Politics & Policy
November 15, 2019
Cocaine Is a Hell of a Drug, But Then So Is Partisanship
What Poncho Nevarez’s cocaine problem tells us about corruption and impunity at the Texas Capitol.
Politics & Policy
Reporting and commentary on the Legislature, campaigns, and elected officials
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Border & Immigration
November 15, 2019
‘We Build the Wall’ Ordered to Stop Construction of Private Border Wall in South Texas
Environmentalists worry the wall could worsen flooding and violate an international treaty.
The National Podcast of Texas
November 11, 2019
Austin Mayor Steve Adler on the City’s Polarizing Debate Over Homelessness
On this week’s National Podcast of Texas, the mayor weighs in on sparring with Governor Abbott. Plus, his takes on mayors Bloomberg and Buttigieg.
Politics & Policy
November 7, 2019
Are There Really 300,000 Texas Secessionists Running Around the State?
An 'Atlantic" piece says there are — but does that really mean anything in a population of 29.1 million people?
Politics & Policy
November 6, 2019
Let’s All Hope Tony Buzbee Drank a Lot of Water Last Night
The eccentric megalawyer’s unpredictable and at times unintelligible speech claiming victory in Houston’s mayoral election has to be seen to be believed.
Politics & Policy
November 6, 2019
Texas Counties Are Declaring Themselves ‘Second Amendment Sanctuaries.’ But What Does That Mean, Exactly?
Spooked by the gun control debate, some rural Texas communities say they will defy “unconstitutional” gun laws, though it’s not clear how they would do so.
Politics & Policy
November 5, 2019
The (Fake) Beto Diaries, Vol. 5: Journey’s End
Our hero’s odyssey ends where it started: with him.
Politics & Policy
November 5, 2019
Proposition 7 Could Increase Education Funding, But That’s Part of the Problem
One constitutional amendment on the ballot poses a question that often vexes lawmakers—short-term need, or long-term benefit?
Politics & Policy
November 4, 2019
The Crowded Houston Mayoral Race Has Shaken Up Traditional Bayou City Politics
Despite, or maybe because of, Mayor Sylvester Turner’s business-as-usual approach, the race is surprisingly contentious.
Politics & Policy
November 4, 2019
Beto’s Mega-Hyped Local Act Disappoints in Major-Label Debut
Despite obvious talent and a dedicated fanbase, the El Paso native’s big national release is uninspired.
The National Podcast of Texas
November 4, 2019
The Texas Tribune’s Evan Smith Celebrates 10 Years of Nonprofit Journalism
On this week’s National Podcast of Texas, the digital news startup’s CEO and co-founder discusses how a risky bet on covering Texas politics and public policy paid off.
Politics & Policy
November 1, 2019
Beto O’Rourke Calls It Quits
When Beto left Texas, he lost his way.
Politics & Policy
October 29, 2019
What Happens When the Texas Governor Shares the Worst Day of Your Life on Twitter?
As part of his campaign against Austin’s homelessness rules, Greg Abbott tweeted an old video of a non-homeless man having a mental health episode. His attorney says the governor is “retraumatizing” the man and his family.
Politics & Policy
October 24, 2019
How Teenagers Are Using Their Quinceañeras to Boost the Latinx Vote in Texas
The nonprofit Jolt Texas is partnering with families across the state to register voters.
Politics & Policy
October 22, 2019
Bonn Voyage, Dennis!
The embattled speaker of the Texas House, Dennis Bonnen, calls it quits.
Politics & Policy
October 21, 2019
What Should Rick Perry Do Next?
Rick Perry, the former governor turned energy secretary, is about to have a lot of time on his hands.
Politics & Policy
October 18, 2019
The Texas GOP Keeps on Dancing to Donald Trump’s Tune
Dan Patrick, John Cornyn, and Ted Cruz stood by at the president’s Thursday night rally in Dallas as he ridiculed them and claimed Hurricane Harvey made the state “a fortune.”
Politics & Policy
October 16, 2019
No More Nurdles? Formosa’s Agreement to Stop Pumping Plastics Into Lavaca Bay Is Historic
Gulf Coast citizen-activists collected 30 million plastic pellets in order to prove that Formosa was violating the Clean Water Act.
Books
October 16, 2019
When Texas Democrats Roamed the Earth
Two new books remind us that the Lone Star State once had a nationally powerful tradition of liberalism.
Politics & Policy
October 15, 2019
The Bonnen Tape Is Tawdry, Shocking, and Kinda Funny
The secretly recorded meeting between Dennis Bonnen and Michael Quinn Sullivan shows how Texas political operators talk behind closed doors.
Politics & Policy
October 10, 2019
The Rick Perry Show Is Back!
Our ever-entertaining former governor has been awfully quiet for the past few years. But we knew that couldn’t last.
Politics & Policy
October 10, 2019
San Antonio Starts to Confront Its Domestic Violence Crisis
Bexar County leaders are grappling with rates of violence against women that exceed those in the state’s other major cities.
Border & Immigration
October 8, 2019
‘This Policy Is a Disaster’: Julián Castro Visits Increasingly Desperate Migrants in Matamoros
Asylum seekers subject to Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy wait in fear and boredom at a gritty tent encampment.
Politics & Policy
October 4, 2019
In the Name of Leslie Cochran, Will the Governor Please Leave Austin Alone?
Austin-bashing is as old as the hills, but things have gotten a little out of hand.
Politics & Policy
October 2, 2019
Trump’s Texas Allies Just Can’t Quite Figure Out How to Defend Him
John Cornyn and other Republicans are doing their best to explain away the Ukraine scandal, but their best just looks silly.
