MJ Hegar, Royce West spar on party loyalty, ethics in debate
The tense exchanges between the two Democrats marked a clear turning point in the race to take on Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. Full Story
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![Democratic U.S. Senate candidates MJ Hegar and State Sen. Royce West face off at KVUE’s Democratic U.S. Senate Primary debate on June 29, 2020.]()
Credit: Screenshot via KVUE -
The Texas GOP convention will gather thousands of people indoors without a mask requirement. One of its sponsors is the Texas Medical Association.
The Texas Medical Association, the state's largest medical group, said it is hopeful convention attendees will wear masks and practice social distancing. Full Story
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![Delegate Elizabeth Victory listens to discussions during the final afternoon of the Republican Party of Texas convention in San Antonio on June 16, 2018.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Texas city and county leaders ask Gov. Greg Abbott for authority to implement local stay-at-home orders
At the beginning of the pandemic, local officials across the state implemented stay-at-home orders for their regions. But now, with cases across Texas' metros surging, those leaders say Abbott has stripped them of the authority to reinstate the same measures. Full Story
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![Kroger pharmacists explain and collect self-swab COVID-19 tests at a testing site in the Fifth Ward in Houston on June 27, 2020.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Issues of race, policing dominate final stretch of Democratic runoff to face U.S. Sen. John Cornyn
MJ Hegar has long been the favorite in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, but state Sen. Royce West says the "stars have aligned" for him in recent weeks. Full Story
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![Sen. Royce West, D-Texas, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate MJ Hegar.]()
Credit: Texas Tribune -
Supreme Court affirms abortion protections, strikes down Louisiana abortion law
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana law Monday that would have curtailed access to abortions in the state. It was nearly identical to a measure the court overturned in Texas in 2016. Full Story
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![The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on May 28, 2020.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Graeme Sloan -
Texas Republicans move forward with plans for an indoor convention in Houston, the state's biggest coronavirus hot spot
Gov. Greg Abbott is allowing limits on outdoor crowds — but not indoor gatherings. His party's convention — with an expected attendance of 6,000 — so far will not require attendees to wear face masks. Full Story
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![Delegates listen to speeches from party chairman candidates and offer procedural votes at the Republican Party of Texas convention in San Antonio on June 15, 2018.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Sudden shutdown of Texas bars leaves owners, employees (and patrons) uncertain about the future
Bars had to shut down by noon Friday after a statewide surge in coronavirus infections that officials said was largely driven by activities like congregating in close spaces. There’s no immediate plan for when they’ll be able to reopen. Full Story
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![Workers boarded up bars on Sixth Street in Austin after Gov. Greg Abbott closed bars in Texas for the second time in three months because of the COVID-19 pandemic on June 26, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Pence following through with visit to Dallas church as pandemic rages
The vice president was already scheduled to speak Sunday at First Baptist Dallas, though his trip is taking on a more somber tone as the state scrambles to respond to what Gov. Greg Abbott has described as a "massive outbreak" of coronavirus cases. Full Story
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![Vice President Mike Pence spoke to a crowd of supporters during a campaign event for U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions' re-election bid, at the Park Cities Hilton in Dallas Oct. 8, 2018.]()
Credit: Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson for The Texas Tribune -
Early voting starts Monday for the primary runoff in Texas. Here’s what you need to know.
