Speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival, Democratic Rep. Donna Howard acknowledged that Republicans have unified around Speaker Dustin Burrows to the point that he “may not need us” to retain the gavel.
Politics
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The 2025 Texas Tribune Festival
Watch: Bishop Michael Curry speaks at the 2025 Texas Tribune Festival
The former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church sits down with Ruth Graham of The New York Times at 12:45 p.m. Thursday.
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Congress
Fresh off defeating state THC ban, Texas hemp industry faces wipeout under federal deal to end shutdown
The issue roiled Texas politics earlier this year when Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a ban on THC products spearheaded by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
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2026 Texas Elections
Mike Collier to challenge Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick again — as an independent
Patrick has twice defeated Collier, who was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2018 and 2022.
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2026 Texas Elections
Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French announces run for Texas Railroad Commission
French will face commission Chair Jim Wright in the Republican primary. The three-person panel is in charge of the agency that oversees Texas’ oil and gas industry.
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Politics
Texas Head Start closures during government shutdown add to state’s child care woes
Hundreds of families lost child care when certain programs weren’t funded earlier this month, and scores more may be affected if Congress doesn’t fund the government by Dec. 1.
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Politics
President Donald Trump endorses Gov. Greg Abbott for reelection
The president praised Abbott for leading this year’s effort to redraw the state’s congressional maps to favor Republicans during the 2026 midterm elections.
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2026 Texas Elections
Former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell joins Texas Democrats seeking to unseat Gov. Greg Abbott
The one-time congressman faces an uphill battle against Abbott, who has amassed a nearly $90 million war chest for his reelection campaign.
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Politics
U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, who carried Trump’s tax and spending megabill, is retiring
The Lubbock Republican was first elected in 2016 and currently chairs the U.S. House Budget Committee.
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Courts
Texas Latino civic group sues to block AG Ken Paxton from shutting it down
Paxton accuses nonprofit Jolt of an “unlawful voter registration scheme,” but a legal filing provided no evidence that it registers noncitizens to vote.