The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
In three statewide Republican runoff races, candidates who have aligned themselves to the right of their opponents are poised to capture the party's nomination despite fielding significant blows from their opponents, including forays into mental health records from three decades ago and a potentially disqualifying violation of state securities law. Full Story
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House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, enters the next legislative session as a clear favorite for re-election, but the issues raised in the conservative wave in this year's elections could dominate the Legislature's calendar. Full Story
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Confirmation came down from the White House on Thursday night that San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro will be announced on Friday as President Obama's choice to be the next secretary of housing and urban development. Full Story
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A comparison of pay in the state attorney general's offices in California and Texas reveals gender discrepancies at both agencies, but shows the pay of female lawyers at the Texas agency fell further behind their male colleagues. Full Story
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Farmers and ranchers in Texas are in trouble, according to recently-released data, but the candidates for Texas agriculture commissioner are talking more about conservative credentials and pot than farming woes. Full Story
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A Native American tribe has added a new layer to the border wall debate. Lipan Apaches allege the fence discriminates against them because they've been forced to give up some tribal land to accommodate it. Full Story
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A lawmaker involved in the House's investigation of UT System Regent Wallace Hall said the process of drafting articles of impeachment could take months. Also, Gov. Rick Perry gave his most forceful defense to date of his appointee to the university system's governing board. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and his challenger Dan Patrick went head to head Tuesday night in a debate hosted by the Central Texas Tea Party. The debate followed last week's release of Patrick's medical records and the ensuing political firestorm over it. Full Story
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In their last matchup before the primary runoff, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and the man running to replace him, state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, steered clear of the rancor that has erupted in the race recently. Watch the full debate here. Full Story
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In the Republican race for attorney general, state Sen. Ken Paxton is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to tell voters his opponent, state Rep. Dan Branch, is too liberal. Branch is buying airtime to question Paxton's ethics. Full Story
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David Dewhurst and Dan Patrick, the Republican candidates for lieutenant governor, gave one last surprise in their final debate before the May 27 primary runoff election — a largely civil debate that avoided mention of the personal attacks that have come to dominate the last few weeks. Full Story
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In closing arguments to voters Tuesday night, incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and his challenger, state Sen. Dan Patrick, avoided much of the spitefulness that has characterized the Republican contest. Full Story
Nationally, the Tea Party may have lost some strength since its rise four years ago. But in Texas, one large Tea Party organization has joined forces with other conservative groups to try to become the dominant voice in Texas Republican politics. Full Story
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As Mexico plans to deploy federal forces to a border state to quell a rash of violence there, U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela says a U.S. endorsement will help the strategy succeed. But analysts have some serious concerns about the strategy. Full Story
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The nasty tone of the GOP lieutenant governor's race is not new in Texas politics — just think back to when Jim Mattox and Ann Richards faced off in the 1990 Democratic runoff for governor. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst seemed of two minds on Monday in his treatment of former rival Jerry Patterson's decision to give media outlets court documents detailing his runoff opponent Dan Patrick's treatment in the 1980s for depression. Full Story
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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst reiterated Monday that his campaign was not responsible for the release of GOP runoff opponent Dan Patrick’s medical records, though he stopped short of saying the information was irrelevant. Full Story
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The election year doesn't end until the first Tuesday in November, but in the Texas Legislature, most of the competition is over, and lawmakers can dig into issues otherwise too dangerous for political season. Full Story
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The news over the weekend that San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro is being considered for the post of housing and urban development secretary has people in Texas and D.C. wondering how this rearranges the electoral chessboard for 2016 and beyond. Full Story
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Jay Kimbrough, a longtime adviser to Gov. Rick Perry and the point man for state agency crises through two Republican administrations, remains in serious condition following a Friday motorcycle accident. Full Story
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