Another National Guard soldier working Operation Lone Star dies by suspected suicide
The soldier is the 10th known Texas Guard member linked to the mission to die since its rapid expansion began in September 2021. Full Story
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![A row of shipping containers and razor wire placed on the banks of the Rio Grande River by Gov. Greg Abbott to form a makeshift border wall in Eagle Pass on Nov. 19, 2021.]()
Credit: Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribune -
Conspiracy theorists and 16-hour days: Inside the stress elections officials face ahead of the midterms
Running elections in Texas has never been easy. But since 2020, the scrutiny elections administrators face has grown — even in small Republican-controlled counties that former President Donald Trump carried. Full Story
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![Todd Stallings poses for a portrait at the elections office in Nacogdoches on Oct. 3, 2022.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Rochelle Garza is the Democrats’ best chance of winning statewide office in Texas, but she still faces an uphill battle
Garza remains the underdog, battling her own low name recognition and a fundraising disadvantage in an expensive statewide race that is already demanding considerable resources for travel and TV ads. Full Story
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![Democratic nominee for Texas attorney general Rochelle Garza campaigns at a meet and greet held at the Sokol Athletic Center in Dallas on Sept. 15, 2022.]()
Credit: Hunter Lacey for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke accused each other of misinforming Texans during their debate. Here are the facts.
O’Rourke and Abbott accused each other of bending the truth during the only planned gubernatorial debate on Friday. Many of their claims needed context and clarification. Full Story
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![Democratic gubernatorial nominee Beto O'Rourke, left, and Gov. Greg Abbott during a debate in Edinburg on Sept. 30, 2022.]()
Credit: Courtesy of News Nation -
Beto O’Rourke says Gov. Greg Abbott “refuses” to debate with a live audience
Abbott’s team rejected the assertion, saying that O’Rourke agreed to the audience-free debate months ago. Full Story
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![The empty auditorium at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley campus in Edinburg prior to the debate between incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic gubernatorial nominee Beto O'Rourke.]()
Credit: Social media -
35 family members of Uvalde shooting victims throw their support behind Beto O’Rourke ahead of debate
In a news conference ahead of the only gubernatorial debate, 35 family members of Uvalde school shooting victims said they would support O’Rourke because of Gov. Greg Abbott’s inaction on gun control measures. Full Story
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![Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke hosts a press conference in Edinburg, on Sept. 30, 2022, with parents and families of the 19 children killed at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
TribCast: Trouble in Ken Paxton’s office
In this week’s episode, Matthew Watkins speaks with Jake Bleiberg of the Associated Press and Steve Vladeck from the University of Texas School of Law about the turmoil in the Texas attorney general’s office and its litigation success. Full Story
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![State Attorney General Ken Paxton, right, walks into a press conference at the Houston Recovery Center on October 26, 2021.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Immigration, abortion and economy expected to take center stage when Abbott, O’Rourke debate Friday
The debate, the candidates’ first and likely only one before the November election, begins at 7 p.m. Central time in Edinburg. Full Story
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![Democratic gubernatorial nominee Beto O'Rourke, left, and Gov. Greg Abbott.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Abbott, O’Rourke spar over immigration, abortion and Uvalde shooting in debate
The one-hour debate took place in Edinburg. It was the only scheduled debate between the two candidates before the November election. Full Story
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![Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke, left, and Gov. Greg Abbott during a debate in Edinburg on Sept. 30, 2022.]()
Credit: Courtesy of News Nation -
Targeting three congressional seats, Republicans blitz South Texas with attack ads
In two of the three races, Democrats are hitting back as outside Republican groups try to turn the region red. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, R-Los Indios, speaks on the CPAC panel, "Biden's Border Crisis" at the Conservative Political Action Coalition convention in Dallas on Aug. 5, 2022.]()
Credit: Photo by Zach Roberts/NurPhoto via REUTERS -
State agencies push for better worker pay as critical staffing crunch hits Texas government
Texas agencies say they are being hammered by a historic staffing crisis, particularly when it comes to those in the trenches serving the state’s most vulnerable populations. Full Story
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![Exterior of the Texas State Capitol on Nov. 19, 2020.]()
Credit: Amna Ijaz/The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton’s office knew he’d be subpoenaed before he fled his home to avoid being served, emails show
Lawyers for the state argue they didn’t know the attorney general would be served at home. Emails from opposing counsel show they tried repeatedly to serve him through his attorneys. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton at a border security briefing at the Texas DPS airport hangar in Edinburg on Jan. 28, 2022. The four whistleblowers who sued Paxton after he fired them for accusing him of bribery and abuse of office are speaking out against him publicly for the first time since filing their lawsuit.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
In campaign ad, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick suggests mandatory 10-year sentence for gun-related crimes
New mandatory sentences could be a big policy shift for Texas. But Patrick isn’t providing any details of his one-sentence proposal so it’s hard to gauge its significance. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks to reporters at a press conference on Feb. 18, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas court confirms the attorney general can’t unilaterally prosecute election cases
Texas’ highest criminal court once again said the attorney general needs permission from local prosecutors to pursue election cases. Attorney General Ken Paxton had fought that decision. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recites the Pledge of Allegiance at a Trump Rally in Conroe on Jan. 29, 2022.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Watch: Republicans gain ground all along the Texas-Mexico border by emphasizing border security
In these historically Democratic border areas, some voters are turning to the Republican party, while others remain unmoved. Full Story
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![Freddy Arellano and Republican candidate Armando Rosales speaks to local Eagle Pass resident while dropping off yard signs.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Migrant encounters at the border are higher today than they were before Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star began
The number of migrant encounters at the Texas-Mexico border has climbed from 109,456 in March 2021, the month the mission began, to 116,976 in August — a failure of Abbott’s office’s stated desire to “stop this revolving door and deter others considering entering illegally.” Full Story
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![Department of Public Safety agents oversee a group of three undocumented migrants as they continue the process of arresting them after they were caught in private property as part of Operation Lone Star in Kinney County near Brackettville, on Nov. 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for ProPublica/The Texas Tribune -
Ted Cruz votes against bipartisan bill to prevent another Jan. 6
The Texan objected to certifying Arizona’s electoral votes as rioters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The bill, which Cruz voted against in committee on Tuesday, would make a similar move in the future meaningless. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz speaks as FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the January 6th insurrection, in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 2, 2021.]()
Credit: Mandel Ngan/Pool via REUTERS -
Leading anti-abortion group drops support of Texas lawmaker after he pledges to support exceptions for rape
Other anti-abortion groups and Republicans said they will continue to support state Sen. Robert Nichols after his comments at The Texas Tribune Festival. Full Story
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![State Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, speaks at a panel moderated by Tribune political reporter James Barragán at The Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Sept. 23, 2022.]()
Credit: Azul Sordo/The Texas Tribune -
As inflation skyrockets, local Texas governments ponder tax rate increases as they balance budgets
Local governments in Texas have spent the summer preparing their budgets for next year, wrestling with inflation and a law that prohibits them from raising property tax revenues beyond 3.5% without voter approval. Full Story
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![New home construction in north Longview's Hidden Hills subdivision on Dec. 17, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats try to convince voters they aren’t bad for oil and gas
Candidates like Beto O’Rourke and Mike Collier say they want to work toward a cleaner energy future but aren’t looking to eliminate the energy jobs that boost Texas’ economy. Full Story
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![Oil pumpjacks in Andrews County, northeast of Kermit.]()
Credit: Jerod Foster for The Texas Tribune