Rep. Chuck Hopson, D-Jacksonville, is switching parties, saying that “”President Obama and the Democrats in Congress just don’t reflect the values of this district.” That’s a severe blow to Democrats hoping to win a majority in the Texas House.
Texas Legislature
Posted in
State Government
2010: Former Tigua leader mulling Senate run
Albert Alvidrez, a former governor of the Tigua tribe in El Paso, is mulling a run for the Texas Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Sen. Eliot Shapleigh. But having Alvidrez in the Senate might not earn the tribe another vote for gambling rights.
Posted in
State Government
TribBlog: Chavez to decide on Senate by Turkey Day
As candidates stack up to challenge her, state Rep. Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, said she will make a decision about running for the Texas Senate by Thanksgiving.
Posted in
Politics
The Polling Center: Our Inaugural Election Survey
The results of the first UT/Texas Tribune poll, which was in the field from October 20-27 and sampled 800 Texans who identified themselves as registered voters, shows Texas slowly turning their attention to the 2010 elections. Perhaps more to the point, they have become extremely skeptical about the direction of the federal government. Today we’ll focus on the election match ups and what they tell us about the state of play a little less than six months out from the March primaries.
Posted in
Public Education
TribBlog: Permanent School Fund Rebounds. But Will Schools Benefit?
The state’s permanent school fund, which spins off money for textbooks and the like each year, has recaptured billions of dollars after a frightening downward spiral this spring. Trouble is, the increase in the fund may produce no increase at all in education spending. The real beneficiaries of the fund often are the state legislature and its priorities outside education.
Posted in
State Government
Shapleigh’s out and then what?
El Paso state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh’s surprise announcement that he won’t seek another term in the Texas Senate in 2010 set off speculation about his plans for higher office — and a vigorous fight to replace him.
Posted in
Demographics
Keeping Count
Texas should create a committee to promote participation in the 2010 U.S. Census, state Rep. Mike Villarreal told Gov. Rick Perry in a letter Tuesday.
Posted in
State Government
Goin’ to the chapel
Wedding bells rang for state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, this weekend in the tiny old mining town of Shafter, near Big Bend National Park.
Posted in
Graphics and data reporting
Search the newly updated Texas state employees salaries database
The Texas Tribune’s database of Texas state employees’ compensation is updated to represent salaries as of October 1.
