With proposed maps out, U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, says he might switch to a neighboring district where U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, is retiring. The initial maps are also sure to impact decisions in regional legislative races.
Demographics
Explore population trends, diversity, and data shaping Texas communities, politics, and policy.
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Demographics
The Karankawa were said to be extinct. Now they’re reviving their culture — and fighting to protect their ancestors’ land.
Historians long thought the Karankawa people had disappeared. But now a group of descendants is fighting to protect a coastal area — where thousands of Karankawa artifacts were found — from an encroaching oil export facility.
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Redistricting Texas
Analysis: In the drive to get new Texas political maps, racial representation takes a back seat
Republican lawmakers in Texas are trying to make the most of their majority, drawing new political maps to preserve their political dynasty. The maps they’ve proposed would do that, but don’t represent the state’s population.
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Redistricting Texas
Analysis: Texas government won’t represent the state’s population unless its political maps do
The Texas Legislature is drawing new political maps to reflect the growth of the state recorded in the 2020 census. But their initial proposals don’t look like the state demographically or politically.
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Demographics
How a Black high school principal was swept into a “critical race theory” maelstrom in a mostly white Texas suburb
James Whitfield was put on paid leave about a month after being accused of teaching critical race theory. His future could soon be decided after an evidentiary hearing where he can argue his case to the school board.
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Demographics
Texas sues Biden administration over guidance saying transgender workers can use bathroom of their choice
A federal document also says that misusing a person’s preferred pronouns could be considered harassment in some instances. Texas Republican officials have tried to pass state laws targeting transgender people’s access to bathrooms and school sports teams.
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Redistricting Texas
Texas Republicans have the redistricting tools to preserve their power. Here’s how they can do it.
Lawmakers must redraw the state’s political maps to account for a decade’s worth of growth, but the process leaves enough room for political manipulation. Here’s how it’ll work.
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Redistricting Texas
In a changing Texas, Republicans will begin redistricting with more freedom to draw their maps
Facing demographic changes that work against their political dominance, Republicans will be able to redraw politically advantageous maps — and shield themselves from the change — without federal oversight for the first time in decades.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: Population changes the recipe for Texas’ political soup
Not every change in the state’s political maps starts with party affiliation. Geography and population are giving Republican mapmakers new headaches.
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Texas Legislature 2021
GOP bill targeting how race, slavery and history are taught in Texas schools heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk
Before the second special session ended, lawmakers sent the GOP-backed bill for the governor’s signature.