Politics & Policy
March 10, 2022
Texas Democrats Have a Recruitment Problem
Beyond Beto O’Rourke, the candidates on the party’s statewide slate are short on experience in elective office and in statewide campaigns.
Politics & Policy
Reporting and commentary on the Legislature, campaigns, and elected officials
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451-500 of 7137 Articles
Politics & Policy
March 9, 2022
Latinas Are Pushing a Political Revolution in South Texas—to the Right
Monica De La Cruz, Mayra Flores, and Adrienne Peña-Garza, all from Hidalgo County, hope to flip congressional seats across the region.
Politics & Policy
March 8, 2022
Republicans and Democrats Are Both Claiming Victory Based on South Texas Primary Turnout. Who’s Right?
Trying to use March voter counts to predict results in November, as many politicos have done over the past week, is fraught.
Health
March 8, 2022
Texas Aimed to Ban Abortion Pills—But the Law Has Had Little Effect
“Medication abortion,” already the state’s most common method of ending a pregnancy, has only gained in popularity since the legislature restricted it.
Politics & Policy
March 7, 2022
Is It Illegal to Have a Transgender Child in Texas?
Answers to your questions about the state's new rules targeting transgender kids.
Sports
March 7, 2022
How Baylor Great Brittney Griner Became a Political Prisoner in Russia
Over the weekend, news broke that the WNBA star, one of the best basketball players Texas has ever produced, has been in custody for weeks.
Politics & Policy
March 2, 2022
Results: Texas Primary Election 2022
Greg Abbott wins the GOP nomination outright, Ken Paxton is heading to a runoff against George P. Bush, and democratic socialists running for U.S. House have a good night.
Politics & Policy
February 25, 2022
Forget About November. Thanks to Gerrymandering, the Texas Primary Matters More Than Ever.
The new maps have done away with nearly every competitive district, meaning most races will be decided next week or in the May runoffs.
Politics & Policy
February 25, 2022
The Attorney General’s Race Is Texas Democrats’ Best Statewide Pickup Opportunity
With Republican incumbent Ken Paxton's legal troubles, Democrats have plenty of contenders this year.
Politics & Policy
February 23, 2022
How the West Campaign Was Lost
Former Texas GOP chair Allen West is a darling of the right wing. But the grassroots in Texas is not the kingmaker it used to be.
Politics & Policy
February 21, 2022
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Madison Cawthorn, and Mike Lindell Walk Into the Houston ’Burbs
The three Trumpian firebrands came to support U.S. House candidate Christian Collins, whose primary run is dividing prominent Republicans.
Politics & Policy
February 18, 2022
Brazoria County Is Poised to Elect Its First Black Congressman. Not Everyone Is Happy About It.
Brazoria County is diversifying fast, but its top elected officials are all white.
Politics & Policy
February 17, 2022
One Candidate Shows Her Breasts. Another Dies Tragically. A Third Is Accused of Graft.
The campaign for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, usually a low-profile affair, is getting more attention—and that’s a good thing.
Politics & Policy
February 17, 2022
Some of Texas’s “Big Lie” Candidates Are Looking Like Big Flops
In Texas's Republican primaries, the stop-the-steal message doesn’t seem to be catching fire.
Politics & Policy
February 15, 2022
Louie Gohmert Is Pitching Himself as Ken Paxton Without the Baggage. Will It Work?
The nine-term congressman and right-wing firebrand from Tyler is staking his career on unseating the indicted attorney general.
Politics & Policy
February 14, 2022
Will the Bush Dynasty Die With George P. Bush?
Jeb’s son is running for his political life in the Texas attorney general’s race. But Donald Trump may get the last laugh.
Politics & Policy
February 13, 2022
Can Justice Democrats Swing Two Texas Congressional Districts to the Left?
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez came to Texas to back two candidates who share her platform.
Politics & Policy
February 12, 2022
Don Huffines Won the War of Ideas. Did It Cost Him a Chance to Unseat Greg Abbott?
He decided to mount a GOP primary challenge when COVID-19 policy was animating Texas’s right wing. But the governor stole his thunder.
Politics & Policy
February 11, 2022
In a Newly Competitive South Texas, Democrats Are Clashing Over the Best Way Forward
The race to replace state senator Eddie Lucio Jr. features four candidates, each with a competing vision for the future of their party.
Politics & Policy
February 9, 2022
Retiring Kel Seliger Hopes Someone Else in the Texas GOP Will Stand Up To Dan Patrick
The old-school conservative spoke with us about partisan gerrymandering, Patrick’s hold on the state Senate, and Donald Trump.
Politics & Policy
February 9, 2022
Kim Ogg Blames Rising Crime on Houston Judges. 14 of Her Prosecutors Are Vying to Unseat Them.
The lawyers in the district attorney’s office say they decided to run on their own, reflecting internal Democratic divisions over public safety.
Politics & Policy
February 4, 2022
What Do Texans Want? Progressive Policies and Conservative Politicians.
That’s among our four takeaways from recent polling, as the primary election approaches.
Politics & Policy
February 2, 2022
A Flying Motorcycle? This Texas Congressional Candidate Has One in the Works.
Dan McQueen, best known for serving as Corpus Christi mayor for just 37 days, now wants to fly his personal autonomous aerial vehicle to D.C.
Politics & Policy
January 30, 2022
Texas Republican Candidates Need Donald Trump More Than He Needs Them
At the former president’s Saturday evening rally in Conroe, even candidates whose opponents he’d endorsed were out in full force.
Politics & Policy
January 29, 2022
Who Is Baroness Kandy Kaye Horn, the Candidate With All Those Billboards?
The relative unknown has spent $1.4 million on her primary against Greg Abbott—on par with Allen West, a serious challenger. But why?
