Texas Republicans in tight races open to rape and incest exceptions to abortion ban

In some battleground state legislative races, Republicans have been making overtures to those who believe the…

Sonal Shah is The Texas Tribune’s next CEO

Sonal brings to the Tribune an extraordinary record in fundraising and strategic leadership. A veteran of…

Republican Mayra Flores rejected from all-Democratic Hispanic caucus

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus bylaws explicitly block Republicans from joining due to major policy differences between…

Texas Supreme Court weighs whether to dismiss abortion funds’ defamation case against anti-abortion activist

Several abortion funds have sued anti-abortion activist Mark Lee Dickson, who called them "criminal organizations," for…

Watch: Abortion isn’t on the ballot, but here’s how your vote could impact access in Texas

Texans are headed to the polls for the first time since the procedure was essentially banned…

Why all eyes are now on the often ignored Texas Board of Education races

All 15 seats of the State Board of Education are up for grabs in November, and…

Texas DPS chief Steve McCraw says his agency “did not fail” at Uvalde school shooting

At a public meeting where families that lost children in the school shooting said he should…

Tony Gonzales becomes first major Republican to call for DPS Director Steve McCraw to resign

The representative called for McCraw's resignation after the Department of Public Safety director said in a…

Dark-money group features Uvalde shooter footage in ad criticizing Abbott’s gun policies

The ad drew swift pushback from Republicans criticizing its use of the gunman's image.

Former Houston lawmaker Ron Wilson pleads guilty to federal tax evasion

Ron Wilson, a Democrat who served as state representative between 1977 and 2004, pleads guilty to…

Dallas-Houston bullet train developer vows project is on track, but state officials lack confidence

With lingering skepticism about Texas Central's ability to build a high-speed rail line, landowners along the…

Texas diverts $359.6 million from prisons to keep Greg Abbott’s border mission operating

The latest infusion was among $874.6 million in "emergency" budget transfers requested by the Texas Legislative…

College voters held back by Texas election law, lack of on-campus polling sites

Many Texas universities don't have early-voting locations on campus. And state laws regarding voter ID and…

Top Twitter executives fired as Elon Musk’s takeover begins

The Texas-based mogul's $44 billion deal to acquire the social media company closed on Thursday night,…

Texas tries again to prove that Scott Panetti is just sane enough to be executed

The convicted murderer's lengthy history of schizophrenia and delusions is well documented, from trying to call…

After suspending political donations post-insurrection, AT&T and Valero fund election-deniers in the midterms

AT&T and Valero were among a handful of political action committees that donated to candidates this…

Inside a bus, East Texans get the health care they can’t afford or find anywhere else

Access to health care is limited in rural Texas. The mobile clinic operated by Beaumont-based TAN…

TribCast: Greg Abbott is a fundraising juggernaut, and is Lina Hidalgo in trouble?

On this week's podcast, James, Zach and Patrick discuss the governor's fundraising and a surprisingly competitive…

Luke Warford tries to break the Republican hold on the Railroad Commission by focusing on the power grid and climate change

One of three seats on the Texas Railroad Commission, which oversees the oil and gas industry,…

Voter fraud charges dismissed against Hervis Rogers, Houston man who waited hours to vote in 2020

Attorney General Ken Paxton pursued charges against Rogers, who was on parole when he voted in…

Two Texas Family and Protective Services leaders exiting beleaguered agency

The department is terminating the contract of Executive Deputy Commissioner Anne Heiligenstein, who was supposed to…

Texas state trooper who responded to Uvalde shooting fired amid investigations into police response

Department of Public Safety Sgt. Juan Maldonado is the first state police officer fired in the…

Texas’ elected Supreme Court: What to know before voting for justices

The nine-member Texas Supreme Court has the power to make sweeping decisions that interpret the meaning…

Border Patrol reports 2.4 million migrant arrests at southwest border this year, the most ever

The historic pace of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has fueled Republicans' focus on the crisis,…

Donald Trump energizes South Texas voters ahead of early voting as Republicans predict red “tsunami”

Trump rally attendees said they were basing their midterm votes on issues such as the economy…

Early voting has started in Texas. Here are your rights at the polls.

Early voting runs from Monday, Oct. 24, to Friday, Nov. 4. The last day to apply…

Watch: Two rising stars in Texas politics urge more young voters to participate ahead of the election

Democrat Olivia Julianna and Republican Joel Castro talk about why other young Texans should get involved…

As early voting begins, pressure is on for Beto O’Rourke to close the gap with Greg Abbott

O'Rourke has not had the upper hand in any polls, or even come within low single…

On “The View,” Ted Cruz refuses to acknowledge that President Joe Biden was legitimately elected

On the show, the Texas Republican repeatedly redirected attention to Democrats who had previously bemoaned their…

Texas students’ math scores saw a sharp decline during pandemic

State math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress dipped significantly between 2019 and 2022,…

Greg Abbott ran as a small-government conservative. But the governor’s office now has more power than ever.

