Border & Immigration
September 18, 2021
The Biden Administration Says It’s Repairing Levees. Some South Texans Say It’s Building a Border Wall.
Barriers reminiscent of the Trump era are sprouting up in Hidalgo County.
Politics & Policy
Reporting and commentary on the Legislature, campaigns, and elected officials
Politics & Policy
September 13, 2021
Why Democrats Are Losing Texas Latinos
The party assumes people of color will turn the state blue. But most Tejanos consider themselves white. And more are voting Republican.
Politics & Policy
September 11, 2021
Nearly Everyone in Dimmit County Is Infected or Vaccinated. Now What?
Despite one of the state’s highest vaccination rates, the rural South Texas county is struggling to reach the goal of herd immunity.
Politics & Policy
September 9, 2021
Your Questions About Texas’s New Abortion Law, Answered
Who can be sued under Senate Bill 8? What is the “shadow docket”? When will the Supreme Court rule on the merits of the law?
Politics & Policy
September 7, 2021
Who Killed Criminal Justice Reform in Texas?
Texas was once a model of how to safely and economically move away from mass incarceration. Now the old politics of “law and order” are back.
Politics & Policy
September 5, 2021
Meet the Legal Strategist Behind the Texas Abortion Ban
Attorney and former Texas Solicitor General Jonathan F. Mitchell is known for his ability to identify legal loopholes where no one else does.
Education
September 2, 2021
Who Is Bud Brigham, the Man Behind UT’s “Liberty Institute”?
With taxpayer money now committed to the project, alongside private pledges, the oil billionaire’s push to create a conservative think tank on the Austin campus nears the goal line.
Politics & Policy
August 24, 2021
Matthew Dowd Says He Won’t Run Against “Craven” Greg Abbott, but “Cruel” Dan Patrick? Wait and See.
The former Bush adviser pledges to help Texas Democrats win in 2022—including, possibly, by putting his hat in the ring.
Politics & Policy
August 21, 2021
Opponents of “Critical Race Theory” Are Winning a Culture War in Montgomery County
School board meetings in Texas's most Republican large county have devolved into shouting matches about curriculum, leaving many teachers worried about the academic year ahead.
Politics & Policy
August 20, 2021
The 2020 Census Shows Texas Metros Are Booming. The Guv and the Lege Keep Getting in Their Way.
Our diverse big cities and suburbs are driving the state forward. Our leaders need to let Houston be Houston and Beaumont be Beaumont.
Politics & Policy
August 13, 2021
Texas Democrats Are Relying On Politicians Who Lost in 2020 to Carry Them in 2022
Three failed candidates, including Beto O’Rourke, lead ambitious voter-registration efforts. And they're assuming no changes are needed in their positions.
Politics & Policy
August 10, 2021
Inside the Texas Democratic Legislators’ Hectic Month in Washington, D.C.
COVID outbreaks, covert vacations, anger at President Biden, and the other rich subplots in House Democrats’ attempt to block a restrictive state voting law.
Politics & Policy
August 4, 2021
“I Don’t Believe Anything”: Among the Unvaccinated in One Central Texas Community
Bell County struggles with misinformation and conspiracy theories as the deadly Delta variant spreads like wildfire.
Politics & Policy
July 27, 2021
Greg Abbott’s Border Fence Is Rising in Bits and Pieces
Local officials in South Texas are scrambling to figure out what the governor is building in their communities.
Politics & Policy
July 26, 2021
The Texas Election Bill Contains a New Obstacle to Voting That Almost No One Is Talking About
Buried in the GOP proposal is a requirement that could—whether by intention or just sloppy legislative work—disenfranchise thousands of voters.
Politics & Policy
July 13, 2021
The Democratic Quorum Break Puts Greg Abbott in a Bind
Primary challengers say Texas’s governor is weak. The failure to pass new restrictions on voting, a GOP priority, will add fuel to their criticism.
Politics & Policy
July 13, 2021
Killing Reagan: How American Conservatives Replaced Their Heroes With Trump
At a conservative gathering in Texas, two Florida Men are the winners, while the movement itself seems adrift.
