While the director of the Department of Public Safety and some state senators argue that X-ray machines and metal detectors are critical in the wake of a shooting at the Capitol, the Governor and others in the Legislature worry that a gamut of security hurdles would make the place unwelcoming to the public.
State Government
Stay informed on Texas state government with The Texas Tribune’s in-depth coverage of the governor, Legislature, state agencies, and policies shaping the future of Texas.
Posted inState Government
The Straight Story
One distinguishing feature of primary night is the absence of straight-ticket voting, which is why certain races that seem winnable now simply aren’t in the fall. Take Collin County, where straight-ticket ballots favored R’s over D’s on Election Day 2008 at a rate of 66 to 33 percent. A Democrat “has literally got to be Jesus Christ running against Judas or he loses,” an analyst says.
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T-Squared
T-Squared: Super Bowl Tuesday
We have a ton planned for our coverage of primary night, including something approaching real-time results, frenetically updated maps, and a crowdsourced liveblog. Let the game(s) begin!
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Public Education
SBOE 9: McLeroy Loses Seat to Ratliff
With all precincts reporting, State Board of Education incumbent Don McLeroy has lost to challenger Thomas Ratliff in the race for District 9 by a razor thin margin — less than 1,000 votes.
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State Government
2010: KBH is 28th Most Conservative Senator
National Journal says she’s more conservative than Alexander, Hatch, Murkowski, and a few others but less conservative than the vast majority of her colleagues.
Posted inState Government
2010: Farouk, Farouk, Farouk is on Fiah
Just in time for election day comes the release of a Farouk Shami-themed hip-hop song from the official campaign. This is not a parody.
Posted inState Government
Benefits and Drawbacks
U.S. Senator Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky, is blocking a federal spending bill that could keep some unemployed Texans from getting extended benefits, including subsidies for health insurance. Bunning wants lawmakers to make budget cuts elsewhere before passing the bill, which would also pay for transportation projects. Ben Philpott filed this report for KUT News and the Tribune.
Posted inState Government
2010: Reyna Redux
In a midnight move before tomorrow’s election, 10th Court of Appeals Justice Felipe Reyna fired the opening salvos of a defamation lawsuit against a Longview doctor and two political action committees supporting his GOP primary opponent, Al Scoggins.
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State Government
TribBlog: Perry Pardons Tim Cole
Gov. Rick Perry issued a posthumous pardon today for Tim Cole, who died in prison after he was wrongly convicted of rape.
Posted inState Government
The Great White Wait?
The Republicans in the governor’s race appear more likely to head into a runoff situation than the Democrats, which could leave Bill White waiting for six weeks for a GOP opponent. What’s he going to do with the spare time – if he gets it?