Abbott has consolidated power like none before him, at times circumventing the GOP-controlled Legislature and overriding…

Brittney Griner’s 9-year prison sentence upheld by Russian court

The Texas basketball star had asked for a suspended sentence. The White House is calling for…

What is the Texas National Guard and why does it matter in this year’s gubernatorial election?

A governor's military powers are often not discussed as part of the election process, in favor…

T-Squared: New journalism fellowship for HBCU students

Fellowships will be available in spring, summer and fall for Texas graduate and undergraduate students at…

Uvalde schools get $442,000 from John Cornyn’s federal gun safety law

The gun safety law allocates $100 million for a Department of Justice grant program for school…

For Republicans, winning Hispanic voters will be a bigger fight than South Texas

Nearly half of Hispanic Texans live in the state's five largest counties, a voting bloc Democrats…

Greg Abbott widens lead over Beto O’Rourke with likely voters in latest UT poll

The 11-point margin is one of the wider advantages Abbott has registered among likely voters in…

What you need to know about the county and school district seats on your Nov. 8 ballot

Texans will be choosing more than a governor and members of Congress in the midterm elections.…

How four Texas university systems are pitching themselves as the best new home for Stephen F. Austin State University

The SFA Board of Regents is expected to decide whether to join a system before the…

John Cornyn doubles down on support for embattled Georgia Republican Herschel Walker with Senate fundraising effort

"I do support Herschel because he may well be the 51st Republican elected this cycle," Cornyn…

Texas should place more foster kids with families rather than in residential treatment, report finds

Residential treatment centers are meant to be a last resort for children in the state's care,…

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sues Google for compiling Texans’ biometric data

The lawsuit, filed Thursday, claims Google illegally collects and indefinitely stores information about Texans' facial geometry…

Voters of color had mail-in ballots rejected at higher rates than white voters in Texas’ March primary

Asian voters were most disproportionately affected by the new ID requirements included in voting restrictions passed…

Both have deep Texas roots, but Sid Miller and Susan Hays offer stark contrast in fight for ag commissioner

The state's agriculture commissioner oversees a vast portfolio including farming and ranching, rural health care and…

Lina Hidalgo, a rising Democratic star, faces a tough reelection race to lead Harris County

The Houston region's high number of homicides, the state's new abortion ban and a flood of…

Texas struggles to get guns away from domestic violence suspects, leaving victims in danger

Although there are laws on the books preventing certain people from possessing guns, there are few…

Uvalde school officials approve terms of superintendent’s retirement without publicly disclosing them

The school board also named Gary Patterson as the interim superintendent, but didn't say when he…

Texas Indigenous leaders target banks in fight against natural gas export terminals in Rio Grande Valley

Since Congress lifted the U.S. oil export ban in 2015, three proposed LNG export facilities have…

Ahead of elections, Asian American and Pacific Islander organizers try to break down language barriers

One of the state's fastest-growing demographics, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders often lack information in their…

Abortion rights supporters struggle to keep issue top of mind for Texas voters

Polling shows that a majority of voters in Texas oppose the state's near-total ban on abortion,…

Ken Paxton, Texas’ election denier-in-chief, closes in on third term

That Paxton is so close to securing his reelection this November as the state's chief legal…

Texas commission recommends tying community colleges’ state funding to their performance

State higher education leaders are pushing for the changes as community colleges face greater workforce demands…

Bexar County sheriff certifies that migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard are crime victims, clearing path for special visas

The move clears a pathway for those people to get a special visa to stay in…

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, Latino groups warn about rampant misinformation targeting Spanish speakers ahead of the elections

The groups say social media companies are not doing enough to curb the spread of falsehoods…

Asian Americans are one of Texas’ fastest-growing demographics. But they feel ignored by politicians.

Asian American and Pacific Islander voters said that candidates don't often reach out -- and that…

Beto O’Rourke championed bipartisanship in Congress. It wouldn’t be that easy as governor.

Democrats were in the minority the entire time O'Rourke was in Congress. He says that experience…

D.C. attorney general opens investigation into Republican governors’ relocating migrants to the capital

Gov. Greg Abbott and others have been sending thousands of migrants to Washington. D.C. District Attorney…

Joaqu?n Castro y grupos latinos advierten sobre la desinformaci?n en espa?ol a pocas semanas de las elecciones

Los grupos declaran que las compa??as de redes sociales no est?n haciendo lo suficiente para frenar…

TribCast: Is time running out for Texas Democrats to swing the election?

In this week's episode, Matthew speaks with James and Patrick about the state of the governor's…

Republicans outraise Democrats in battle for South Texas congressional seats

The three GOP candidates raked in a combined $4.3 million over the past three months, and…

Election administrators are under attack in Texas. Here’s what that means for the midterms.

