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.
Christopher Hooks is a former senior editor at Texas Monthly. Raised in Austin, he has been writing about Texas since 2013, for publications including the Atlantic, Gawker, GQ, Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Texas Observer, and the Washington Post. For Texas Monthly, he has written about redevelopment battles in El Paso; a congressional race in Amarillo; a wet/dry election in Texarkana; a Black Lives Matter rally in Vidor; and a water sommelier in Harlingen. He is probably currently somewhere between those five points.
The departure of the longtime Austin senator—for the greener pastures of higher education—will set off a fierce race for his seat.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
This year is going to feature a lot of confident pronouncements from experts who will be proved wrong again and again.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Beto & co. came up embarrassingly short, but the result probably doesn’t say all that much about November.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The author and UT professor believes our country is falling apart—and he has a plan to fix it.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The governor’s decision makes no sense from a practical perspective, and ultimately, it can’t be explained as a policy choice at all.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick were quick to find a self-serving narrative in the shooting at a church last week.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Castro’s presidential ambitions have ended, but Texas has likely not heard the last of him.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The Austin director’s war film is notable for its near-total absence of politics.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
We stumble down memory lane, gawking at the madness and the mayhem of 2010–2019—and looking for an off-ramp.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Like so much in American conservative politics these days, everything begins and ends with Trump.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Now that races for the March primary are (mostly) set, here are a few things worth keeping an eye on.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
A.P. Merillat helped send at least 15 people to death row. On Wednesday, Travis Runnels will become the third this year to be executed, even though a former prison official calls Merillat’s testimony “bullshit.”
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Now that the Texas GOP is trying to present a more diverse face this year, it can't afford to alienate voters in places like Fort Bend County.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
What Poncho Nevarez’s cocaine problem tells us about corruption and impunity at the Texas Capitol.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The eccentric megalawyer’s unpredictable and at times unintelligible speech claiming victory in Houston’s mayoral election has to be seen to be believed.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
One constitutional amendment on the ballot poses a question that often vexes lawmakers—short-term need, or long-term benefit?
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
When Beto left Texas, he lost his way.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
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.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The embattled speaker of the Texas House, Dennis Bonnen, calls it quits.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
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.”
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The secretly recorded meeting between Dennis Bonnen and Michael Quinn Sullivan shows how Texas political operators talk behind closed doors.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Our ever-entertaining former governor has been awfully quiet for the past few years. But we knew that couldn’t last.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Austin’s legalization of camping and sidewalk sleeping has stirred a backlash that obscures the progress some Texas cities have made in steering the homeless off the streets.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Austin-bashing is as old as the hills, but things have gotten a little out of hand.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
John Cornyn and other Republicans are doing their best to explain away the Ukraine scandal, but their best just looks silly.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The straightforward circumstances of Jean's slaying proved too difficult for the jury to ignore.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
But the event was also unsettling in the way it brought together two leaders—Trump and Modi—in an authoritarian embrace.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
While a new generation of scholars is rewriting our history, supporters of the traditional narratives are fighting to keep their grip on the public imagination.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Beto vs. Julian, Castro tries to shank Biden, why the debate format sucks, and (bonus!) a snoozy Latinos for Trump rally.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
At a meeting of Texas social conservatives, all anyone wanted to talk about (and eat) was Chick-fil-A
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
There’s something dishonest in the state’s bureaucratic approach to killing its own citizens.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
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.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
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.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
House Speaker Dennis Bonnen offers a masterclass in how to lose friends and alienate your allies in just a few easy steps.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
MQS isn't the most trustworthy person in Texas politics, but Bonnen has done a poor job offering an alternative narrative about what transpired.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
In the event that millions lose their health insurance and protections for preexisting conditions disappear, the state has no real backup plan.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
His fundraising is bad, his poll numbers are worse, and some Texans still think he should run for Senate.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Congressman Roy and Senator Cruz urged Trump to print the census with a citizenship question despite a Supreme Court ruling. That would’ve been a dangerous precedent.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
As the Trump administration ratchets up its dehumanization of migrants, we Americans stand to lose our moral center.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The debate had the feel, at times, of an episode of Survivor—the little guys teaming up to clear their ranks before the real fight begins.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
They called it the kumbaya session, but we still found plenty of scoundrels and statesmen.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
In one of the worst legislative sessions for criminal justice reform in years, bipartisan legislation got caught between an ugly fight between the police lobby and prominent Democrats.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
The governor, lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the House announced a deal on property taxes and school finance. It sounds good, but offered awfully little in the way of specifics.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Let us count the ways legislators passed, killed, and then resurrected what was a popular, bipartisan way to limit arrests for minor infractions.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Stickland and his band of merry pranksters could have pushed the Legislature into a special session by killing a popular bill to increase mental health services for kids.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
In a fit of idiocy and confusion, Democrats in the Legislature not once, but twice derailed bipartisan legislation prohibiting police from making arrests for minor infractions.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
But don’t think that means Representative Jonathan Stickland is all grown up. He’s still more or less the lib-baiting troll he’s always been.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Here died Greg Abbott’s burden-shifting plan, orphaned and alone.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
Kennedy’s presentation to vaccine activists at the Capitol was a master class in how to turn fears toward a dangerous cause.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.
In a dispute between cities and the state, employees and employers, you can probably guess who has the upper hand.
Christopher Hooks writes mostly about Texas politics and occasionally about more serious subjects.