Texans will be voting in the middle of a pandemic on congressional, legislative and state board seats. Full Story
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![Super Tuesday voting lines at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center near downtown Houston on March 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Some Texas cities revive plans to add hospital bed capacity at convention centers if coronavirus cases climb
“The setting will be similar to a Medical-Surgical Unit with a capability of treating critical care patients," reads a description for a 100-bed site in Austin, according to an email obtained by The Texas Tribune. Full Story
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![A look inside an intensive care unit during a media tour of a medical shelter at NRG Park in Houston on April 11, 2020. The facility was built in less than a week for a possible overflow of COVID-19 in the greater Houston area.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Criminal case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will return to his native Collin County, judge rules
Paxton, a Republican, was indicted in 2015 on felony securities fraud charges, but the case has yet to go to trial as side battles persist over the venue where he will be tried and the amount the special prosecutors will be paid. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at a press conference in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016.]()
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Gov. Greg Abbott keeps businesses open despite surging coronavirus cases and rising deaths in Texas
“We can protect Texans’ lives while also restoring their livelihoods,” Abbott said this week. As cases surge, the question has become: How many Texans’ lives? Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott gives an update on Texas hospital bed capacity and state's strategy for fighting COVID-19 during a press conference at Texas Department of Public Safety in Austin on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.]()
Credit: Ricardo B. Brazziell/Pool via Austin American-Statesman -
Gov. Greg Abbott pauses Texas’ reopening, bans elective surgeries in four counties
For a second time since the start of the pandemic, Abbott banned elective surgeries to preserve bed space for coronavirus patients. But this time the hold on the nonessential procedures is only in effect for Bexar, Dallas, Harris and Travis counties. Full Story
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![The Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Hillcrest hospital in Waco on March 25, 2020.]()
Credit: Angela Piazza for The Texas Tribune -
Federal court tosses suit brought by Texas Democrats seeking to revive straight-ticket voting
Siding with the state, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo found that Democrats lacked standing to overturn Texas Republicans’ decision to kill straight-ticket voting ahead of the November general election. Full Story
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![Super Tuesday voting lines at the Metropolitan Multi Service Center near downtown Houston on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Coronavirus patients crowd some Texas ICUs as Gov. Greg Abbott touts "abundant" hospital capacity
Regionally, some hospital officials are reporting that intensive care units are near or over capacity, and local leaders have warned that hospitals could get overwhelmed if the number of infections keeps climbing. Full Story
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![One of two surgical suites at Eastland Memorial Hospital.]()
Credit: Gary Rhodes for The Texas Tribune -
Running for Congress while responding to a pandemic, these three Texans say they’re uniquely equipped for the job
Three Texas doctors didn’t know about the coronavirus when they filed to run for Congress this year, but now the pandemic has upended their professional and political lives. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar calls Gov. Greg Abbott's leadership during coronavirus "a total failure"
During an interview with The Texas Tribune, Escobar, D-El Paso, said the state's leadership missed an opportunity to implement robust testing when an emergency was declared. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, speaks during a House Judiciary Committee markup of Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 12, 2019.]()
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Texas is heading down a dangerous path, local leaders warn as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations surge
When Gov. Greg Abbott let businesses start reopening, he pointed to two metrics as encouraging signs: the hospitalization rate and the infection rate. Both of those metrics are on the rise in Texas. Full Story
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![COVID-19 test samples are organized into coolers at a mobile testing site at Uhland Elementary School in Uhland on June 18, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Empower Texans opponents rush to exact revenge over anti-Abbott tirade
The release last week of audio of two Empower Texans staffers disparaging Gov. Greg Abbott with profanity and jokes about his disability became nearly instant fodder in the fast-approaching runoffs. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott gives an update on Texas hospital bed capacity and the state's strategy for fighting COVID-19 during a press conference at Texas Department of Public Safety in Austin on Tuesday, June 16, 2020.]()
Credit: Ricardo B. Brazziell/Pool via Austin American-Statesman -
Gov. Greg Abbott says he supports making to-go alcohol sales permanent in Texas
State Rep. Tan Parker said he will file a bill in the upcoming legislative session to extend to-go alcohol sales past the coronavirus pandemic. The Texas Restaurant Association also has asked Abbott to expand the waiver to allow mixed drinks with liquor to be prepared, resealed and sold. Full Story
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![Customers, one wearing a mask, enjoy drinks and dinner at B.D. Riley's Irish Pub on West 6th Street as Texas bars reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic. May 22, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
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