Politics & Policy
January 27, 2022
Is Henry Cuellar’s Political Support Strong Enough to Weather an FBI Raid?
So far, no major backer has publicly abandoned him. But one group has suspended TV ads on his behalf, and a major paper has endorsed his primary opponent.
Politics & Policy
January 26, 2022
A Texas GOP Candidate’s New Claim: School Cafeteria Tables Are Being Lowered for “Furries”
The allegation isn’t true. But that isn’t stopping some politicians and right-wing activists from running with it.
Border & Immigration
January 24, 2022
Presidio Officials Worried About a New Trade Route for Truckers. Locals Saw an Opportunity.
With an obscure change in Mexican trade policy, the cash-strapped border town started seeing more visitors.
Politics & Policy
January 19, 2022
Is Dan Crenshaw in Trouble?
The rising GOP star's district was redrawn to protect him—but it might instead have created a problem for the representative.
Energy
January 18, 2022
The Texas Electric Grid Failure Was a Warm-up
One year after the deadly blackout, Texas officials have done little to prevent the next one—which could be far worse.
Politics & Policy
January 17, 2022
Sheriff A.J. Louderback Is a Fox News Staple. Now He’s Running for Congress.
The Jackson County lawman is running to represent southeast Texas on a Trump-style “America First” platform. There’s only one problem: Trump endorsed his opponent.
Politics & Policy
January 14, 2022
Why Joy Diaz Is Challenging Beto O’Rourke in the Democratic Primary for Governor
The daughter of Mexico City missionaries and former public radio reporter thinks the El Paso congressman can’t reach Republicans—and she believes in miracles.
Politics & Policy
January 11, 2022
Greg Abbott’s GOP Challengers Debated Without Him on Monday—and Gave Him Hell
Don Huffines, Chad Prather, and Allen West had plenty to say about the governor’s failings—all in perfect unison.
Politics & Policy
January 10, 2022
The Republican Race for Attorney General Will Be the Weirdest, Wildest—And Most Telling—Texas Election in 2022
Scandal-plagued incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton faces a Bush, a congressional performance artist, and a former state Supreme Court justice.
Politics & Policy
January 6, 2022
Troy Nehls Defended the House Floor From Rioters. Then He Got to Work Defending Trump.
The representative from the Houston suburbs faced down the mob on January 6, then voted along with its desires.
Politics & Policy
January 6, 2022
Texas Contributed More Than Just Rioters to the January 6 Insurrection
Our leaders aided and abetted Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the election more than those in any other state.
Politics & Policy
December 29, 2021
Stories We Wish We’d Published This Year
There was a lot of great coverage of happenings in Texas this year. Our staff selected its favorite stories.
Politics & Policy
December 27, 2021
Sarah Weddington Was West Texas Tough
The attorney who successfully argued Roe v. Wade died Sunday at age 76, leaving behind a powerful legacy for Texas women.
Politics & Policy
December 22, 2021
A Southwest Texas Paper Folded. A Conspiracy-Spewing Facebook Streamer Took Its Place.
After the ‘Del Rio News-Herald’ shuttered last year, Frank Lopez Jr., who broadcasts as “US Border Patriot,” found a national audience.
Politics & Policy
December 14, 2021
The Best Things in Texas 2022: Heroes of the Deep Freeze and Blackout
Last February’s deep freeze and the blackout that followed were brutal. But without the selfless actions of countless Texans, the situation could have been much worse.
Politics & Policy
December 14, 2021
The Best Things in Texas 2022: Tom McCasland
Houston housing director Tom McCasland bravely spoke out against suspicious city hall deals—and paid the price.
Politics & Policy
December 14, 2021
The 2022 Bum Steer Awards
A year ago, in this very space, we referred to 2020 as “perhaps the craziest, stupidest, Bum Steeriest year in Texas Monthly’s history.” The unspoken assumption—or perhaps it was a desperate wish—was that 2021 would prove to be at least marginally saner than that misbegotten election year. And how
Politics & Policy
December 14, 2021
Bum Steer Awards 2022: 25 Texans Who Invaded Washington, D.C.
An A-to-Z list of 25 Lone Star State residents who disgraced themselves last January 6.
Politics & Policy
December 14, 2021
2022 Bum Steer of the Year Runner-up: Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz had a very, very, very bad year. Maybe he’ll blame it on his daughters.
Politics & Policy
December 14, 2021
2022 Bum Steer of the Year: Greg Abbott
Six years after he became governor, we still don’t know what Greg Abbott wants to accomplish—except, as this year made clear, to hold on to office, no matter how many Texans get hurt.
Politics & Policy
December 9, 2021
Texas Election Officials Went Looking for Illegal Voters. They Found Some U.S. Citizens.
Nearly 12,000 registered voters have received letters demanding proof of citizenship as part of Texas’s newest effort at “voter list maintenance.”
Politics & Policy
December 7, 2021
Lina Hidalgo, Basking in National Praise, Faces a Potential Scandal at Home in Houston
The leader of the Harris County government seemed to have weathered a controversy over a contract for vaccine outreach, but in mid-November the district attorney issued subpoenas concerning the bidding process.
Politics & Policy
November 30, 2021
Matthew McConaughey Isn’t Running for Governor. But We Still Have Questions About His Interest in Politics.
Sunday night the actor announced he won’t challenge Greg Abbott. So what will he do?
Politics & Policy
November 29, 2021
How Refugees From Myanmar Have Embraced Midland—and Its Conservative Politics
Members of the Chin ethnic group have found good jobs in the oil fields, and many are voting Republican.
Politics & Policy
November 24, 2021
Who’s To Blame for Astroworld? Anybody but Us, Say Houston Officials.
In the wake of the deadly Travis Scott concert, Bayou City and Harris County politicians have formed a circular firing squad.