Politics & Policy
October 1, 2019
If the ‘Castle Doctrine’ Can Justify Botham Jean’s Shooting, the Law Itself Is the Problem
What good is a law that promotes lawlessness?
Politics & Policy
September 27, 2019
The Texas Politicians Who Have Rallied to Trump’s Defense, From the Gutsy to the Gutless
Impeachment is serious business. And so is the political calculating that goes into how to respond.
Politics & Policy
September 24, 2019
Is John Cornyn Vulnerable?
For many years, taking on the senior Texas senator seemed like a fool's errand. But in 2020, Cornyn looks less than invincible.
Politics & Policy
September 23, 2019
Houston’s Indian American Community Showed Its Strength at the Modi Rally
But the event was also unsettling in the way it brought together two leaders—Trump and Modi—in an authoritarian embrace.
Border & Immigration
September 19, 2019
The Angry Tías y Abuelas Are Feeding and Fighting for Asylum Seekers at the Border
Situated on the frontlines of the immigration crisis, the Angry Tias y Abuelas group acts as the eyes and ears of the border.
Politics & Policy
September 19, 2019
Veronica vs. the Swamp
Veronica Escobar, the first Latina to represent El Paso in Congress, isn’t afraid of playing the Washington game—as long as it means the Texas borderlands get the respect they deserve.
Politics & Policy
September 17, 2019
Why Julián Castro Should Stay in the Presidential Race
Some Texas Democrats are quietly urging the former San Antonio mayor to drop his White House bid, but many Hispanics wish him to fight on.
Politics & Policy
September 13, 2019
Thursday Night Lights: Beto O’Rourke and Julián Castro Fight for Relevancy at the Houston Debate
Beto vs. Julian, Castro tries to shank Biden, why the debate format sucks, and (bonus!) a snoozy Latinos for Trump rally.
Politics & Policy
September 13, 2019
The Six Texas Politicians Addicted to Twitter—For Better or Worse
A decidedly unscientific appraisal of why the hell they bother.
Business
September 12, 2019
T. Boone Pickens Was a Helluva Storyteller—and That’s Why We Couldn’t Resist Him
In his plainspoken, hilariously vivid vernacular, the Texas oilman constantly spun tales about good times and bad.
Politics & Policy
September 12, 2019
Churchy Chicken: Why the Religious Right Won’t Stop Talking About Chick-fil-A
At a meeting of Texas social conservatives, all anyone wanted to talk about (and eat) was Chick-fil-A
Politics & Policy
September 11, 2019
From Obscure Web Developer to Trump Campaign Manager: The Inside Story of Brad Parscale’s Unlikely Rise
In just a few years, the reputed genius behind Trump’s election has completely reinvented himself. But is his story too good to be true?
Politics & Policy
September 10, 2019
Dan Patrick Is a Sworn Enemy of Gun Control, So Why Is He Proposing Background Checks Now?
The lieutenant governor’s pledge to “take an arrow” from the NRA is a surprise, but the move is not as politically risky as it looks.
Politics & Policy
September 9, 2019
The Texas Death Penalty Machine Has Become Increasingly Grotesque
There’s something dishonest in the state’s bureaucratic approach to killing its own citizens.
The National Podcast of Texas
September 9, 2019
Ted Cruz Talks Gun Control, Political Civility, Alex Jones, and President Trump’s Tweets
This week on the National Podcast of Texas, a freewheeling conversation with Texas’s junior senator.
Politics & Policy
September 9, 2019
Could a Loud, Rich, and Scandal-Prone Personal Injury Lawyer Win Control of Houston?
Tony Buzbee knows how to win big in court. In the era of Trump, he might just win the Houston mayoral race.
Politics & Policy
September 4, 2019
Would You Like to Borrow Dan Crenshaw’s Guns?
The Texas congressman doesn’t believe in background checks between friends.
Politics & Policy
September 4, 2019
The Governor Wants “Expedited Executions” For Mass Shooters. But Who Would That Deter?
Of the four major mass shooting suspects in Texas in recent years, the only one it would impact is the man who wants to die as soon as possible.
Politics & Policy
September 3, 2019
Video Games and Godless Hearts: The Texas Gun Debate Is at a Depressing Dead End
What politicians like Matt Schaefer are really saying is that no number of victims is worth the discomfort of a fairly small number of gun owners.
Politics & Policy
August 30, 2019
‘Mistakes Were Made’: It Remains to Be Seen if Greg Abbott’s Passive-Voice Apology Represents a Change of Heart
The governor has apologized (sort of) for an ill-timed fund-raising letter calling on supporters to “defend” Texas from immigrants. But there’s much more he can do.
Politics & Policy
August 30, 2019
Is the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge Still in the Crosshairs of Trump’s Border Wall?
Activists are concerned that the Trump administration will circumvent congressional prohibitions against building a barrier through the South Texas preserve.
Border & Immigration
August 29, 2019
What Texas Latino Leaders Want to Hear at the Democratic Debate in Houston
In the aftermath of the El Paso shooting, party leaders expect the presidential candidates to address racism and immigration.
Critters
August 26, 2019
Can Texas Bats Be Saved?
If Texas biologists can prevent an outbreak of white-nose syndrome, caused by a fast-spreading fungus, they may provide a new national model for bat conservation.
Politics & Policy
August 22, 2019
Of Course Rick Perry Fell For the Instagram Hoax
Plenty of people did, but not all of them are in charge of the nuclear arsenal.
Music
August 21, 2019
Beto O’Rourke and Julián Castro’s Campaign Playlists Are Meaningless (But One Is Clearly Better)
An analysis of the two Texan presidential candidates’ rally songs.