A constellation of right-wing special interests and vengeful state officials is striving to shape the Texas House in its image, in part by targeting independent-minded Republican lawmakers.
Party leaders want to close primaries to preclude Democrats from crossing over to vote for the more-centrist Republican candidates. But the data shows that few do so.
For a long time, Texas Republican chairman Matt Rinaldi couldn’t win elections. Now he wants to decide them—by exacting revenge on opponents within his party.
House members mark Sine Die by threatening each other with violence.
