Republicans who want to oust Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan unanimously back state Rep. David Cook
Four GOP state representatives suspended their bids to challenge Phelan and 48 Republicans backed Cook, which could threaten Phelanโs shot at a third term.
Democratic Rep. Ana-Marรญa Rodrรญguez Ramos joins crowded Texas House speaker race
Rodrรญguez Ramos faces an uphill battle, as Democrats are the minority party with 64 seats in the 150-member Texas House.
State Rep. James Frank becomes fourth Republican to challenge Dade Phelan for House speaker
Frank said he would work to bring better communication, member empowerment and management of the flow of legislation if he became the chamberโs leader.
โItโs time for big changeโ: Texas Republicans seeking to oust Speaker Dade Phelan present united front
Reps. Tom Oliverson and Shelby Slawson, both members of House Republican leadership, became the first two candidates to challenge Phelanโs speakership.
Another Republican is challenging Dade Phelan for Texas House speaker
The Texas House speaker race is becoming increasingly crowded. Phelan, who is under fire from his right, says he plans to seek the leadership position again.
Texas must build hundreds of thousands of homes to lower housing costs, says state comptroller
Texas needs hundreds of thousands more homes than it has, per one estimate. That shortage has driven up home prices and rents.
Texas should have been first state to put 10 Commandments back in schools, says Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is blasting his political opponents for letting Louisiana become the first state to require public schools and colleges to display the Ten Commandments.
Four Texas House Republicans censured for campaigning against incumbents
The censured members said they had been punished for campaigning against โliberal incumbentsโ alongside statewide elected officials like Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
With new rules, the Texas GOP seeks to keep its elected officials in line
The state party plans to limit primaries to registered Republicans and keep elected officials it censured off the ballot. Itโs unclear if it can without legislative approval.
Majority of incoming Texas House Republicans calls for end to Democratic committee chairs, narrowing path for Phelan
House Speaker Dade Phelan has stuck to the tradition of appointing chairs from the opposing party, drawing fierce pushback from the GOPโs right wing.
How Texas Speaker Dade Phelan turned the tide to keep his seat
After coming in second in the primary, Phelan was at a disadvantage heading into the runoff. With record breaking cash infusions, Phelan blanketed airwaves and hired an army of campaign staffers.
Texas runoff yields no clear winner among GOPโs warring factions, setting stage for power struggle
Neither of the Texas GOPโs dueling factions landed a clean knockout blow during a grueling primary season that only seemed to set up further chaos and strife.
Texas House runoffs bring wave of GOP incumbent defeats, give Abbott votes for school vouchers
Six of eight GOP incumbents lost their races. Gov. Greg Abbott declared he โnow has enough votes to pass school choice.โ
House Speaker Dade Phelan wins runoff, surviving challenge by Texas GOPโs far-right forces
Business-minded Republicans spent millions trying to save Phelan, whose far-right opponent had the backing of Donald Trump, Ken Paxton and Dan Patrick. Phelan won by 366 votes, according to unofficial returns.
Itโs primary runoff election day in Texas. Hereโs what weโre watching.
Texans are heading to the polls Tuesday to make their final selections for which Democrats and Republicans will run for various seats in the November election.
US Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas fights off challenge from gun-rights activist in GOP runoff
Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas has won his primary over a gun-rights activist who forced the border congressman into a runoff and threatened to unseat a House incumbent.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the Texas primary runoffs
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton are looking to settle political scores within their own party in the upcoming primary runoff elections, in which voters will decide nearly three dozen unresolved races from the stateโs March 5 primary.
Texasโ Republican old guard mobilizes to protect Dade Phelan from the far right
Phelanโs primary has emerged as a last stand for the Republican Partyโs business-minded establishment against an insurgency primarily motivated by social and cultural issues.
Dade Phelan directs House leaders to revisit vouchers, property taxes in the next legislative session
The Beaumont Republican issued his interim charges even as it remains unclear whether heโll be reelected.
False ad depicting Dade Phelan with Nancy Pelosi could inspire new anti-deepfake legislation
A mailer, paid for by the Jeff Yass-bankrolled Club for Growth Action PAC, falsely depicted Phelan in a hug with former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Texas House GOP hardliners issue list of demands for a next speaker
The two dozen Republican signatories called on the next House leader to commit to their list of conservative demands that served as a repudiation of Speaker Dade Phelan.
Former Texas House speaker says GOP megadonor Tim Dunn told him only Christians should hold leadership positions
Straus, who is Jewish, publicly confirmed the conversation for the first time Thursday. It had previously been reported by Texas Monthly.
