With a month to go before people in other states starting voting on presidential candidates, we asked the insiders for their current take on those races. First things first: They don’t see much of a window for Gov. Rick Perry.
Politics
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The Waiting Game
Redistricting is right where we left it last week โ in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Hoping to Reform Justice System, Groups Look to Sunset Review
The Legislature will soon begin the so-called sunset review process for the Department of Criminal Justice and the Board of Pardons and Paroles. The review, as Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, has already attracted the attention of advocacy groups looking to change the state’s criminal justice system.
Different Date, Different Turnout, Different Result
The Texas primaries will be held on March 6 next year, with runoffs more than two months later, on May 22. Maybe. If the federal courts decide redistricting maps should be redrawn before the voting starts, some of those primary contests could be moved to May.
Inside Intelligence: Primary Election Issues
Candidates started filing for the primaries this week, so the latest nonscientific survey of political and government insiders focused on what will separate Republicans and Democrats in their respective primaries. And football, too.
Texplainer: Could Universities Be Put Under Sunset Review?
Could the stateโs public universities go through the so-called sunset review process, forcing them to periodically defend their existence to state legislators?
A Wobbly Starting Position for Texas Elections
Monday’s the day candidates can begin filing for office, and after a flurry of legal activity over the holidays, they now know what districts they’re seeking to represent. Probably.
Inside Intelligence: Who to Blame?
In which we asked in the insiders about redistricting and, separately, about Formula One racing in Texas.
Court Proposes New Congressional Maps for Texas
A panel of three federal judges in San Antonio proposed new congressional districts for Texas Wednesday. The map is a proposal; the court is seeking comments from the parties by noon Friday.
Pins and Needles
Holiday redistricting stories, not unusual things if you’ve watched this for a while, always start with three wise persons in the guise of federal judges. It’s super-sized this year, with six wise men, three in San Antonio and three in Washington.