Politics & Policy
July 12, 2021
Behind the Scenes of the Latest Walkout by Texas Democrats Over Proposed New Restrictions on Voting
Out of options in Austin, House Democrats fly to Washington, D.C., where they plan to press Congress to pass federal legislation protecting ballot access.
Politics & Policy
July 9, 2021
New Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi Is Likely to Keep the Heat on Greg Abbott and Other Republicans
The next party leader could continue to wage war on errant Republican elected officials or oversee a détente.
Politics & Policy
July 8, 2021
Texas Republicans Are Already Declaring for 2022. Democrats Are Dazed and Confused.
GOP challengers have announced bids against Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton, and Sid Miller, while a forlorn Democratic party casts its eyes on Matthew McConaughey.
Politics & Policy
July 8, 2021
The QAnon Movement Isn’t Dead. From What I Saw in Dallas, It’s Just Evolving.
The outlandish conspiracy theory has made legions of believers into political activists. And the Texas GOP benefits from that.
Politics & Policy
June 17, 2021
Meet the Two Latinas From the Rio Grande Valley Guiding Biden’s Political Strategy
Texas Democrats felt slighted by the president’s campaign in 2020, but Emmy Ruiz and Natalie Montelongo have given them a voice in the White House.
Energy
June 15, 2021
Did Lawmakers Fix Texas’s Electric Grid?
Governor Greg Abbott said the Lege has done everything necessary to prevent future blackouts. We ask four experts whether that’s true.
Best and Worst Legislators
June 15, 2021
2021: The Best and Worst Legislators
A wild year begat an even wilder legislative session. Lawmakers faced blackouts, a pandemic, and their own worst impulses. Amid the chaos, we plucked out the leaders—and the losers.
Politics & Policy
June 5, 2021
Don Huffines Plotted Governor Run as the “Trump Guy.” Then Trump Endorsed Greg Abbott.
The Dallas businessman has a talent for alienating powerful Republicans, but he’s running on a platform that embraces their scorn.
Politics & Policy
June 1, 2021
Texas Lawmakers Had Two Crises to Address. They Ignored Them in Favor of Sideshows.
Fearing primary challenges, GOP lawmakers focused mostly on wedge issues such as guns and abortion, rather than the COVID-19 pandemic and the failure of the state’s electric grid.
Politics & Policy
June 1, 2021
Inside the Texas Democratic Walkout That Derailed Senate Bill 7
After weeks of debating how to best combat the voting-restriction legislation, Democrats find a rare, though likely temporary, victory.
Business
June 1, 2021
Inside the Greater Houston Partnership’s Tense Fight Over Voting Rights
Before a Democratic walkout blocked the passage of an "election integrity" bill in the Texas Lege, members of the partnership had split over how to respond to the legislation.
Books
May 22, 2021
As the LBJ Library Turns 50, the Man Who Planned Its Dedication Recalls a Few Surprises
Lyndon B. Johnson rehearsed his speech in the bathroom, the new fountain doused the guests, and the booze flowed freely.
Politics & Policy
May 19, 2021
How Texas’s New Abortion Restrictions Passed After Years of Being Considered a Third Rail
Greg Abbott signed a bill banning abortion once a heartbeat can be detected and letting Texans sue those who “aid and abet” a woman getting the procedure.
Politics & Policy
May 17, 2021
Why Eight Texas Republicans Broke From Their Party Over Mask Mandates
The closest vote of Texas' legislative session concerned face coverings and the ability of the governor and county officials to deal with a future pandemic.
Politics & Policy
May 17, 2021
The Inside Story: How House Democrats Tempered a GOP Bill That Makes It Harder to Vote
Members of the minority party knew they didn’t have the votes to kill Senate Bill 7, but won a few useful amendments behind closed doors.
Books
May 11, 2021
Annette Gordon-Reed Explores the Tangled Meaning of Juneteenth
In her new book ‘On Juneteenth,’ the Pulitzer Prize–winning historian takes on the Texas holiday that has gone national.
Meanwhile in Texas
May 6, 2021
Texas GOP Chair Allen West Challenges Tardy Reporter to Drop and Give Him Thirty
He challenged a reporter to perform the calisthenics, then decided to do them himself.
