Congress

Video: AC360 Calls Out Gohmert On '57 States' Remark

By Thanh Tan June 21, 2011

Last night, U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, was again the subject of a "Keeping Them Honest" segment on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360. Full Story
Updated: House Passes Congressional Redistricting Maps

By Thanh Tan June 14, 2011

The Texas House tentatively passed SB 4 on Tuesday afternoon, following nearly four hours of debate in which Democrats argued the congressional redistricting plans under consideration would "ensure" minority voters will lack proper representation in Congress. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Patrick Considering U.S. Senate Run With Exploratory Committee

By Thanh Tan May 27, 2011

State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, appeared on conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham's show Friday morning to announce he is considering a run for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith May 21, 2011

Root and Galbraith on a Dallas billionaire's radioactive waste dump victory, Grissom on the passage of eyewitness ID reform, Hamilton on the old grudges bedeviling the debate over higher ed, Philpott on the status of congressional redistricting, Ramsey on Rick Perry's un-campaign for president, Ramshaw on why medical schools are the scorned children of the state's education budget, my session-wrap interview with three veteran Democrats, M. Smith on why Rob Eissler can't pass mandate relief for school districts and Stiles on who's giving what to which Texas candidates in 2011-12 congressional races: The best of our best content from May 16 to 20, 2011. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
News App: Search 2011 Congressional Campaign Donors, Contributions

By Matt Stiles May 19, 2011

Candidates running for U.S. House and Senate races in Texas have raised millions of dollars to fund their campaigns during the 2011-12 election cycle. Use this news application to see which individual donors are helping finance those contests — or download the raw data filed by the candidates to the Federal Election Commission. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
On the Records: Fundraising Outside Texas

By Matt Stiles May 16, 2011

Candidates in next year’s U.S. House and Senate elections in Texas raised more than $5 million in the first quarter from individuals. Most live in Texas. But a significant portion came from outside the Lone Star State, according to the Federal Election Commission. California led the way, followed by Virginia, Washington, D.C. and New York. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Matt Stiles
Roger Williams "Welcomes" Obama to Texas

By Reeve Hamilton May 10, 2011

President Barack Obama will be in Texas today for a fundraising event, and at least one Republican running for U.S. Senate, former Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams, is eager to welcome him to the state — sort of. Full Story
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith May 7, 2011

Aaronson on the latest attack on Planned Parenthood, Aguilar previews the sanctuary cities debate, Grissom on a death row inmate's unsuccessful appeal, Hamilton on the UT System's faculty "productivity" data dump, Philpott on the prospect of lawsuits over education cuts, Ramsey on puppies and other distractions, Ramshaw on a tobacco fight, my interview with the presidents of UT-Austin and Texas A&M, M. Smith on a former State Board of Ed member who may have violated state ethics law, Stiles interactively displays the effects of House redistricting and Tan on the Senate budget end game: The best of our best content from May 2 to 6, 2011. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
Texas Federal Fundraising Map 2011

By Matt Stiles and Ryan Murphy May 6, 2011

Texas candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives have raised more than $9 million in the first quarter of this year in advance of the 2012 federal elections. This interactive map visualizes campaign finances by congressional district during the first quarter of 2011. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Ryan Murphy / Matt Stiles / Todd Wiseman
For Congress, Fundraising Can Never Begin Too Early

By Matt Stiles and Ryan Murphy May 6, 2011

Members of Congress from Texas — and potential candidates for those offices — have raised more than $9 million in the first quarter of this year in advance of the 2012 federal elections, campaign records show. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Ryan Murphy / Matt Stiles / Todd Wiseman
Guest Column: The Case for Ron Paul

By Debra Medina April 28, 2011

While television and conservative talk radio continue to marginalize his presidential candidacy, unrest and anxiety over the nation’s economic woes festers, and a passionate and energized base of young people supporting him grows. It's long past time to take him seriously. Full Story

Credit: medinafortexas.com
Colbert to Ron Paul: "You're Rand Paul's Dad!"

By Evan Smith April 26, 2011

On the day he announced his intention to form a 2012 presidential exploratory committee, Texas congressman Ron Paul, R-Surfside, sparred with Stephen Colbert about the Fed, the debt ceiling and whether he and his sons are the "Libertarian Kennedys." Full Story
Ricardo Sanchez: The TM Interview

By Evan Smith April 18, 2011

Three years ago I interviewed the apparent 2012 Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate — then a retired lieutenant general hawking a memoir — for Texas Monthly. You can read the nearly 2,700-word Q&A here. Full Story
TribLive: Cornyn on Planned Parenthood "Facts"

By Evan Smith April 18, 2011

At this morning's TribLive conversation, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, was unwilling to distance himself from controversial remarks about Planned Parenthood by his colleague, U.S. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona. Full Story
Doggett Amendment on Federal Education Money Repealed

By Morgan Smith April 12, 2011

To avoid government shutdown, congressional Democrats agreed to repeal an amendment that would have prohibited Texas from using federal funds to replace, rather than supplement, state funding of schools. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich/Marjorie Cotera
Texplainer: What Happens To Texas If The Feds Shut Down?

By Morgan Smith April 8, 2011

Not much, unless you're one of the state's 130,000 civilian federal employees — or you’re scrambling to get your taxes done. Full Story

Credit: britannica.com
Texas’ Clout in Congress Rises Along With GOP

By Matt Stiles April 3, 2011

Texas has the largest GOP delegation in Congress, and those members have high seniority, spots on key committees and seats at the leadership table — evidence, observers say, of the state’s sway inside the Capitol. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
Interactive Map: U.S. House Seniority

By Matt Stiles and Ryan Murphy April 2, 2011

These maps visualize the number of years members of the U.S. House of Representatives have served, with darker shades representing longer seniority. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
No Timeline to Replace U.S. Ambassador to Mexico

By Julián Aguilar March 23, 2011

The U.S. Department of State on Tuesday said U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pascual has agreed to stay in Mexico City to help the two governments organize a transition. Full Story

Credit: Esparta Palma
Tommy Lee Jones for U.S. Senate?

By Reeve Hamilton March 12, 2011

A Houston attorney and radio commentator is floating the idea on a Facebook page and a website. No other Democrat can win, he says. Full Story