Texans from Waco to Harlingen are raising concerns over how much energy and water data centers are poised to use. Local officials, some enticed by a tax boon, say they have little power to stop the rush.
Politics
Stay informed with The Texas Tribune’s in-depth political coverage, including Texas elections, state government, policy debates, and the leaders shaping the future of the state.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
In Senate Democratic primary fraught with racial tensions, Black voters could be decisive
Jasmine Crockett has built enormous enthusiasm among Black voters based in part on her reputation as a fighter, while her opponent in the Texas primary, James Talarico, has struggled to win their support.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Trump lawyer sends cease-and-desist letter to Brandon Herrera over use of president’s image in campaign ad
The letter says Herrera’s mailer depicting him next to the president “is inconsistent with President Trump’s unequivocal endorsement” of Rep. Tony Gonzales in the GOP primary for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
In a contest to regulate Texas’s oil and gas industry, one Republican wants to talk DEI and China
Jim Wright, the GOP incumbent, and several other Republican candidates dismissed Bo French’s campaign rhetoric as distracting from the Railroad Commission’s mission.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals primaries: Who is running and what to know
The criminal court decides death penalty case appeals and rules on petitions for those who believe they’ve been wrongfully detained. Here’s a look at who’s running for the court’s three seats on the 2026 ballot.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
“Rule follower”: In GOP primary, Joan Huffman promises to bring law and order to the attorney general’s office
Huffman is running on her criminal prosecution experience and allegiance to the rule of law, cutting a contrast with her opponents who are emphasizing a continuation of Paxton’s culture war battles.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Former Elon Musk lawyer emerges as frontrunner in GOP primary for Michael McCaul’s congressional seat
Ten Republicans, including Trump-endorsed attorney Chris Gober, are competing for the red-leaning 10th Congressional District in Central Texas.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
Rep. James Talarico raises $7.4 million in first six weeks of 2026 in bid for U.S. Senate
Talarico’s haul, announced days before early voting, already outpaces what he raised over the last three months of last year.
Posted in
Health care
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Snapchat over accusations of inappropriate content and addictiveness
The lawsuit against the multimedia messaging app’s company is just one in a series of actions that the state has taken against social media companies.
Posted in
Immigration
Trump administration is sending pregnant migrant girls to Texas shelter criticized as medically inadequate
Government sources and advocates for the children worry the goal is to concentrate them in Texas, where abortion is banned.