House Speaker Dade Phelanโs immigration record central in bid to oust him
The Beaumont Republicanโs foes are trying to paint him as soft on the border, even after last yearโs passage of far-reaching laws and record border funding.
Texas could require social media influencers to disclose paid political posts
The Tribune reported last year that a company called Influenceable LLC was paid to recruit influencers to defend Attorney General Ken Paxton over his impeachment.
Once the Texas GOPโs โweak link,โ Attorney General Ken Paxton is growing more popular and powerful
With his impeachment and securities fraud case behind him, Paxtonโs political stock is on the rise.
Gov. Greg Abbott appears with embattled House Speaker Dade Phelan for first time in heated primary season
Abbott has so far been silent as Phelan battles for political survival in a tough primary runoff.
House Speaker Dade Phelan took a risk on Paxtonโs impeachment. It may end his career.
The May 28 runoff promises to be an expensive, high-profile contest that will help reshape the political dynamics of the Texas House.
Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton declare victory in attack on House GOP defectors
The two state leaders and other prominent Republicans, like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and former president Donald Trump, endorsed challengers in dozens of races citing the incumbentsโ disloyalty to the party.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton beat impeachment. Now he wants Super Tuesday revenge on his foes
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton beat impeachment, and now he wants political revenge.
Speaker Dade Phelan forcefully defends Ken Paxton impeachment in campaign ad
Facing heat for presiding over the impeachment of the attorney general, Phelan is addressing the issue head-on and citing an alleged Paxton extramarital affair.
School voucher opponents are unpopular with Texas GOP primary voters, poll finds
In a University of Houston poll, nearly half also signaled they didnโt support Republican incumbents who voted to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton.
House Speaker Dade Phelan, enemy of the far-right, faces toughest reelection yet
Attorney General Ken Paxton, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and former President Donald Trump are accusing Phelan of being a โRINO,โ even as Phelan has overseen the passage of some of the most conservative bills in recent history.
Texas man arrested after threatening House Speaker Dade Phelan
Texas Department of Public Safety arrested Daniel Troy Leblanc earlier this month after the Orange County resident made โterroristic threatsโ on social media.
After Fuentes scandal, Texas billionaires fund new PAC to support conservative candidates
In the wake of a scandal tying them to white supremacists, Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks started a new PAC to support far-right candidates
Attorney General Ken Paxton campaigns against House Speaker Dade Phelan in his own district
The attorney general has gone on an endorsement spree since his acquittal in his Senate impeachment trial last year, backing primary challengers to the House Republicans who voted to impeach him.
Far-right activist blasts Speaker Phelan for being "pro-Muslim" in political mailer
The card insinuates that Phelan wants to wish his constituents a happy Ramadan instead of a merry Christmas. Muslim Texans say itโs Islamophobic and some Republicans say it doesn't reflect Christian values.
Texas Legislature adjourns fourth special session โ leaving vouchers, school safety and elections bills unfinished
The latest casualties were Senate Bill 5, which would spend $800 million on school safety measures through 2025, and Senate Bill 6, which would change the timeline of a trial after an election contest is filed by a citizen or group.
With GOP priorities unfinished, Texas House plans to wrap fourth special session Tuesday
The decision to end work Tuesday leaves long odds for bills to boost school safety funding and make sure that election challenges donโt delay the implementation of property tax cuts, teacher pension raises and infrastructure spending.
Gov. Greg Abbott endorses reelection bids of 58 House members who voted for school vouchers
No members who voted against Abbottโs top legislative priority received the governorโs backing.
Prominent anti-LGBTQ+ activist Jared Woodfill running for Texas House
If elected next year, Woodfill also plans to run for House speaker. His campaign accuses his 2024 opponent, conservative state Rep. Lacey Hull, of conspiring with incumbent Speaker Dade Phelan to work against conservatives.
Abbott calls lawmakers back for fourth time to try again on school vouchers and border security
The governor announced the fourth special session would start an hour after the previous session adjourned.
Watch a Texas Tribune conversation on the state Legislatureโs special session
Journalists covering the Texas Capitol discussed what came out of this yearโs third special session and what is still to be resolved.
Fighting between legislative leaders imperils Texas border security bills
The governor, lieutenant governor and House speaker generally agree on building more border barriers and making illegal border crossings a state crime. But disagreements over strategy and personal animosity mean those measures face long odds this special legislative session.
