Since the 2020 election, Texas Republicans have dramatically rewritten the state’s voting laws, which have made some long-standing practices illegal.
2018 elections
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Alan Vera, a Republican voter-fraud activist, dies at Texas Capitol
Vera, who planned to testify on election legislation, was a regular at the statehouse. Two weeks ago, lawmakers sang “Happy Birthday” to him during a House Elections Committee hearing.
Posted in
Unconventional Wisdom
Analysis: Texas lawmakers listen to the voters who show up
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.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Texas Democratic Party leadership election roiled by accusation that a candidate shoved a staffer
Witnesses say Kim Olson pushed the party’s top staffer during a bus tour in 2018. Olson denies the allegation.
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Analysis: Unlike the 2018 election in Texas, 2020’s top races won’t set spending records
Two years ago in Texas, interest and election turnout were juiced by a $125 million race for U.S. Senate. This year’s ballot is topped by an extraordinary race for president, but the political spending at the top won’t match 2018.
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The 2020 Texas Tribune Festival
State GOP Chair Allen West calls on Donald Trump to visit Texas before Election Day
“I’ve got the message up to him,” said Allen West, who took over as party chair in July. “I’d like to see the president come back to Texas one more time, especially come back to North Texas.”
Posted in
Texas 2020 Elections
Two Texas House Republicans battle right flank in otherwise calm primary season
GOP state Reps. J.D. Sheffield of Gatesville and Dan Flynn of Canton are standing out as perhaps the most vulnerable House Republicans days out from the primary election.
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Demographics
More young Texans are registering to vote. Will they actually turn out?
Voter registration activity at Texas high schools spiked ahead of the 2018 general elections, when young and Hispanic voters turned out in record numbers for a midterm.
Posted inState Government
Conservative activists helped elect Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Now some say there’s a disconnect.
A group of hardline grassroots activists has called on Patrick to be more outspoken on party priorities and worries that lines of communication appear to no longer be there.
Posted in
State Government
Analyzing 2019: Elections past, elections future
Election results from 2018 and prospects for the 2020 election led by President Donald Trump’s reelection bid provided a steady and strong undertow for political and policy conversations in Texas. And they still do.