Texas Legislature

In First Ad, Rival Hits Carona as "Career Politician"

By Evan Smith Nov. 29, 2013

In the first ad of his campaign to unseat state Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, businessman Donald Huffines slams the 22-year incumbent for being a "career politician." Full Story
Guest Column: The 2013 Senate, From Left to Right

By Mark P. Jones Nov. 26, 2013

How Texas state senators rank, from liberal to conservative, based on nearly 1,000 nonlopsided votes during the regular and special legislative sessions in 2013. Full Story

Credit: Tommy LaVergne of Rice University
Newsreel: Perry on Immigration, New LCRA Leader, VDP for Lite Guv

By Justin Dehn Nov. 23, 2013

This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: Gov. Rick Perry says the Mexican energy industry may solve America's immigration problems, the LCRA gets a new leader and state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte signals she's running for lieutenant governor. Full Story
A Private Battle Over Ethics Goes Public

By Ross Ramsey Nov. 22, 2013

What had been a private battle over whether and when a nonprofit political group has to register as a lobbyist — or list the donors to its political purse — is slowly edging toward public hearings. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Texas Weekly Newsreel: Voting, Polling and Fracking

By Justin Dehn Nov. 9, 2013

This week in the Newsreel: The voting is over for now, the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll is out, and a statewide candidate questions the loyalty of anyone who loves Texas but hates fracking. Full Story
Democrats Martinez, Willis Enter Senate District 10 Race

By Alexa Ura Nov. 9, 2013

After months of speculation, two Democratic candidates have emerged to campaign for the contested Senate District 10 seat Sen. Wendy Davis has vacated to run for governor. Libby Willis and Mike Martinez have officially entered the race. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
UT/TT Poll: Cruz Still Earning Top Marks From Conservatives

By Ross Ramsey Nov. 5, 2013

After his part in the federal government shutdown, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is still very popular with Texas Republicans and remains their top pick in the 2016 presidential pack, according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
Lawmaker Eyes Access to UT Regents' Computers

By Reeve Hamilton Nov. 4, 2013

State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer believes that the investigation into whether a University of Texas System regent should be impeached could require a look at UT regents' personal computers, iPads and smartphones. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Newsreel: Closing One Election, Opening Another

By Justin Dehn Nov. 2, 2013

This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: The vote on water and other constitutional amendments is days away, Todd Staples jabs at Dan Patrick and Democrats start testing Ted Cruz's popularity with independent voters. Full Story
TribLive: A Conversation With Todd Staples

By Evan Smith Nov. 1, 2013

Full video of my 10/31 TribLive conversation with Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, a 2014 candidate for lieutenant governor. Full Story
Friendly Fire in Texas Legislative Races

By Ross Ramsey Nov. 1, 2013

What's normal in Texas general elections — legislators in one party endorsing candidates challenging colleagues from the other party — is turning up in primaries. Full Story
TribLive: Staples on Undocumented Immigrants

By Evan Smith Oct. 31, 2013

At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, a 2014 candidate for lieutenant governor, talked about his opposition to in-state tuition and other state programs for undocumented immigrants. Full Story
TribLive: Staples on Why He's Running

By Evan Smith Oct. 31, 2013

At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples explained why he decided to run for lieutenant governor in 2014. Full Story
TribLive: Staples on His Opponents

By Evan Smith Oct. 31, 2013

At Thursday's TribLive conversation, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, a 2014 candidate for lieutenant governor, talked about his three Republican opponents. Full Story
Video: Voters Will Decide on Property Tax Breaks for Military Veterans

By Alana Rocha Oct. 31, 2013

Two of the nine constitutional amendments on the Nov. 5 ballot could benefit many of the 1.6 million veterans in Texas. Full Story

Credit: Lain Yandahi
Trial Lawyers Meeting to Address Recent Criticism

By Jay Root Oct. 30, 2013

In the wake of criticism from a former Texas Trial Lawyers Association president about the group's spending practices, the association has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday in Austin to address concerns. Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller / Todd Wiseman
TribuneFest: All Transportation is Local

By Evan Smith Oct. 29, 2013

At the Trib's Oct. 17 symposium on transportation at Southern Methodist University, Aman Batheja sat down with Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins; Tarrant County Commissioner Gary Fickes; John Langmore, vice chairman of Austin's Capitol Metropolitan Transportation Authority board; and former U.S. Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, chief of public engagement for VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio. Full Story
Surprise Could Leave Senate Democrats Without a Safety Margin

By Ross Ramsey Oct. 29, 2013

Sometimes, it's the non-announcement that gets the political headline. Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns won’t run for the Senate, greatly increasing already high odds that the SD-10 seat will go to the Republicans. Full Story
Hot Seat: A Conversation With Duncan, Frullo and Springer

By Evan Smith Oct. 28, 2013

At our 10/23 Hot Seat conversation at the Texas Tech University, state Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, and state Reps. John Frullo, R-Lubbock, and Drew Springer, R-Muenster, talked about water, transportation, public education and other issues in play in the 83rd session. Full Story
Newsreel: Peace, Cruz and Nugent

By Justin Dehn and Alana Rocha Oct. 26, 2013

This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz checks in with voters on a post-shutdown tour of Texas, surprising moves on the 2014 campaign trail and Gov. Rick Perry announces a Texas A&M campus in Israel. Full Story

Credit: Gage Skidmore/Reynaldo Leal