David Becker of The Center for Election Innovation & Research talks with The Texas Tribune and…

Trump to hold rally in South Texas two days before early voting

The former president will stage a rally Saturday in Robstown, west of Corpus Christi. Gov. Greg…

Kinney County is Operation Lone Star’s poster child

Officials in the Texas border county are pushing Gov. Greg Abbott to take ever more extreme…

Cryptocurrency firm FTX, billionaire CEO focus of Texas securities investigation

The state is looking at whether FTX is selling unregistered securities to Texans. The firm's CEO,…

Gov. Greg Abbott says state should fund distribution of medication that can reverse opioid overdose

While not detailing how the distribution might be funded, Abbott said the medication, Narcan, should be…

Two-thirds of board members overseeing Texas public universities are Abbott donors. They’re not shy about wielding influence.

High-money donors are concentrated on larger boards, including those of the University of Texas System and…

In Texas, where money has long dominated politics, Greg Abbott is in a league of his own

The two-term governor's donors enjoy access, appointments to boards and commissions, and a chance to bend…

U.S. will begin turning many Venezuelan migrants back to Mexico

The Biden administration is also creating a pathway to allow "qualified" Venezuelans into the country. Venezuelans…

“An inverse tsunami”: How inflation and drought are making it harder to feed West Texans in need

Food banks across Texas are now struggling to keep up with growing demand even more than…

Abandoned “dry hole” oil wells are polluting Texas farms, ranches and groundwater. The state won’t fix them.

Wildcatters drilled thousands of wells looking for oil and abandoned the dry holes. Some are spewing…

Ruling in fluoride election lawsuit marks latest defeat for prominent Texas vote-fraud activist

Laura Pressley helped allies in Gillespie County challenge the results of a 2019 referendum over fluoride…

Beto O’Rourke catches Gov. Greg Abbott in cash on hand as race hits homestretch

The Democratic challenger ended the latest fundraising period, July 1 through Sept. 29, with slightly more…

Dawn Buckingham and Jay Kleberg vie for open land commissioner seat overseeing the Alamo and disaster relief funds

The land commissioner manages the Texas General Land Office, which manages the Alamo, administers natural disaster…

Dan Patrick targets rural Texas in media-shy bus tour

Patrick's campaign strategy in rural Texas may suggest he's trying to shore up the party's most…

East Texas nonprofit hopes small loans and job training will ease the hardships of leaving prison

Formerly incarcerated Texans face numerous barriers to restart their lives. Without help from the state, the…

Connecticut jury orders Alex Jones to pay nearly $1 billion to Sandy Hook families

The award is the largest the Texas conspiracy theorist has been ordered to pay as part…

Opponent says Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins wore blackface in 1983 college trespass

GOP candidate Lauren Davis' campaign surfaced a Waco police report about a prank for which Jenkins…

Chaos surrounding rookie El Paso DA Yvonne Rosales fuels concerns about Walmart massacre prosecution

Mistakes and backbiting have engulfed the El Paso County district attorney's office. Some question whether she…

The Texas voter registration deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 11. Here’s how to check your status and register.

How do I find out if I'm registered to vote? How do I register to vote…

Texans make the case for why voting matters

The Texas Tribune spoke to Texans across the political spectrum and asked them to make their…

Uvalde superintendent retires, becoming latest local official to leave post after school shooting

Hal Harrell said his decision to leave the district after 31 years in education was "not…

Essay: The education and disillusionment of a young Texas reporter in D.C.

I moved to Washington in 2006 to work for a senator. I left in 2022 in…

Texas bans many proven tools for helping drug users. Advocates are handing them out anyway.

As overdoses skyrocketed amid the pandemic and the fentanyl crisis, advocates across the state are working…

O’Rourke raises over $25 million from July through late September, outraising Abbott again

His campaign said the massive amount came at a faster clip than his previous, record-breaking haul.

U.S. Supreme Court rejects request to review Texas death row inmate Andre Thomas’ case

Thomas' attorneys appealed saying that some members of the jury that sentenced him had expressed racist…

Kickapoo Tribe is getting a $2.6 million grant from the federal government to connect to the internet

Large swaths of rural Texas have poor or no access to the internet. This grant aims…

Texas may delay trial for alleged Walmart shooter if federal prosecutors want to seek death penalty

A state district judge in El Paso said Tuesday that he'll wait to see what federal…

Rodney Reed pleads before U.S. Supreme Court for DNA testing that might establish his innocence

The nation's high court heard arguments Tuesday on whether Reed can seek DNA testing of crucial…

Dallas, El Paso veterans’ facilities will get $442 million in upgrades

The funds will help expand the Dallas facility into a long-term spinal cord injury treatment center…

