Lubbock, has his hometown buzzing with rumors that he won’t seek an eighth term in the Texas House. Isett didn’t return calls and texts to confirm, and his office said simply that he’ll have an announcement on Friday.
Never Can Say Goodbye
Texas voters won’t be offered a real chance at change in the Legislature and Congress next year. Four out of five state and federal lawmakers face no real competition in their primary or general elections.
Mapmaker, Mapmaker
Think like the political pros and your mind will go to the long game instead of the short one. The short game is the elections of 2010. The long game is redistricting in 2011, when maps are drawn that corral the voters into the districts that will elect legislators for the next ten years.


