State Rep. Randy Weber, R-Pearland, who today withdrew his pledge of support for House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, was the beneficiary of two fundraisers this month at which a featured guest was … House Speaker Joe Straus.
82nd Legislative Session
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State Government
TribBlog: Ritter to Switch?
State Rep. Allan Ritter, D-Nederland, is telling associates he will switch to the Republican Party next week.
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Criminal Justice
The Tea Pot Party?
Backers of medical marijuana laws are holding fast to hopes that the specter of an ever-encroaching government will resonate with the most energized wing of the Republican Party in the upcoming legislative session.
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Economy
School’s Out
The budget shortfall — estimated to be as much as $28 billion — will require the Legislature to take a paring knife and possibly a machete to government agencies and programs. The largest single consumer of state dollars is public education, so it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which funding for teacher salaries, curricular materials and the like isn’t on the chopping block, especially if lawmakers want to make good on their promises of no new taxes. But where is that money going to come from?
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Demographics
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
M. Smith and Butrymowicz of the Hechinger Institute on charter schools and public schools making nice in the Valley, Ramsey’s interview with House Speaker candidate Ken Paxton and column on the coming budget carnage, Hu on the Legislature’s disappearing white Democratic women, Grissom on the sheriff who busted Willie Nelson, Hamilton talks higher ed accountability with the chair of the Governor’s Business Council, Aguilar on the arrest of a cartel kingpin, Ramshaw on the explosive growth in the number of adult Texans with diabetes, Philpott on state incentive funding under fire and Galbraith on the greening of Houston: The best of our best from November 29 to December 3, 2010.
Posted inState Government
Branch: Calling it a Speaker’s Race is “Generous”
At this morning’s TribLive event, state Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, speaks out on the challenge to his close friend and colleague, Speaker Joe Straus.
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State Government
Ken Paxton: The TT Interview
The Republican state representative from McKinney on why he’s running for speaker, why Joe Straus is “the most controversial Republican elected official … that maybe has ever happened,” the role of outside groups in what has historically been a forum for the most inside of insider politics and whether he thinks he can really win.
Posted inState Government
Ken Paxton: The TT Interview (audio)
An interview with state Rep. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, about his run for speaker of the Texas House.
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Higher Education
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 57
In this week’s TribCast, Evan, Ross, Elise and Reeve discuss the freshman class at the Lege, the ongoing speaker’s race and potential cuts to higher education.
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State Government
TribBlog: All Politics is Local
Freshman state Rep. Van Taylor, R-Plano, says he’s supporting Ken Paxton’s challenge to incumbent House Speaker Joe Straus.