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Republican Party Of Texas

The latest Republican Party Of Texas news from The Texas Tribune.

  • 2010: What's on the Special?

    By Ross Ramsey

    Voters in Central Texas, Dallas and Plano will get to vote for the third month in a row in May, in special elections for the Texas House and Senate. Three officeholders — Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, and Reps. Terri Hodge, D-Dallas, and Brian McCall, R-Plano — resigned before their terms were up. Today was the deadline for candidate filing. Full Story 

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  • The Runoffs: HD-83

    By Ross Ramsey

    Delwin Jones, who was first elected to the Texas House in 1964 after two unsuccessful attempts, says he has handed out 765,000 promotional emery boards since his start in politics. His tenure and those files weren't enough to win a bruising primary outright last month, though, and the veteran legislator now finds himself in a runoff against Tea Party organizer Charles Perry, who's capitalizing on voter anger at incumbents. Full Story 

    Rep. Delwin Jones (standing) talks to voters in a Lubbock diner.
    Credit: Ross Ramsey

  • The Runoffs: HD-14

    By Emily Ramshaw

    "The 2011 session is no time to test the learning curve a freshman member," says state Rep. Fred Brown, R-College Station. But former Brazos County Tax Assessor-Collector Gerald "Buddy" Winn thinks new leadership is precisely what this Central Texas House district needs — even if he's "not the shiniest penny in the pile." Full Story 

    Gerald "Buddy" Winn and Fred Brown

  • The Runoffs: HD-84

    By Ross Ramsey

    The runoff between John Frullo and Mark Griffin shares one important characteristic with the adjacent race in HD-83: It pits inside-the-tent Lubbock Republicans against a coalition of social and libertarian conservatives who are distinctly unhappy with government in Washington and Texas. In that frame, Frullo's the insurgent and Griffin represents the establishment. Full Story 

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    Credit: Ross Ramsey

  • The Runoffs: CD-17

    By Emily Ramshaw

    It's money versus geography and name ID in the race between the two top finishers in the five-way GOP primary in this conservative-leaning congressional district. The winner will face U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco. Full Story 

    CD-17 Republican candidates Rob Curnock of Waco and Bill Flores of Bryan

  • The Runoffs: HD-127

    By Reeve Hamilton

    Primary night was humming along swimmingly for Humble school board president Dan Huberty, and after the early vote he seemed headed to victory. Then the numbers dipped and his fortunes changed, and now he's in a heated GOP run-off with Dr. Susan Curling. As another Election Day draws closer, the contest is getting personal. Full Story 

    Dan Huberty and Susan Curling

  • Redistricting Reality

    By Ross Ramsey

    In 2011, political mapmakers will take the latest census numbers (Texas is expected to have a population of more than 25 million) and use them to draw new congressional and legislative districts. The last time this was done, in 2003, Republican mappers took control of the U.S. House by peeling away seats from the Democrats. This time, Texas is poised to add up to four seats to its congressional delegation — and early numbers indicate bad news ahead for West Texas and other areas that haven't kept up with the state's phenomenal growth. Full Story 

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    Credit: Matt Stiles

  • The Runoffs: SBOE District 10

    By Abby Rapoport

    One candidate touts her education policy expertise; the other, his conservative political credentials. This race for retiring incumbent Cynthia Dunbar's seat on the State Board of Education may come down to campaign money vs. Christian grassroots muscle. Full Story 

    Marsha Farney and Brian Russell
    Credit: Graphic by Abby Rapoport

  • The Runoffs: HD-47

    By Ben Philpott, KUT News

    Republicans in southwest Travis County still need to choose between Paul Workman and Holly Turner before setting their sights on State Rep. Valinda Bolton, D-Austin, in November. Ben Philpott, covering the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune, filed this report. Full Story 

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  • The SBOE vs. Itself

    By Abby Rapoport

    When no one was paying attention to the State Board of Education, the theory goes, the reelection of incumbents was virtually assured, just as it is in any down-ballot races. Now that its controversial doings are the stuff of national headlines, change is in the air. Or is it? Full Story 

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    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

  • The Elefante in the Room

    By Brian Thevenot

    Railroad Commission Chairman Victor Carrillo, a seven-year incumbent with a background in the industry he regulates, got trounced in the GOP primary on Tuesday by an unknown, David Porter, who spent little money on the race. He's not the only one who thinks his Hispanic surname cost him his job. Full Story 

    Victor Carillo, David Porter

  • Carrillo: Hispanic Surname Caused Election Loss

    By Brian Thevenot

    "Early polling showed that the typical GOP primary voter has very little info about the position of Railroad Commissioner, what we do, or who my opponent or I were. Given the choice between “Porter” and “Carrillo” — unfortunately, the Hispanic-surname was a serious setback from which I could never recover." Full Story 

    Railroad Commission Victor Carrillo

  • HD-102: With Most Precincts In, Carter Way Ahead

    By Emily Ramshaw

    Former Collin County prosecutor Stefani Carter appears to have handily defeated Geoffrey Bailey, a consultant to T. Boone Pickens, in the District 102 Republican primary. With 92 percent of precincts in, she has 75 percent of the vote. It looks like she'll be running against incumbent Democratic Rep. Carol Kent in the general election. Full Story 

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    Credit: courtesy Stefani Carter campaign

  • HD-101: Burkett Wins, Narrowly Avoids Runoff

    By Emily Ramshaw

    Mesquite businesswoman Cindy Burkett narrowly avoided a runoff in the District 101 Republican primary, winning just over 50 percent of the vote to defeat former Mesquite Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Greg Noschese and former state Rep. Thomas Latham. She will face freshman Democratic Rep. Robert Miklos in November. Full Story 

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  • SD-22: Averitt, In Spite of Himself

    By Ross Ramsey

    Waco state Sen. Kip Averitt, who doesn't want to serve another term and didn't lift a finger or spend a dime to win the Republican primary, is nevertheless leading in incomplete returns. His challenger, Darren Yancy of Burleson, was lagging by almost two-to-one with well over half of the precincts counted. Full Story 

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  • The Straight Story

    By Reeve Hamilton

    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. Full Story 

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    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller