The Austin lawmaker now faces an uphill battle against Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the state’s second-highest executive, in November.
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.
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2026 Texas Elections
Paxton-backed Thomas Smith defeats Alison Fox in GOP runoff for Texas’ highest criminal court
The all-Republican Court of Criminal Appeals has undergone extensive turnover since AG Ken Paxton began targeting incumbent judges.
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2026 Texas Elections
Texas 2026 primary runoff election results for U.S. Senate, attorney general and more
Follow The Texas Tribune’s coverage of election results for the 2026 primary runoffs for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, attorney general, the Texas Legislature and other races.
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2026 Texas Elections
Texas’ raucous primary runoffs end today. Here’s what to watch.
John Cornyn is trying to fend off Ken Paxton. Both parties are picking attorney general nominees. And an oil and gas regulatory race has become uncharacteristically costly.
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2026 Texas Elections
House Democratic runoff heats up in the Rio Grande Valley, where the party hopes to reverse GOP gains
Texas House District 41 was opened by the retirement of Rep. Bobby Guerra, a Democrat. Donald Trump carried the district with 50.3% of the vote in 2024.
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Higher Education
UT System, community colleges complying with Texas’ DEI ban, auditors find
The state’s spot review found Texas public colleges were not using diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on campuses.
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State Government
Texas sues Discord, arguing online messaging platform endangered children, misled users
The lawsuit comes after a Galveston County family said their 13-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by a person she interacted with on the platform.
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Health care
500,000 fewer Texans are on SNAP as participation slips nationally
Advocates say the federal government’s new work requirements and immigration crackdown has limited food stamp participation. The state says the recent decline is part of normal fluctuations in enrollment.
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State Government
WhatsApp, Meta can access Texans’ private messages, AG Ken Paxton claims in lawsuit
The attorney general’s office argues WhatsApp and parent company Meta are deceiving users by claiming the companies can’t view their encrypted messages.
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Higher Education
Mock funeral mourns death of academic freedom before UT System updates rule on cutting programs
College students and professors are protesting with mock funerals across Texas, saying universities are dying from political interference. School officials say they’re responding to shifting needs.
