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  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    by Evan Smith

    Ramsey on Flintstone truthers, Thevenot on the explosion of "dual-credit" enrollees and the potential sacking of teachers when student test scores don't measure up, Ramshaw on government-subsidized child care providers with troubled track records, Stiles's enhanced state employee salary app and new dangerous day care app, Aguilar on our commie trading partner and the cost of being undercounted in the next census, Philpott on the legal wrangling over gay divorce and how social media fanned the flames of Debra Medina's 9/11 flap, and our roundup of powderkeg party primaries: Hu in HD-20, M. Smith in CD-23, Ramsey in HD-98, Hamilton in HD-127, Grissom HD-76 and HD-78, and Rapoport in SBOE 5. The best of our best from February 15 to 19, 2010. Full Story 

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  • Primary Color: Five to Watch

    by Brandi Grissom, Elise Hu, Ross Ramsey, Abby Rapoport and Morgan Smith

    In honor of today's kickoff of early voting — a two-week period in which political junkies, committed activists and other go-to-the-head-of-the-class types will line up to cast ballots for their favorite candidates, unable to contain their enthusiasm or anger until March 2 — we present five different installments in our Primary Color series. Brandi Grissom reports on the GOP face-off to take on state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, in House District 78. Elise Hu tackles the four-way scrum between Republicans in HD-20 hoping to succeed retiring state Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown. Ross Ramsey asks why a perenially safe incumbent, state Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller, has a fight on her hands this year in HD-98. Abby Rapoport looks at the battle for conservative cred in the race for the District 5 seat on the State Board of Education. And Morgan Smith picks apart the five-way race for the GOP nomination in Congressional District 23 — and the chance to topple U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio. Full Story 

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    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

  • Primary Color: CD-23

    by Morgan Smith

    Two lawyers, two doctors and an ex-CIA officer are hoping that discontent with the federal government and anxiety about the economy will propel them to victory against incumbent U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio. But first, they have to win a crowded Republican primary. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • The Capital Gang

    by Ross Ramsey and Matt Stiles

    The six Texas congressional candidates who ended the year with $1 million or more on hand are incumbents. Only two of the candidates with the 20 biggest bank accounts are not. Full Story 

    Search our interactive chart, which details campaign financing by Texas candidates for U.S. Congress during 2009.
    Credit: Matt Stiles

  • TribBlog: Be it Resolved

    by Morgan Smith

    When aimed at a government agency, a resolution of disapproval isn't just a collective scowl from the direction of Capitol Hill: it can block an agency ruling from becoming law. Full Story 

    U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the House chamber of the Texas Capitol
    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

  • 2010: McDonald's Rewind

    by Ross Ramsey

    Democrat Jack McDonald surprised his supporters last month by dropping his 10-month bid for Congress. He said at the time he'd give money back to donors who want it back. Now come the details, in an email from the candidate to supporters. Full Story 

    Democrat Jack McDonald
    Credit: McDonald for Congress

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    by Ross Ramsey

    Stiles and Thevenot collaborate on the salaries paid to superintendents, and even compare them on price per student… Ramsey’s look at redistricting and next year’s elections… Aguilar’s report on jails, brought to you by the federal agency that’s in the ag business… Rapoport’s peek at the power behind Texas pre-kindergarten programs… Smith’s conversation with Dan Patrick, in three parts… Grissom’s narrative on a circular immigration and deportation route financed by two governments… Ramshaw finds doctors agreeing on public policy and split on strategy and tactics… Hu’s latest Stump Interrupted puts the camera on Farouk Shami… Hamilton’s story on two retired cops who are taking on cargo theft in Texas… And Kreighbaum and Stiles pop open the itineraries of your folks in Congress. The best of our best from December 12 to 18, 2009. Full Story 

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  • Frequent Flyers

    by Andrew Kreighbaum

    Members of the Texas congressional delegation took more than 200 privately funded trips, at a cost of more than $350,000, in 2008 and 2009. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • Never Can Say Goodbye

    by Ross Ramsey

    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. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • RINO Hunters

    by Ben Philpott, KUT News

    Today is the first day for people wanting to run in the Democratic or Republican primary to file their candidacy. The month-long period is often a mix of the expected — like Governor Perry filing to run for re-election — and the unexpected. Houston Mayor Bill White running for governor could set off a chain reaction among Democrats to enter other statewide races, for instance. But one of the most interesting phenomena this year is the number of so called Tea Party Republicans entering the primaries. Ben Philpott, covering the Texas governor's race for KUT News and The Texas Tribune, has this report. Full Story