Mental health experts expect the July 4 floods have resulted in post-traumatic stress disorder, unhealthy hypervigilance and recurring thoughts on disasters among campers.
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.
Texas AG Ken Paxton sues a second state agency over rules he says discriminate on religious grounds
Paxton, who is running to unseat fellow Republican John Cornyn in the U.S. Senate, has vowed to strike down Texas laws that “undermine religious liberty.”
Webb County judge disputes allegation that he violated federal law to dodge Texas’ resign-to-run rule
Tano Tijerina, the top elected official in a county that includes Laredo, is expected to seek the GOP nomination in Texas’ 28th Congressional District, long held by Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar.
Speaker Johnson defends Crenshaw after he was reportedly banned from congressional overseas travel
Punchbowl News reported that the Houston congressman was banned from taxpayer-funded travel for 90 days after toasting a Mexican official who made an inappropriate joke.
Texas is getting far less in federal money for broadband expansion than expected
Rural leaders who have worked years to improve broadband access said they were disappointed by the sharp decrease in federal dollars.
Gov. Greg Abbott, long a defender of states’ rights, embraces Trump’s push to expand presidential power
Defending Texas sovereignty has been central to Abbott’s political identity. Yet he has helped Trump erode states’ authority over elections, policing and deploying the National Guard.
Supreme Court temporarily restores Texas’ new congressional map
The administrative ruling is a first step before the court decides whether to pause the use of the 2025 map, drawn to increase GOP seats in the U.S. House, for the rest of the legal battle.
Ken Paxton fights to keep divorce records private, accuses press of invading his personal life
A group of eight media organizations, including the Texas Newsroom and The Texas Tribune, asked that the divorce records be unsealed.
Greg Abbott vows to spend mightily to turn Harris County red
The county, which includes Houston, is critical to both parties’ statewide ambitions, but has been blue for about decade.
Abbott, Republican lawmakers’ comments cited in court order overturning Texas’ congressional gerrymander
Judge Jeffrey Brown pointed to comments from the governor and GOP legislators as the basis for his ruling that the new map can’t be used in 2026.


