As DOGE rips through the federal government, Texans wonder what it means for them
Dozens of federal offices were expected to close in Texas, but the reality continues to shift. Full Story
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![Downtown Nacogdoches on October 3, 2022 in Nacogdoches.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
National Democrats to target GOP Rep. Monica De La Cruz’s South Texas district in 2026
The battlefield for both parties is again converging on South Texas, where De La Cruz scored one of the GOP’s high-profile wins last year when she secured a second term. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Edinburg, waves to supporters after declaring victory against Democratic opponent Michelle Vallejo at an election watch party in Edinburg on Nov. 5, 2024.]()
Credit: Ben Lowy for The Texas Tribune -
Renewable energy companies face little regulation in Texas. A state lawmaker wants to change that.
The legislation would put new requirements on wind and solar companies that oil and gas companies in Texas do not face. Full Story
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![Landon Terry unloads feed from his ranger for the sheep he tends to at the Enel solar farm in Haskell County on Oct. 20, 2023.]()
Credit: Trace Thomas for The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ clarifying abortion bill draws criticism
While Democrats and abortion access advocates pushed to ensure pregnant women aren’t criminalized, some conservatives questioned whether this bill is needed. Full Story
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![An empty emergency room at Goodall-Witcher Hospital in Clifton on August 3, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott sets Nov. 4 special election to fill U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner’s seat
The decision to wait until November means a narrowly divided Congress will be down a Democratic representative for most of 2025. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott addresses the Federalist Society during an event at The University of Texas Law School in Austin on April 3, 2025.]()
Credit: Kaylee Greenlee for The Texas Tribune -
Eagle Pass park reopens more than a year after the state seized it for border security
The Texas Department of Public Safety and National Guard presence has largely disappeared from Shelby Park, which sits next to the Rio Grande. Full Story
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![Operation Lone Star activity at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass on Jan. 18, 2024.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas Republicans take aim at public transit in two major cities
The Texas Legislature is considering bills that transit officials warn could hamper public transportation in the Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth regions. Full Story
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![A Dart bus lies idle at a stop near Westmoreland Station in Dallas on Feb. 2, 2020.]()
Credit: Duy Vu for The Texas Tribune -
Attorney General Ken Paxton’s former aides win $6.6 million in whistleblower case
Paxton vowed to appeal the “bogus ruling” that found he improperly fired the four plaintiffs after they reported him to the FBI on allegations of corruption. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at the Republican Party of Texas Convention in San Antonio on May 23, 2024..]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Cruz says a trade war would cost jobs, spur prices and be terrible for Texas
The Texas senator also highlights a potential “upside,” saying the Trump tariffs could entice other countries to negotiate lower trade barriers. Full Story
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![Chairman U.S. Sen Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks at a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing with CEO of Boeing Kelly Ortberg in the Dirksen Senate office building in Washington, D.C., on April 2, 2025.]()
Credit: Annabelle Gordon/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
San Antonio cannot fund trips for abortion, court rules
Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the city in April after it approved $100,000 to help residents travel out of the state for abortions. Full Story
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![Pedestrians walk by La Antorcha de la Amistad sculpture in downtown San Antonio on Nov. 2, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Tariffs creating uncertainty in Texas as report shows slower revenue growth since late 2024
Respondents to a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas survey expressed concern about a reduction in consumer demand and a potential recession. Full Story
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![A parklet with diners outside of City Tavern along Elm Street in downtown Dallas near the Santander Tower, on Nov. 07, 2023. Texas metros have a glut of vacant offices space driven by the rise of remote work, overbuilding and other factors during the pandemic. One option companies are doing to combat the changes, is to convert office space into residential housing.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton’s legal woes are lifting, clearing a path for a likely Senate run
The federal criminal investigation into corruption allegations was the most serious inquiry Paxton faced. Its end nearly clears his slate of numerous legal battles. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP Convention Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott touts his influence on Texas courts to conservative law group
Abbott’s closed-door address to the Federalist Society at UT Law Thursday drew peaceful protests. Full Story
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![From left: University of Texas Interim President Jim Davis, Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Law Federalist Society President Jordan Lamb participate in an event at The University of Texas Law School in Austin on April 3, 2025.]()
Credit: Kaylee Greenlee for The Texas Tribune -
Lubbock’s public health director fights to stop measles and build public trust
Katherine Wells was celebrated early during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then public health became a political litmus test. Full Story
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![Director of Public Health Katherine Wells, MPH, looks through one of the vaccine logs that show who and when vaccines were given. Wells and her staff are working to stem the measles outbreak in the Lubbock area as well as throughout Texas. Wells was in the City of Lubbock Health Department Monday afternoon, Mar. 17, 2025.]()
Credit: Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune -
Justice Department declined to prosecute Ken Paxton in final weeks of Biden’s term, AP sources say
The federal investigation had been the most serious inquiry still facing Paxton, who settled a securities fraud case and was acquitted of corruption charges in the Texas Senate in 2023 following a historic impeachment. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at a press conference in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025.]()
Credit: Luke Johnson for The Texas Tribune -
The Dan Patrick Show: How to build an audience — and political power
In an interview, the lieutenant governor talks about his recent pop-up investigations and how he uses storytelling to make a political point. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick leads a press conference on bail reform, an emergency item this legislative session, on Feb. 12, 2025.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ Rio Grande Valley didn’t see last week’s historic storms coming
The region is still cleaning up after last week's storms in which at least six people died. Full Story
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![Floodwaters in Primera, Texas, on the morning of March 28, 2025.]()
Credit: Cameron County Constable PCT 5 -
Officer previously accused of excessive force confirmed for state board by Texas Senate
One Senate Democrat joined Republicans, providing the margin needed to approve Justin Berry to the state law-enforcement board. Full Story
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![Former Austin Police officer Justin Berry holds a weapon with non-lethal rounds during a protest in front of Austin City Hall on May 31, 2020. The protestors had gathered in response to the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
How couriers changed the playing field of the Texas Lottery
Lottery couriers have gained newfound scrutiny in Texas after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick raised questions about the use of a courier to sell an $83.5 million jackpot ticket. Full Story
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![Texas Lottery cards in a 7-Eleven in Central Austin on Feb 20, 2025.]()
Credit: Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribune -
Bill requiring voters to show proof of citizenship clears Texas Senate
Senate Bill 16 would create new barriers for voters and new burdens for election officials. Full Story
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![Voters visit the White Oak Community Center during the first day of early voting on Monday October 21, 2024, in White Oak.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune