The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
Straight-ticket voting is usually an advantage for the majority party, which is one reason why a Republican Texas Legislature has left that voting law in place in spite of steady attempts to change it. But what if the person at the top of the ballot is unpopular? Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro on Thursday lost his battle with Congressional Republicans that want to stop the U.S. Library of Congress from removing controversial immigration terms from its search headings. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Ted Poe took to the House floor on Thursday to denounce the “pathetic” sentencing of Stanford sexual assailant Brock Turner and to demand the removal of the judge who oversaw the case. Full Story
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Standing on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday morning that his office launched a lawsuit against Delaware over millions of dollars he argued are owed to Texas and 20 other states. Full Story
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There are now 12 Texas cities with a population of more than 100,000 that have some rules or legislation in place to protect residents or city employees based on sexual orientation or gender identity. See how those protections compare. Full Story
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The city of Mesquite earlier this week joined the short list of Texas cities that protect city employees from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. We've updated the Tribune's comparison of nondiscrimination protections in the state. Full Story
U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, a Bryan Republican, said Wednesday he won't formally endorse his party's nominee, real estate magnate Donald Trump, but he does plan to vote for him. Full Story
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Donald Trump on Wednesday ruled out picking former rival Rick Perry as his running mate but said there could still be a role for the former Texas governor in a Trump administration. Full Story
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Lobbyists for doctors' groups and the telemedicine industry hope to hammer out a compromise over the state's rules governing long-distance health care by the end of the summer. Full Story
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“Shut up” is nearly always a terrible response. It escalates a disagreement. It’s obnoxious. It hardly ever works. It is a clear signal that someone is losing the argument, their patience — or both. Full Story
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The Travis County GOP has voted to limit the power of incoming chairman Robert Morrow, a controversial figure whose surprise election earlier this year shook up local politics in Texas' fifth-largest county. Full Story
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Decades after Nazis confiscated paintings and artwork from thousands of Holocaust victims, Texas Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn are setting aside their fractious relationship and trying to make it easier for descendants to recover heirlooms. Full Story
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The Texas-based judge that earlier this year put a hold on President Obama’s executive order on immigration decided on Tuesday to also suspend a controversial punishment he had recently issued to the administration’s attorneys. Full Story
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Funding to combat the Zika virus. Restructuring Puerto Rico's debt. And, oh yeah, keeping the government running. Congress has a short period to tackle some big issues. In nearly every battle, Texans are playing major roles. Full Story
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Slowly but surely, Republican donors in Texas are beginning to come around to the man who bested many of their favorite presidential candidates, including the state's junior senator. Full Story
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Texas' top Senate Republicans on Monday upped the urgency on federal policymakers to do something about the Zika virus. Full Story
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Donald Trump is making his first trip to Texas as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela unleashed on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in an open letter Monday morning. Full Story
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Before Texas Republicans can become evangelists for their presidential nominee, they’re going to have to reconcile themselves to Donald Trump. Full Story
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Attorney General Ken Paxton's office is seeking to silence a former official who claims his bosses nixed a lawsuit in 2010 against Trump University. Full Story
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