With time running out, House punts on taking action on school vouchers
Gov. Greg Abbott just announced heโd reached a deal with the House to advance school vouchers, but with less than a week before the Legislature must adjourn the lower chamber took no action on the governorโs priority legislation.
Abbott touts school voucher deal with House leaders, but others reluctant to say if bill will pass
A deal between the governor and House would be a breakthrough after months of talks. But whether they actually have a deal is unclear.
Texas House approves ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers
Violations could bring a $50,000 fine under an amendment adopted Wednesday. The billโs sponsor said the ban would be the strongest in the nation.
Gov. Greg Abbott, House at impasse over school voucher bill as special session winds down
Vouchers are the governorโs top legislative priority. But he has signaled opposition to a proposed House compromise that would tie them to increased funding for public schools.
Texas voters split on House, Senate handling of Paxton impeachment, poll finds
Republicans showed a more clear divide, giving the Senate higher marks than the House for how the attorney generalโs impeachment was handled.
Dan Patrick to use $3 million from Defend Texas Liberty to buy Israeli bonds
More than two weeks after the influential PACโs leader met with a Hitler admirer, Lt. Gov. Patrick said the GOP must โroot outโ antisemitism. Patrick had initially said heโd keep the PACโs money.
House, Senate bills at odds over power to boost future funding for Texas school voucher program
The Senateโs Republican bill would let state leaders grow the program by taking money from other agencies without the Legislatureโs approval. The House bill would bar the practice.
Hereโs who gets money from Defend Texas Liberty, the PAC whose leader met with white supremacist Nick Fuentes
The group has funded candidates and groups like the Texas GOP who have pushed fellow Republicans to take a harder line against things like illegal immigration and transgender people.
Special session on school vouchers begins with Republicans in disarray
Gov. Greg Abbott needs a delicate coalition of Republicans to pass his top priority. But the House and Senate leaders arenโt getting along.
Conservative PAC leaderโs meeting with white supremacist Nick Fuentes leads to condemnations, escalates GOP infighting
House Speaker Dade Phelan called on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and other officials to redirect any money they received from the PAC. Patrick called on Phelan to resign.
Gov. Greg Abbott orders special lawmaking session to begin on Oct. 9, likely on school vouchers
greg-abbott-texas-legislature-school-choice-vouchers This third special session comes as a rift between the Texas House and the Senate grew following Attorney General Ken Paxtonโs impeachment trial, raising questions about the chambersโ ability to compromise on education issues.
Rep. John Smithee emerges as House hero among Paxton supporters, floated for speaker
On the day the House impeached Ken Paxton, Smithee delivered a 20 minute speech, criticizing the impeachment process as opaque, rushed and unfair to the accused.
Paxton critics pile on, calling impeachment trial rigged
House Speaker Dade Phelan wrote an op-ed for his hometown newspaper, saying the โfix was in from the start,โ while other Republican officials are calling for Phelanโs resignation.
Ken Paxton verdict heightens political tension ahead of education special session
The Texas House and Senate were already far apart on โschool choice.โ Anger over the impeachment trial might make it even harder to find common ground.
Ken Paxtonโs impeachment trial escalates Texas Republican civil war
Paxtonโs far-right supporters doubled down on their promises for swift retribution against fellow Republicans who supported his removal from office.
Trump congratulates Paxton on โTexas sizedโ impeachment victory
โThis was the right outcome,โ U.S. Ted Cruz said, while Gov. Greg Abbott said he looked forward to continuing to work with the attorney general.
Dan Patrick, Dade Phelan trade potshots after impeachment trial ends
The lieutenant governor criticized the House for a secretive and rushed process that โwastedโ taxpayer dollars. The House speaker fired back, saying Patrick confessed his bias and contempt.
โLetโs clean houseโ: Paxton tells supporters to lead charge in removing his Republican rivals who impeached him
Paxton named House Speaker Dade Phelan, a fellow Republican, in his brief remarks Saturday in North Texas. The suspended attorney general faces a trial Tuesday that would remove him from office permanently.
After property-tax deal, Speaker Dade Phelan weighs in on leadership relations, next special session, reelection
Rapport among the stateโs top three Republicans has greatly improved, the House leader said, but another relationship-testing special session awaits on contentious education issues.
Watch live: Gov. Greg Abbott to sign historic property tax cut in New Caney
Gov. Greg Abbott will ceremonially sign the largest property tax in Texas history, which was passed during Special Session #2 of the 88th Texas Legislature on Wednesday in New Caney.
TribCast: Texas lawmakers approve property tax cuts after 7 months of trying
In this weekโs episode, we discuss the winners and losers โ politically and financially โ after lawmakers approved an $18 billion tax cut bill.
Property tax special session is over, but months of acrimony could complicate Texas lawmakersโ mission as more work awaits
Efforts to repair rifts, particularly among Republican leaders, begin as another contentious special session looms on Gov. Greg Abbottโs call for โschool choice.โ
Long-awaited $18 billion property tax-cut deal heads to Gov. Greg Abbott
House Democrats attempted to insert benefits for renters and more money for public education into the tax-cuts package in a series of floor amendments but were unsuccessful.
Texas House and Senate reach a deal on how to cut property taxes
The deal would channel $12 billion to reduce the school property tax rate for homeowners and business properties, increase the homestead exemption, and create a pilot program to reduce taxes on certain residential and commercial properties. The legislation is expected to pass later this week.
As Texas lawmakers tussle over property tax relief, itโs unclear whether renters will benefit
Texasโ top Republicans are fighting over how to split property tax cuts between businesses and homeowners. Democrats want renters to see relief, too.
State Rep. Jacey Jetton, called to military service, chooses his wife as temporary replacement
Under a provision of the Texas Constitution, Fanny Jetton will represent her husbandโs Houston suburban district during the Legislatureโs second special session.
A property tax deal has eluded Texas lawmakers. Hereโs where things stand at the start of another special session.
Top Republicans promised property tax cuts, but have been locked in standoffs on how to achieve it. Gov. Greg Abbott has called another overtime legislative session in hopes of solidifying a plan.
First special session ends with no new laws, Texas lawmakers still deadlocked on property taxes
Gov. Greg Abbott quickly called lawmakers back to the Capitol for round two, hoping to break an impasse that has outlasted the regular session and one overtime period.
Texas senators include more property tax cuts for businesses in new pitch to break impasse with House
The Senateโs latest proposal is an apparent effort to appease Gov. Greg Abbott and the lower chamber. The stateโs top Republicans have been at odds for months over how to use the stateโs historic budget surplus to cut property taxes.
TribCast: Why canโt Texas Republicans get along?
In this weekโs episode we check in with radio host Mark Davis and politics reporter Patrick Svitek about the GOP intraparty fighting over property taxes and Ken Paxtonโs impeachment.
Gov. Greg Abbott threatens string of vetoes if lawmakers canโt agree on property tax cuts
With several hundred bills awaiting action by the governor, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called the veto threat an affront to Texans and the legislative process.
Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan join forces on property taxes. It might help the push for school vouchers.
Phelan announced the formation of a House committee that could set the tone in favor of vouchers ahead of an expected special session on education. The move comes weeks after Abbott sided with Phelan on a plan to lower property taxes.
On property tax impasse, Gov. Greg Abbott appears open to House-Senate compromise
The special session churns on with the House adjourned, the Senate still working and the governor welcoming an agreement that has thus far eluded lawmakers.
Fossil fuels got a boost from lawmakers aiming to fix Texasโ grid, while renewable energy escaped stricter regulations
The bills will give owners of natural gas power plants incentives to build more capacity, but they donโt go as far as originally proposed to change how electricity is created and sold in the Texas market.
Texas Republicans are fighting over how to split $12.3 billion in property tax breaks between homeowners and businesses
Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan back a plan that spreads property tax relief among all landowners, while Lt. Gov. Dan Patrickโs proposal would give homeowners a bigger boost than businesses.
Cars registered in Texas after 2025 will no longer need to pass a safety inspection, but owners will still pay the fee
Cars in some of Texasโ larger counties will still be required to have their emission output checked.
Tension over property taxes produces rare public clash between Dan Patrick, Greg Abbott
Always happy to castigate the Texas House, Patrick breaks form to criticize the governor as misinformed and unsympathetic toward homeowners.
Abbott backs Phelanโs property tax cut plan, spurring ire from Patrick
The House passed a bill without Lt. Gov. Dan Patrickโs preferred increase to homestead exemptions โ then abruptly adjourned for the special session. That basically tells the Senate to take the House bill Gov. Greg Abbott backs or leave it.
Regular Texas legislative session starts with record budget surplus, ends with an impeached Attorney General Ken Paxton
The 2023 legislative session started with a $32.7 billion surplus. It was mired in Republican infighting and multiple scandals. Then, the House impeached the stateโs attorney general.