Politics & Policy
May 4, 2021
Some Legislators Want to Drown Out Local Austin Officials by Cranking Up the Volume at Bars
A House bill doesn’t identify the capital city by name, but would make it the lone municipality in Texas whose noise ordinances are set by the Lege.
Politics & Policy
May 3, 2021
What Exactly Does John Cornyn Do All Day? Well, for One Thing, He Tweets. A Lot.
A recent analysis found Texas’s senior senator is the most prolific tweeter in Congress.
Politics & Policy
May 2, 2021
The “Trump Effect” Helped One Republican Beat 22 Other Candidates in Texas Last Night
After Donald Trump’s endorsement, Susan Wright separated from the pack in the crowded congressional special election.
Politics & Policy
May 2, 2021
Austinites Ban Public Homeless Camps, While San Antonio Voters Protect the Police’s Ability to Collectively Bargain
Plus, Lubbock becomes Texas's largest "sanctuary city for the unborn."
Film & TV
April 30, 2021
Is Randy Quaid Serious About Running for California Governor? His Tweet Sounds Like It.
Plus: Texas transplants Elon Musk and Joe Rogan attract yet more controversy, Ted Cruz gets into it with ‘The Daily Show,’ and Selena Gomez explores her dark side.
Politics & Policy
April 28, 2021
Why Dan Patrick Is in a Quandary Over a Bill to Allow Texans to Carry a Gun Without a Permit
The lieutenant governor is no stranger to forcing votes on controversial issues, but a new gun bill the House passed has concerned some members of his Senate caucus.
Politics & Policy
April 27, 2021
Texas Can Brag About Two New Seats in Congress, But It Should’ve Been Three
State officials didn’t make an effort to count every Texan, falling short of the census numbers needed to run up the score on California and other states.
News
April 24, 2021
Private Jets, “Shopping Homes,” and WhatsApp: How Mexico’s Elite Accessed Texas’s Vaccine Supply
As vaccination rollout in their country has been slow, wealthy Mexicans have spent thousands on expensive trips abroad to get inoculated.
Politics & Policy
April 22, 2021
Two Key Issues, Buried in Red Meat, to Watch for in the House’s Budget Debate
Amid a slate of culture war offerings, lawmakers are set to discuss Medicaid expansion and accessing COVID-19 relief funds for schools.
Politics & Policy
April 21, 2021
A Section of Trump Border Wall in South Texas Cost $27 Million a Mile. It’s Being Foiled by $5 Ladders.
“Ladders and walls go together like peas and carrots,” says one McAllen Border Patrol agent.
Politics & Policy
April 20, 2021
The GOP Case Against Texas’s Proposed New Voting Restrictions
A large majority of Texas Republicans believe the unsupported claims of leaders that the 2020 election was stolen. But some in the party think “election integrity” legislation could backfire.
Politics & Policy
April 19, 2021
An Anti-Trump Republican Dares to Run for Congress in North Texas
Michael Wood, a Marine reserve major, believes enough voters in the Fort Worth area share his views to push him into the runoff in a very crowded field.
Politics & Policy
April 17, 2021
Why Have Texas’s Restrictive Voter Bills Received Less Corporate Pushback Than the Ones in Georgia?
A few of Texas's big businesses have publicly criticized efforts to make voting more difficult. But many more, fearful of Republican retribution, are trying to keep their heads down.
Politics & Policy
April 16, 2021
10-Year-Old Activist Kai Shappley on Fighting for Trans Kids in the Texas Lege
The Pearland native went viral this week for her poised and powerful testimony against anti-trans bills.
Politics & Policy
April 14, 2021
How Greg Abbott Became the Most Powerful Governor in Texas History
The state’s top elected official used to have limited sway. But Abbott has steadily seized authority from the Legislature and governing boards—a process accelerated by the pandemic.
Books
April 9, 2021
When the Political Gets Personal
Veteran Austin journalist Bill Minutaglio’s latest book is a crowd-pleasing account of heated political battles in Texas over the past 150 years. But does it get the big picture right?