How the "bathroom bill" helped push a Republican PAC to spend millions on moderates in Texas
Meet the Associated Republicans of Texas, a moderate PAC spending millions to combat hard-line conservative groups in the 2018 elections. Full Story
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![Top row, left to right: Republican runoff candidates Thomas McNutt and Cody Harris, HD-8; Ben Leman and Jill Wolfskill, HD-13. Bottom row, left to right: Brad Buckley and Scott Cosper, HD-54; Steve Allison and Matt Beebe, HD-121.]()
Credit: Facebook campaign pages/Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Analysis: A conniption fit disguised as a legislative study
A score-settling Texas House report on economic development policies was published Tuesday — after the elections it might have influenced, ordered up by lame-duck legislators who won't be in Austin to see it through. Full Story
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![State Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, presides over an interim State Affairs Committee meeting on Aug. 15, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott opposed controversial "bathroom bill," state legislator says
According to the chairman of the Texas House committee where the bathroom bill died in 2017, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott "did not want that bill on his desk." Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott lays out items for a special session at a press conference on June 6, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Split Decision: Texas Senate candidates Phillip Huffines and Angela Paxton
In the Republican primary race for state Senate District 8, first-time candidates Phillip Huffines and Angela Paxton discuss the issues important to the North Texas district and their strong family ties in politics. Full Story
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Where's the "bathroom bill" in the 2018 primaries? (podcast)
On this week's TribCast, Emily talks to Patrick, Abby and Jay about the noticeable absence of the "bathroom bill" on the 2018 primary trail, the hottest congressional races, and a particularly timely campaign contribution received by Land Commissioner George P. Bush. Full Story
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Credit: Emily Albracht / Todd Wiseman -
"Bathroom bill" fizzles as Republican primary issue
With less than a month until the March 6 primaries, it's hard to find a Republican nominating contest for the Legislature where the "bathroom bill" is a central issue. Full Story
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More LGBTQ Texans than ever are running for office, magazine says
At least 48 openly LGBTQ Texas candidates are running for office, a number roughly three times higher than any previous election cycle, according to OutSmart, a Houston LGBTQ magazine. Full Story
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![Some of the LGBTQ Texas candidates running for public office in 2018. Top row, left to right: Mauro Garza, Celia Israel and Julie Johnson. Middle row: Gina Ortiz Jones, Steven Kirkland and Shannon McClendon. Bottom row: Jeffrey Payne, Mark Phariss and Lupe Valdez.]()
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The top Texas tales of 2017 (podcast)
On the final TribCast of 2017, Emily talks to Alexa, Neena, Jay and Edgar about some of the Trib's biggest stories of the year: the bathroom bill, Hurricane Harvey, the TABC scandal and our series on child sex trafficking. Full Story
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Credit: Emily Albracht / Todd Wiseman -
From Harvey to the "bathroom bill," check out our top 2017 videos
Relive the year in Texas politics and policy through the Tribune's video coverage of the 85th Legislature, Hurricane Harvey, the deadly shooting in Sutherland Springs, the controversy over Confederate monuments and more. Full Story
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Analyses in the rearview mirror: Bathrooms and GOP politics
2017 was the year when House Speaker Joe Straus found his voice, when the culture conservatives lost out to the business conservatives and when the fault lines that define today’s Texas GOP opened up for everyone to see. Full Story
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"Bathroom bill" would be bad for Texas' economy, business leaders say
The newly established Texas House Select Committee on Economic Competitiveness held its first hearing on how to effectively enact policies that bring business to the state. Full Story
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![State Rep. Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, during the first hearing of the House Select Committee on Economic Competitiveness on Nov. 15, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
UT/TT Poll: Most Texas Voters say Confederate memorials shouldn’t move
Most Texas voters don’t want to remove Confederate memorials or put them in museums, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Most Republicans don't want to do anything at all. Full Story
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Analysis: Bathrooms, business and ballots
House Speaker Joe Straus prevailed in the legislative skirmishes over bathroom regulations; now he's got a fast-track House committee looking at "economic competitiveness." That could reframe the bathroom issue for 2018's elections. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus keeps watch on the chamber during debate on Senate Bill 6 on municipal annexation on Aug. 11, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
For some transgender Texans, bathroom bill fight spurs bids for office
Months after state lawmakers tried and failed to pass bills restricting transgender restroom access, transgender Texans plan to vie for seats in Congress and the Texas Senate next year. Full Story
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![Danielle Pellett, a Democrat running for Texas' 32nd Congressional District, campaigns on Sept. 15, 2017.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: In politics, you must be present to win
House Speaker Joe Straus wants business to stay the course through 2018’s elections and into the 2019 session, buttressing business-friendly Republicans against a conservative tide. It's a lot to ask. Full Story
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![Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Tom Noonan joined other business leaders in opposition to SB6, the so-called "bathroom bill, on March 6, 2017.]()
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Straus tells business leaders to keep up fight after "bathroom bill" failure
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, urged business leaders Tuesday to keep up the fight following the failure of legislative efforts to pass a "bathroom bill" that many of them opposed. Full Story
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![House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, emerges smiling from a caucus of Republican members after the 85th Legislature adjourned sine die on Aug. 16, 2017.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for the Texas Tribune -
The Texas bathroom bill saga in 5 minutes (video)
From Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's announcement last summer that he would push for a bathroom bill to the bill's quite demise this month in the special session, this video will take you through the story of the intense political fight in 5 minutes. Full Story
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With bathroom bill dead, Pastor Council looks to future fights
Founded in 2003 as a group of Houston-area pastors, the Texas Pastor Council has grown into a burgeoning statewide apparatus with eyes on someday becoming a nationwide force. Full Story
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![Dave Welch speaks during a press conference in favor of a bathroom bill at the Texas Capitol near the end of the special session on August 14, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
After months of controversy, Texas bathroom bill dies quietly
After generating a heated statewide debate earlier this year, the Texas bathroom bill died in the special legislative session with little drama or fanfare. Full Story
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![Members of various faith communities met at the Texas Capitol on Aug. 1, 2017 to speak out against the "bathroom bill."]()
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Texas bathroom bill appears to be all but dead in special session
With just days left in the special legislative session, controversial proposals to restrict bathroom use for transgender Texans appear to have no clear path to the governor’s desk. Full Story
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![Protesters rally in favor of transgender rights at the Texas Capitol, on July 21, 2017.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune