U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela will back Joaquin Castro if he runs for Senate
U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela says he will back U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, should the San Antonio Democrat challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, in Austin for a discussion with Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith, on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
At homeland security hearing, McCaul calls Trump's travel ban rollout "problematic"
U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, the top House Republican on homeland security issues, strongly criticized the Trump administration Monday for the chaotic rollout last month of a travel ban of mostly Muslim countries. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul at TTEvents discusses presidential candidate Donald Trump on Oct. 25, 2016.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
With Trump on their side, Abbott and Cruz bullish on term limits
With his calls to “drain the swamp,” President Trump has cast his election victory as a rebuke against career politicians. Now two Texas Republican leaders suggest that the timing is right to impose term limits on members of Congress. Full Story
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![Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) speak at a press conference in the Capitol about Sen. Cruz’s Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act of 2015 (S. 2302), in Washington, D.C., Dec. 8, 2015.]()
Credit: Chris Maddaloni/ The Texas Tribune -
Frist on Trump, Congress and health reform (video)
Full video of Evan Smith's 2/1 conversation with Bill Frist, Republican of Tennessee, the former majority leader of the United States Senate. Full Story
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Survey of Texans in Congress shows most Republicans back Trump's travel ban
As of late Monday, nearly all of the 38-member Texas congressional delegation had taken a position on President Trump's travel ban executive order. Most Republicans backed the measure, while Democrats viscerally opposed it. Full Story
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![A child walks in a United Nations refugee camp in Turkey where thousands of Syrian refugees reside.]()
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Julián and Joaquin Castro confront the Trump era
Donald Trump's upset victory left many in both parties shocked, upending their best-laid plans for after the election. Among them are rising Texas Democratic stars Julián and Joaquin Castro. Full Story
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![Julián and Joaquin Castro speak to media during the Texas Democratic Convention on June 17, 2016.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Rick Perry vows to pursue "sound science" on climate change at confirmation hearing
Testifying before a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday, Secretary of Energy nominee Rick Perry said he believed humans contributed to climate change and that he no longer supported the dissolution of the Department of Energy. Full Story
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![Former Gov. Perry is sworn in before testifying at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on his nomination to be Energy secretary on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on January 19, 2017.]()
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Rep. Joaquin Castro questions whether Americans cooperated in Russian hack
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio Democrat, raised questions on Tuesday as to whether any Americans cooperated with Russian intelligence in the hack that hobbled the Hillary Clinton campaign last year. Full Story
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![Former Texas House member and current Congressman Joaquin Castro at TTEvents with Evan Smith on Feb. 19, 2015.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Rep. Beto O'Rourke "very likely" to run for Sen. Ted Cruz's seat in 2018
U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke said Thursday he is all but certain to make a run for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's seat in 2018. Full Story
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![Tribune Conversation with U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke D-El Paso on November 4, 2016]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Arrington, a freshman in Congress, bucks trend by moving family to D.C.
Lubbock Republican Jodey Arrington, who was sworn in this week as one of the new members of the U.S. House, is moving his family to Washington. It is an unusual choice, both in the Texas delegation and in the rest of Congress. Full Story
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![(L.-R.) U.S. Reps. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, John Ratcliff, R-Heath and Jodey Arrington, R-Lubbock.]()
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Former Bush operative Matthew Dowd mulls challenging Cruz for Senate
Matthew Dowd, a longtime Texas operative in both Republican and Democratic politics, is considering running against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Full Story
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![Political commentator Matthew Dowd speaks at a Texas Tribune event on June 28th, 2012.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Ahead of hearings, Rick Perry and Rex Tillerson meet with key U.S. senators
Key U.S. senators appeared more comfortable Wednesday with former Texas Gov. Rick Perry being the next U.S. energy secretary than they were with former Exxon Mobil chief Rex Tillerson being the next U.S. secretary of state. Full Story
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![ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson and Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry.]()
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Texas Congressman on thin ice...on purpose
U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth has tried everything from moving baggage on a runway to housekeeping at a Holiday Inn to better understand the lives of his constituents. This week, he helped out at a local ice skating rink. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, operates an ice-resurfacing machines at a Fort Worth ice skating rink on Dec. 21, 2016, as part of an ongoing effort to perform constituent jobs in his district.]()
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Analysis: Take it from Texas — an election sweep carries no guarantee
Winning isn't everything when it comes to party control. If it was, Texas lawmakers would have nothing to do. But they still have plenty to fight about, and Republicans in Washington, D.C., will, too. Full Story
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![The 84th legislative session ran from Jan. 13 through Jun. 1. State lawmakers enhanced gun rights, allowed epilepsy patients to use medicinal cannabis oil and outlawed local bans on fracking.]()
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Day after GOP sweep, Texas congressman aims to climb House ranks
U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Bryan, is running for a high-ranking position among his party's leadership for the next Congress. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Bryan, in his House office in Washington, D.C.]()
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U.S. Rep. Will Hurd victorious in rematch with Pete Gallego
U.S. Rep. Will Hurd claimed victory in his re-election bid Tuesday night, becoming the first incumbent to hold onto the Texas 23rd District in eight years. Full Story
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![Democrat Pete Gallego is challenging U.S. Rep. Will Hurd for the sprawling CD-23 seat. Hurd won the swing seat from Gallego two years ago; no incumbent has won a second term in eight years.]()
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A conversation with Beto O'Rourke
Full video of my 11/4 conversation with U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, Democrat of El Paso. Topics discussed included border security, free trade, term limits, the 2016 presidential race and his possible run for the U.S. Senate. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke looking at a U.S. Senate campaign
U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, an El Paso Democrat, told The Texas Tribune he is considering running for the United States Senate. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, was interviewed by Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith on Nov. 4, 2016, in Austin.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Party leaders' rhetoric leaves Texas Republican women reeling
Interviews with Texas Republican female consultants, lobbyists, activists and aspiring politicians reveal a common sentiment: They no longer feel welcome in their own party. Full Story
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![(L-R) Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, U.S. Reps. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi and Bruce Babin,R-Woodville and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich (Miller)/Mike Segar-REUTERS (Trump) -
Sources: Rick Perry encouraged Michael McCaul to challenge Ted Cruz
Former Gov. Rick Perry encouraged U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for reelection in 2018, sources tell the Tribune. Full Story
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![(L.-R.) Former Governor Rick Perry, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera/Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune