The Serious Stuff, the Loud Stuff, the Money Stuff: A Preview of the 87th Texas Lege
Lawmakers will have their hands full with a budget deficit and the pandemic. Here's what else to watch for this session.
Articles by Christopher Hooks
American Democracy Survived Ted Cruz’s Demagoguery—This Time
Texas’s junior senator shares responsibility for inciting the mob that breached the U.S. Capitol. That’s brought him scorn from much of the country—but might win him fresh support from Trump Republicans.
The Shelley Luther Reality Show Is Canceled After Just Seven Months
The rebel salon queen beat Governor Greg Abbott once, but on Saturday, he had the last laugh.
Ken Paxton Takes His Texas Grifting to the National Stage
Facing a bribery allegation and criminal fraud charges, the Texas attorney general is tossing his supporters fresh red meat by leading an attempt to overturn the will of American voters.
What Does MAGA Look Like After Trump? This Weekend’s Protests Offer Clues.
In Dallas, the “Stop the Steal" events were more of a celebration than a wake.
How Did a Florida Man Become the Face of the Texas Republican Party?
Texas GOP chairman Allen West is at war with the governor and in love with the camera.
What Price Will Texas Democrats Pay for Their Failure, and for How Long?
GOP control of redistricting will cost Democrats for a decade, and out-of-state donors might well decide their money is best spent elsewhere.
Can Big, Bland John Cornyn Coast to a Fourth Term in the Senate?
Cornyn's race against MJ Hegar has been relatively sleepy, but that is to the senior senator’s advantage.
How the Texas GOP Went Off the Rails in 2020
The last year has featured bizarre scandals, lots of bickering, and troubling signs that Tuesday could be rough on the state’s Republican juggernaut.
Texas Democrats Went Missing for Decades. Can They Come Back Tuesday?
The state’s minority party hasn’t had this big an opportunity to shake off its loser mentality in a long, long time.
The Biggest Fight in the State? Control Over the Texas House.
For the first time in a decade the Texas House—and influence over redistricting—is in play. Will it slip out of the Democratic party’s grasp once again?
What If They Held an Election and Everyone Came?
State leaders have long tried to correct for the problem of too much democracy. But voters may get the last laugh this election.
The Calls of Impropriety Are Coming From Inside Ken Paxton’s Office
The Texas attorney general has called his 2015 indictment for securities fraud a “witch hunt.” Now, seven of his aides accuse him of corruption.
Greg Abbott’s Voter Suppression Methods Have Become More Subtle—But They’re Still Transparent
The governor’s most recent order on ballot drop-off locations follows a long history of efforts by him and his party to lower voter turnout, and could have an outsized effect on the battle for control of the state House.
Greg Abbott’s “Back the Blue” Posse Can’t Shoot Straight
Facing down a potential Democrat-controlled Texas House, the governor has made a hard push to reframe the November election on his terms.
If Texas Is a Battleground, Biden and Trump Aren’t Acting Like It
Both parties’ conventions sidelined politicians from the nation’s second biggest state. They might have had good reason.
Congressman Gohmert Has Had a Louie of a Week
The East Texas Republican tested positive for the coronavirus after refusing to wear a mask—which almost made us forget about his supporters allegedly beating up his opponent’s campaign manager.
After the Protests: Four Perspectives on the State’s Criminal Justice System
While demonstrators marched in cities and towns across the country, a police union rep, an activist, a legislator, and an attorney sat down to discuss how to break the deadlock and bring about better policing.
The Texas GOP Held Its Convention on Zoom—and It Was a Comic Disaster
When Texas Republicans gather for their biennial convention, it's usually an impressive show of force. This time, it was an embarrassment.
Greg Abbott’s Penchant for the Path of Least Resistance Has Led Texas to the Brink of Disaster
The COVID-19 crisis is the predictable result of the governor muddling through things.
The Primary Runoffs Have Finally Arrived. Here’s What to Watch For.
Originally scheduled for May and pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic, the elections feature a few key races, some scandal-ridden candidates, and many old friends.
A Socially Distanced Senate Runoff Debate Finally Got MJ Hegar and Royce West to Throw Down
The race to choose a Democratic challenger to John Cornyn has been overshadowed by other news, but it finds the Texas Democratic Party bitterly divided.
Mike Pence Preaches to a Maskless Choir in Dallas
With Donald Trump’s approval rating dropping among his formerly reliable white evangelical base, the administration dispatched the vice president to Robert Jeffress’s First Baptist Church.
The COVID-Related Death of a Local Republican Official Points to the Risks of an In-Person Texas GOP Convention
Days after he attended his county party convention, Bill Baker was hospitalized with COVID-19. In three weeks, more than 7,000 Republicans will descend on Houston.
Ronny Jackson Was Trump’s Doctor. Now He Wants to Be the President’s Best Friend in Congress.
It’s an unusual and risky campaign strategy: Jackson is trying to appeal primarily to Trump, in the hopes that the voters will follow.
Greg Abbott Invites You to Figure Out What His Coronavirus Executive Orders Allow
A month and a half after telling local officials they couldn't mandate masks, the Texas governor congratulated a local official on realizing that, actually, they could.
The Next Legislature Will Meet Amid an Economic Nightmare. What Could Go Wrong?
It's March 2021 and Democrats are in power again, the state budget is a bloodbath, and the coronavirus stalks the Capitol.
The Texas GOP Gives Itself a Tough Task: Rooting Out Racism in the Party
After GOP leaders in 12 counties posted racist responses to the George Floyd protests, top Republicans declared war on bigotry in their party. It’s not going to be easy.
Black Studies Scholar Peniel Joseph on the Significance of the BLM Protests
The UT professor sees echoes of the past—and hope for the future—in the demonstrations rocking the nation.
Black Lives Matter Comes to Vidor—Yes, Vidor
On Saturday, a diverse crowd of 150 showed up in Vidor, once known as a Klan stronghold, to turn their backs on the town's past.
Can the ‘Texas Miracle’ Survive?
With a virus-infected economy and an oil bust to boot, the Texas model is facing an unprecedented crisis.
Why Does Attorney General Ken Paxton Want to Make Voting a Death-Defying Act?
The resignation of a key election official serves as a warning about the dangers of conducting elections in person during the coronavirus pandemic.
Showdown at the Salon: How Hairdressing Became the Thing We Fight About in the Middle of the Pandemic
The Shelley Luther saga gave Texas politicians an excuse to change the conversation, and deflect blame.
The Majority Agrees: Lifting Stay-Home Orders Won’t Bring Normalcy (But It Will Get People Killed)
Despite the loud protests, very few Americans are ready to go back to work.
A User’s Guide to How Texas’s Top Elected Officials Are Handling the Coronavirus
In the best of times, our politicians can be a frustrating bunch. How are they doing in an unprecedented crisis?
Seeking to Represent Sugar Land, Kathaleen Wall Decides to Run Against China
The candidate is running in a district that’s home to more Asian Americans than anywhere else in Texas. Her newest campaign ad blames the People's Republic for the coronavirus pandemic.
Dan Patrick to Dan Patrick: Drop Dead
The Texas lieutenant governor is among a growing number of politicians who are willing to trade lives to save the economy. It’s a false choice.
Is Climate Change Denial Thawing in Texas?
Surprising statements by oil industry leaders have grabbed headlines. But the bigger change is underway more quietly, among young Republicans.
Let’s Count the Ways Texas’s Dismal Health-Care Landscape Could Make the Coronavirus Worse
A high uninsured rate, hospital closures, and poor elder care leave Texas especially vulnerable to a COVID-19 epidemic.
The Biden Unity Party Last Night Was a Music Hall Putsch
At a honky-tonk in Dallas, the Democratic party made its move against Bernie—finally.
Lina Hidalgo’s Year of Living Dangerously
Led by a twentysomething Latina, Democrats now run Harris County, offering a glimpse at what things might look like—for better or for worse—if the party finds itself back on top across Texas.
Kirk Watson Escapes Dan Patrick’s Senate
The departure of the longtime Austin senator—for the greener pastures of higher education—will set off a fierce race for his seat.
The Iowa Caucuses Taught Us Once Again That No One Knows Anything
This year is going to feature a lot of confident pronouncements from experts who will be proved wrong again and again.
How Much Does the Democrats’ Big Flop in Tuesday’s Special Election Matter?
Beto & co. came up embarrassingly short, but the result probably doesn’t say all that much about November.
Michael Lind Wants to Put America Back Together
The author and UT professor believes our country is falling apart—and he has a plan to fix it.
Greg Abbott’s Rejection of Refugees is Baffling—and Boneheaded
The governor’s decision makes no sense from a practical perspective, and ultimately, it can’t be explained as a policy choice at all.
The White Settlement Shooting and When It’s Okay to Politicize a Tragedy
Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick were quick to find a self-serving narrative in the shooting at a church last week.
Miss Me When I’m Gone: Now That His Campaign Is Over, Julián Castro Is Extremely Popular
Castro’s presidential ambitions have ended, but Texas has likely not heard the last of him.
Terrence Malick’s ‘A Hidden Life’ Is Inspiring But Hard to Learn From
The Austin director’s war film is notable for its near-total absence of politics.
The Last Decade’s Ten Worst Years in Texas Politics
We stumble down memory lane, gawking at the madness and the mayhem of 2010–2019—and looking for an off-ramp.