The latest politics news from The Texas Tribune.
Agriculture commissioner candidate Kinky Friedman argues that marijuana legalization is the future of Texas. But for farmers in states where growing it is legal, the crop has come with a new set of problems. Full Story
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Gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott says he's looking “to make Texas the No. 1 education system in the United States within 10 years.” He has to find a way to suggest improvements while not criticizing his ally Rick Perry. Full Story
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The Dallas Morning News has taken another look at wage disparities between men and women, this time expanding the focus to look at trends across the country and not just in Texas. Full Story
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Members of Texas' congressional delegation say they got closer than ever this year to fixing a federal Medicare formula that leaves doctors threatened with payment cuts annually. Full Story
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The focus of the governor's race swung back to public education on Monday with GOP candidate Greg Abbott rolling out a pre-K proposal in a Weslaco elementary school. Full Story
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Announcing the first of his education policy proposals Monday, Greg Abbott called for reforming pre-kindergarten programs before expanding access, saying that additional funding should be tied to academic outcomes. Full Story
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UPDATED: Dallas attorney Ray Hutchison, a former legislator, gubernatorial candidate and husband of former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, has died, sources said Monday morning. He was 81. Full Story
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For the first time on the border, the National Guard is teaming up with the Border Patrol in Laredo to help rid the city of dwellings that were once havens for drugs and smuggling. Full Story
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Delegates to the GOP state convention in June could find themselves with another big immigration battle on their hands. Full Story
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Neither Greg Abbott nor Wendy Davis has spent much time talking about the energy industry and regulations. But Texans should have little trouble distinguishing their positions. Full Story
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Texas voters don't like property taxes, and Republican Glenn Hegar has said he favors eliminating them. His opponent in the comptroller's race, Mike Collier, is talking up the likely result: a huge increase in sales tax. Full Story
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The absence of big-dollar Democratic donor Mikal Watts is starting to draw notice. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke has filed a bill that would establish increased oversight committee for Border Patrol agents when it comes to use of force, training and community engagement. Full Story
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Health reform advocates in Texas say they will continue to focus on enrolling individuals in the federal health insurance marketplace by the original Monday deadline despite an extension for certain applications that was announced this week. Full Story
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Executives with the electric carmaker Tesla Motors met on Wednesday with government officials in San Antonio, according to the San Antonio Express-News, a development sure to spur further talk about Texas' odds of landing the company's $5 billion battery plant. Full Story
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Amid debate over whether plastic bag bans violate the state's health and safety laws, Dallas on Wednesday became the largest city in Texas to pass an ordinance restricting use of the bags. Full Story
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The release of more than 2,000 email documents by the University of Texas System to news outlets is providing a fuller — albeit heavily redacted — picture of the various conflicts between regents and administrators. Full Story
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Tar balls from Saturday's spill of 168,000 gallons of fuel oil in into Galveston Bay began to wash ashore on Monday as officials assessed the long-term effects of the accident. Full Story
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Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis on Monday renewed her attack on her Republican opponent, Greg Abbott, for his opposition to a Texas version of the federal Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Full Story
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A handful of candidates seeking election this year are trying to win the favor of some of the same voters who previously voted them out of office. Full Story
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