The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
Barry Smitherman, the only person to serve both on the Texas Railroad Commission and the state’s Public Utility Commission, will practice energy law at Vinson and Elkins, the international law firm announced Tuesday. Full Story
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Some state lawmakers are trying to cut Texas' energy use by encouraging demand response – programs under which utilities reward customers for powering down electricity guzzlers when demand peaks. Full Story
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Before it commits millions of dollars more to keep state troopers on the border, lawmakers need to know what DPS has accomplished during the border surge, a border legislator said Monday. Full Story
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A House committee on Monday approved legislation that would limit local control over oil and gas activities — a committee substitute for a bill that initially stirred anger in city halls across Texas. Full Story
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Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s New Hampshire debut, much like the rest of his first week as a candidate, demonstrated both the promise of his presidential candidacy and the potential hurdles facing his uphill campaign. Full Story
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As the Texas House prepares for a floor fight Tuesday over its budget, a flurry of amendments filed by Democrats seeks to defund the state's Alternatives to Abortion program. Full Story
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A budget amendment from San Antonio state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer will seek better accounting of discrimination complaints at universities, specifically cases involving fraternities and sororities. Full Story
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Lawmakers in the Texas House will have a chance to draw a line in the sand over private school vouchers during the upcoming battle over the budget Tuesday. Full Story
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A frustrated regulator's letter suggesting the state drop enforcement of its ethics laws might spark some legislative action. That would be a gift for Gov. Greg Abbott, who wants ethics to be a signature issue this session. Full Story
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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, eyeing a run for the White House in 2016, touted his fighting spirit and Midwestern thriftiness in a Saturday night speech to Harris County Republicans. Full Story
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At a Houston press conference Saturday, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker emphatically denied he recently shifted his stance on illegal immigration. Full Story
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Jon Wellinghoff, the former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chairman, talks about what looming federal climate regulations mean for Texas, whether the state should link its grid to others and how to incentivize energy conservation. Full Story
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University of Texas at Austin provost Gregory Fenves may not have always appeared to be the top choice in the search to replace UT-Austin President Bill Powers, but faculty leaders say he has the skills to thrive in the top spot. Full Story
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The hunt is on in Southeast Texas for a Democrat to challenge U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi. Full Story
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Efforts to ditch a law that allows some undocumented students to pay in-state college tuition appear to be on a fast track in the Senate, but key House leaders aren't on board with the idea. Full Story
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The debate over whether some Texas city drilling ordinances go too far has become a much-discussed issue during the Texas legislative session. Use our tool, with data from the Texas Municipal League, to see if your city has an ordinance. Full Story
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The Texas Tribune's Jay Root took a trip through New York City's Times Square to ask folks what they thought about U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, the first declared 2016 presidential candidate. The answers might surprise you. Full Story
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When Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker sets foot Friday in the Rio Grande Valley, it won't be your typical photo op on the border. Full Story
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Railroad Commissioner David Porter has kicked off an initiative to tout the benefits of natural gas, whose low price has benefited some power generators but bedeviled operators and other energy companies that bet big on it years ago. Full Story
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One thing you can say about East Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert is that reporters listen carefully to his every word. But he did not mean it when he said he might form an exploratory committee to run for president. Full Story
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