Politicians are always listening to voters — but the ones who actually select the state’s elected officials have a lot more clout than those who stay home. You can see it in the way lawmakers govern.
2010 elections
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State Government
Analysis: A 2020 holiday fantasy for Texas officeholders looking to 2022
Big election campaigns take years to mount. So some politicians aren’t thinking about the 2020 elections. They’re dreaming and planning for 2022.
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Texas 2020 Elections
Is Texas really going purple? Our Heat Index will show how competitive your district was — and is.
Is Texas really a swing state? To explore the question, we looked at nearly 20 years of election data to assess the competitiveness of every congressional and legislative district in the state. Take a tour of some of the state’s hot spots and then type in your address to find out the lay of the land in your districts.
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Politics
In 2010, Blake Farenthold beat a Texas Democrat who seemed invincible. Will a Republican face the same fate in 2018?
Democrats took a shellacking during President Barack Obama’s first midterm election in 2010, and U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz’s loss was one of the biggest surprises. Eight years later, some are wondering if Republicans have some overly confident incumbents unprepared for a potential “blue wave” in November.
Posted inState Government
Analysis: Short of a Win, Finding Ways to Measure Democrats’ Progress
Even if Texas Republicans sweep this year’s statewide races, there are ways to figure out whether and where Democratic organizing efforts have made any headway. Or there will be, once the results are in.
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Politics
Former Legislator Ray Hutchison Dies at 81
UPDATED: Dallas attorney Ray Hutchison, a former legislator, gubernatorial candidate and husband of former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, has died, sources said Monday morning. He was 81.
Posted inState Government
TWI: The Climate in Texas Political Districts
The newest Texas Weekly Index measures each of the state’s legislative and congressional districts, based on how statewide Republicans and Democrats fared in races in each district over the 2010 and 2012 election cycles.
Posted inState Government
Video: Smith County GOP Leader Says “Enough”
Ashton Oravetz, the former Smith County Republican Party chairman, describes the state and national Republican Party leaders of today as “dysfunctional, unethical, crony capitalists.”
Posted inState Government
HD-114 GOP Runoff Hopefuls Diverge on Strategy
In HD-114, which includes North Dallas and Lake Highlands, the candidates in the runoff for the Republican nomination are taking different approaches in their bids to replace Rep. Will Hartnett.
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State Government
Court Stays the Course on Politics and Business
Corporations and unions can play in politics, but complete disclosures are not required. A corporate political campaign in Texas two years ago was unusual, featuring an unknown corporation that was open about what it was doing.