Trump to nominate Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Brown to the federal bench
If the U.S. Senate confirms Brown, the state's highest civil court would see its second vacancy in a period of months. Full Story
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![Justice Jeff Brown listens to Philip Durst during the Texas Supreme Court hearing for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice v. Maurie Levin, et al. case on Jan. 23, 2019.]()
Credit: Emree Weaver/The Texas Tribune -
Democrats grill Trump officials over family separations and threaten wider legal probe
Federal officials said they didn't try to halt the implementation of the "zero tolerance" policy despite warnings that separated kids would be traumatized. Testimony came as the policy took center stage at separate Washington hearings. Full Story
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![Children cover their faces as they are escorted to the Cayuga Center, which provides foster care and other services to immigrant children separated from their families, in New York City, U.S., July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid]()
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, John Cornyn spar over tweet quoting Benito Mussolini
Cornyn's tweet compared Mussolini's fascism to democratic socialism. Full Story
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![From left: U.S. Senator John Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Feb 26, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Democrats had historic gains in Texas in 2018. They're setting their sights on even more in 2020.
National Democratic groups are signaling they are serious about committing money in Texas. “It’s one of our top opportunities in the whole country,” said U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, an Illinois Democrat who chairs the House Democratic campaign arm. Full Story
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![Wall at the Travis County Democratic Party headquarters in Austin, Texas]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Political climate changes in Texas congressional districts
Sorted by congressional district, the 2018 general election results illustrate which members of the Texas delegation will be on Democratic and Republican target lists leading into the 2020 election cycle. Full Story
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![Lizzie Pannelli Fletcher speaks to her supporters at her election party at Buffalo Grille in Houston on May 22, 2018.]()
Credit: Pu Ying Huang for The Texas Tribune -
Are there restrictions on how U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro can promote his brother for president?
For his 2020 campaign for president, Julián Castro selected his twin brother, a Democratic representative from San Antonio, as his campaign chairman. Full Story
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![HUD Secretary Julián Castro, left, and his twin brother, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, attend a Day of Action on Oct. 29, 2016, at the Travis County Democratic Party headquarters in Austin.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
MJ Hegar mulls Senate run against John Cornyn
The military veteran and unsuccessful 2018 congressional candidate is considering running for U.S. Senate in 2020, as well as challenging U.S. Rep. John Carter again. Full Story
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![Democratic nominee for the 31st Texas congressional district, MJ Hegar speaks to supporters and volunteers at an early vote rally at her field office in Austin, Texas on October 25, 2018]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Watch Donald Trump's El Paso rally
President Donald Trump visited El Paso for his first campaign rally in the border city. Full Story
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![U.S. President Donald Trump listens to questions from reporters about an impending U.S. Government shutdown during a bill signing ceremony for the “First Step Act” and the “Juvenile Justice Reform Act” in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts]()
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In State of the Union speech, Trump continues hammering Congress over border wall funding
Raising warnings of out-of-control illegal immigration and soaring crime by immigrants — including debunked claims about El Paso's crime — the president tried to pressure Congress to end a stalemate over border wall funding and avert another government shutdown. Full Story
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![U.S. President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 5, 2019.]()
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The BLAKE Act falls short of applying to its namesake, Blake Farenthold
The bill, written to to prevent members of Congress from lobbying if they use taxpayer funds without paying them back, would not affect state employees — like Blake Farenthold. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold arrives to a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13, 2017.]()
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Gov. Abbott, other Texas officials urge feds to clear way for Harvey money
The state has been waiting a year for the federal government to set rules for how $4.3 billion in disaster recovery grants can be spent. Full Story
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![A man walks through floodwaters after surveying his property in Rockport, which was hit by Hurricane Harvey, on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017.]()
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TribCast: Texas voter citizenship review, Empower Texans' Senate media pass, the 2020 congressional battlefield
On this week’s Texas Tribune TribCast, Patrick talks to Evan, Alexa and Emma about the secretary of state questioning the citizenship of thousands of voters, the conservative group Empower Texans receiving a state Senate media credential and the early contours of the 2020 congressional battlefield in Texas. Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Former Texas Republican Party chair leaving White House to work on John Cornyn's campaign
Steve Munisteri is headed home to help Texas' senior U.S. senator in his 2020 re-election bid. Full Story
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![Steve Munisteri, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, speaks to the press. Jan. 30, 2015.]()
Credit: Justin Dehn/The Texas Tribune -
Trump signs bill to open the government, ending the longest shutdown in history
The deal will only keep things running for three weeks and comes without new money for a border wall. But the president hinted that he could declare an emergency to circumvent Congress and partially fulfill his chief campaign promise. Full Story
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![President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he visits the banks of the Rio Grande River with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and agents during the president's visit to the U.S. - Mexico border in Mission on Thursday, January 10, 2019.]()
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National Democrats target 5 Texas GOP congressmen as 2020 cycle begins
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Friday debuted its first digital ad campaign of the 2020 election cycle — and no state is a bigger part of it than Texas. Full Story
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Beto O'Rourke ran his 2018 campaign on his own terms. He's looking at 2020 the same way.
Speculation is rampant about whether Beto O'Rourke is going to make a White House bid. But the former U.S. Senate candidate is offering little about his plans, keeping even close allies and supporters in suspense. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, thanks a crowd of supporters as he leaves the stage during Turn Out For Texas Rally with Willie & Beto, held at Auditorium Shores in Austin on Sept. 28, 2018. O'Rourke is running against Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in one of the top national Senate races this year.]()
Credit: Rodolfo Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
We asked every Texan in Congress whether the government shutdown over President Trump's border wall is worth it
When asked whether the stalemate over President Trump's border wall is worth federal employees missing their paychecks, Texans in Congress appear to be divided along party lines — save for Republican U.S. Rep. Will Hurd. Full Story
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![Congressional candidate Will Hurd speaks to supporters during a get-out-the-vote rally in San Antonio. Nov. 7, 2016.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Sheila Jackson Lee steps down from two powerful posts — but not from Congress
A former staffer in the congresswoman's office claims Jackson Lee fired her after the staff member reported a rape by a supervisor at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Jackson Lee was the foundation's board chair before stepping down Wednesday. Full Story
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![Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, speaks during the news conference at the Capitol with other members of the Heroin Task Force on combating heroin abuse on April 21, 2016.]()
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Texans fighting citizenship question on 2020 census are headed to court. Here's what you need to know.
A group of Texans is headed to court in hopes of blocking the Trump administration from including a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Here's a primer on the legal fight and what it could mean for the state. Full Story
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Credit: Emily Albracht for The Texas Tribune -
Dan Patrick announces Senate committee assignments, making a few noticeable shifts
Two Democrats and 14 Republicans will chair the upper chamber's committees. Full Story
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![The Texas Senate during the 86th legislative session. Jan. 9, 2019.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr. / The Texas Tribune
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