TribCast: Stress, misinformation mount as midterm elections near

On this week's episode, Matthew speaks with Alexa, Pooja and Rob about the difficult task facing…

At Houston youth summit, young conservatives weary of GOP infighting

The event came as a younger, more diverse generation of Americans increasingly flocks to the left…

Vice President Kamala Harris calls on Texans to protect reproductive and voting rights during Austin visit

In a visit to Texas' capital, Harris rallied the state's voters around protecting reproductive and voting…

Texas Supreme Court weighs whether to allow state’s education agency to oust Houston school board

Among other issues, the court will consider whether a law that updated the education code last…

Operation Lone Star troops could owe feds tax money thanks to state’s payroll error

On Thursday, officials with the Texas Military Department acknowledged that the payroll system they used for…

How the debunked conspiracy film “2000 Mules” became Texas Republican orthodoxy

Watchdog groups fear the film will fuel chaos in the upcoming midterm elections and could be…

Beto O’Rourke wants to end the STAAR tests. Here’s why he can’t.

The Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate has said several times he will end the annual standardized tests.…

Naririto ang mga paraan upang makaboto na eleksyon ng midterms sa estado ng Texas sa Nobyembre 8

Ang takdang-petsa upang magparehistro ay sa Oktubre 11. Ang huling araw upang mag-apply na bumoto by…

??y l? c?ch ?? ?i b?u trong cu?c b?u c? ng?y 8 Th?ng M??i M?t t?i Texas

H?n ch?t ?? ghi danh ?i b?u l? ng?y 11 Th?ng M??i. Ng?y cu?i c?ng ??…

New York City mayor declares state of emergency over busing of migrants from Texas

Mayor Eric Adams said the city needs emergency funding to provide shelter to migrants and other…

Uvalde school district suspends its entire police department, and superintendent announces retirement plans

All of the department's activities were suspended for an unspecified period of time, and two employees…

Fort Hood set to be renamed after Richard Cavazos, Texas’ first Hispanic four-star general

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin accepted the Naming Commission's change and announced it would take place…

Ted Cruz warns DHS secretary he could be impeached over rise in migrant crossings

Cruz and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas…

EPA will center climate change response in Texas on sea level rise, floods, drought and severe storms

The federal agency plans to increase efforts to help states adapt to the effects of climate…

Uvalde schools hire — and then fire — former DPS trooper under investigation for shooting response

Gov. Greg Abbott said the school district knew the ex-trooper "had actions inconsistent with training and…

Biden is calling for marijuana possession pardons. But that doesn’t mean it’ll happen in Texas.

Biden's federal pardons will help at least 6,500 people, though most possession crimes are charged at…

With rents rising fast, Texas homeless shelters see more families seeking help

Amid rising housing costs and relentless inflation, an increasing number of Texans are struggling to pay…

Henry Cuellar isn’t apologizing for being a moderate

Cuellar's status as one of the few remaining "moderate" Democrats may be helping his fundraising, as…

Brittney Griner’s wife says WNBA star is at “weakest moment” before final hearing could send her to a Russian labor camp

The two-time Olympic champion's wife spoke out for the first time since Griner's sentencing two months…

Federal judge curtails protections for LGBTQ workers, trans kids in response to Texas lawsuit

Ruling in a suit brought by Texas, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk vacated guidance on gender-affirming…

Texas executes John Ramirez for the 2004 murder of a Corpus Christi man

Earlier this year, Ramirez won a legal fight to have his pastor beside him at his…

Why Vicente Gonzalez may not be safe in his solidly Democratic district

The seasoned South Texas Democrat is running his most aggressive campaign operation since his first run…

Latino advocacy group offers $10,000 reward in push to arrest woman who lured migrants to Martha’s Vineyard

No criminal charges have been filed, but after the woman was identified in a news report,…

DACA remains intact as appeals court sends case challenging its legality back to lower court in Texas

The latest ruling in the long-running legal fight over the program doesn't change the status quo…

Uvalde protesters hold vigil, demand that school district suspend officers

Brett Cross launched the protest Sept. 27, joined by other Uvalde families who say the school…

A Mexican farmworker crossed the border dreaming of building his family a home. Days later, he was fatally shot in West Texas.

Jes?s Iv?n Sep?lveda Mart?nez was living in his parents' home with his wife and 6-month-old baby.…

Gov. Greg Abbott acknowledges New York City mayor’s office reached out about migrant busing efforts

Abbott previously said Eric Adams' office had not reached out to him about coordinating migrant arrivals…

Attorney General Ken Paxton ordered to testify in abortion lawsuit after evading subpoena

A federal judge who previously quashed the subpoena ruled that the attorney general must take the…

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…

Aqu? te decimos c?mo votar en las elecciones intermedias del 8 de noviembre en Texas

La fecha l?mite para registrarse para votar es el 11 de octubre. El ?ltimo d?a para…

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…