Susan Wright is among 11 Republicans — and 23 candidates total — vying to replace her late husband, Ron Wright, R-Arlington, in Congress. Election day for the special election is Saturday.
Congress
Read the latest Texas Tribune coverage of Congress, from the state’s lawmakers in Washington to key legislation and political debates shaping Texas and the nation.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
A year after Vanessa Guillén’s murder, family and advocates say not enough has changed in the military
The Texas woman’s death exposed a pattern of violence and abuse against soldiers at Fort Hood, the U.S. military’s largest active-duty base. It also sparked national outrage over federal officials’ handling of sexual harassment and noncombat deaths.
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Politics
Ted Cruz changes course and votes to support bill to address hate crimes against Asian Americans
The junior senator from Texas initially slammed the bill as “a messaging tactic” but supported it in the final vote because he said an amendment made it more palatable.
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Politics
Bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers announces legislation to ease crowding at border facilities
The bill backed by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and U.S. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, would create four new processing facilities for asylum seekers and add to federal staffing along the border.
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Congress
State Rep. Jake Ellzey faces mounting opposition from his right in special election to replace Ron Wright in Congress
A national group is spending six figures to try to stop Ellzey ahead of the May 1 election, and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz came out against him on Tuesday.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Ted Cruz among a small number of Republicans opposing bill to address hate crimes against Asian Americans
The junior senator was among only six Republicans who opposed advancing a bill that would expedite the processing of hate crimes against Asian Americans by the Justice Department.
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Politics
Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady will retire from Congress at the end of his term
The Montgomery County Republican has served in the U.S. House for more than two decades.
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Congress
MLB took its All-Star game out of Georgia to protest voting restrictions. Now Ted Cruz wants to strip it of its anti-trust immunity.
MLB’s anti-trust exemption reduces the possibility of a competing league from emerging and threatening its status as the preeminent professional baseball league.
Posted in
Point of Order
Point of Order: King of the road
In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks to state Senate Transportation Chair Robert Nichols about Infrastructure Week and the challenges of getting people and goods from point to point in a fast-growing, rapidly urbanizing state.
Posted in
Winter Storm 2021
John Cornyn and Eddie Bernice Johnson jointly file legislation to help weatherize Texas’ electrical grid
The two Texans’ new bill would authorize the federal government to offer grants to states in support of weatherizing the state’s electrical grids. It comes in response to February’s deadly winter storm and sweeping power outages.