Special 8 Day Out Update

Nov 1, 2023 | Campaign Finance

The special election for the Texas State House District 2, scheduled for November 2nd, is in the spotlight with the release of the latest 8-day-out campaign finance reports by the Texas Ethics Commission. These reports, covering the period from September 29th to...

Watson, the Once and Future Mayor, Defeats Israel

Dec 13, 2022 | Campaign Finance, Campaign News

Former Mayor and former Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) won Austin’s mayoral runoff, 50.4%-49.6%, over Rep. Celia Israel (D-Austin), a margin of 886 votes. Watson’s margin of victory came from the pockets of Austin outside Travis Co. He received 62% of the nearly 3,600...

Abbott, O’Rourke Empty Wallets As Republicans Dominate Down Ballot

Nov 1, 2022 | Campaign Finance

Statewide and legislative candidates facing general election opposition reported raising $47M and spending north of $72M during the monthlong period covered by the latest campaign finance reports. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke’s...

Turnout, Congressional Fundraising Well Below 2020 Levels

Oct 27, 2022 | Campaign Finance, Campaign News

Early voting continues for the November 8 general election. Just over 1.6M Texans have voted early in person (1.4M) or by mail (200K) through yesterday (Wed.), the third day of the early voting period, according to preliminary numbers reported by counties to the...

South Texas Races Draw Most Congressional Campaign Cash

Oct 15, 2022 | Campaign Finance

Congressional candidates on the general election ballot raised $19M and spent nearly $16M during the third quarter, according to October quarterly reports that were due today (Sat.). The total represents a more than $24M drop from the same period in 2020, even after...

Abbott, O’Rourke Dominate 30-day-out Fundraising Results

Oct 12, 2022 | Campaign Finance

The governor’s race towers above all others when it comes to raising and spending money this election season. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and challenger Beto O’Rourke (D) accounted for a staggering 70% of all contributions received and 76% of all expenditures made by...

O’Rourke, Abbott, Patrick Set Records in Latest Fundraising Period

Jul 17, 2022 | Campaign Finance

Note: This report has been updated to reflect significant changes to originally reported figures by Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton’s campaign. The governor’s race (Likely R) is taking the oxygen out of the room, accounting for 65 cents out of every dollar contributed to...

Abbott, Major PACs Provide $1M+ in ‘Late Train’ Contributions

May 22, 2022 | Campaign Finance

Runoff candidates who receive more than $1,890 from a single source on or after May 15 must disclose those contributions in daily pre-election reports (formerly known as telegram reports). These “late train” contributions typically come from a handful of major donors...

Runoff Candidates Raise More Than $17M for Final Push

May 17, 2022 | Campaign Finance

State candidates facing runoffs were required to file their runoff campaign finance reports yesterday (Monday). These reports disclose contributions received and expenditures made between February 10 and May 14. Most reports were available online today (Tuesday), and...

Cisneros Collects Nearly 60% of Congressional Runoff Contributions

May 13, 2022 | Campaign Finance, Campaign News

Early voting for the May 24 runoff election begins Monday. Congressional candidates facing runoffs were required to file their pre-runoff campaign finance reports yesterday (Thursday). These reports disclose contributions received and expenditures made between April 1...

Cuellar, ‘Not a Target’ in Fed Probe, Out-raised by Runoff Rival

Apr 17, 2022 | Campaign Finance, Campaign News

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo) is “not a target” of a federal investigation that included an FBI raid on his home and campaign headquarters earlier this year, according to his attorney. The raid occurred less than a month before early voting began for the March...

History Repeats Itself: Top Fundraisers Dominate Open-seat Primaries

Mar 3, 2022 | Campaign Finance

We have analyzed historical campaign finance data and election results since 2006 to see how open-seat candidates fared in significant primary races based on their relative fundraising ranks. Unsurprisingly, we found a strong correlation between fundraising rank and...

🎙️We Have a Podcast! 🎙️

Bills and Business is your go-to podcast for conversations related to Texas legislation and business. Hosted by Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege—an AI-driven legislative tracking software—we bring you in-depth analysis on economic trends, impactful legislation, and key developments shaping Texas business.

Subscribe on Youtube and Spotify for weekly episodes!

🔍 USLege - The Only AI-First Political Tracking Solution ✨

USLege helps you track legislation and find what you need faster from bills, committee hearings, floor debates, and state agency meetings faster.

Say goodbye to tedious tasks!

You can follow USLege on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

🤝 Texas Association of Business 📈

Texas Association of Business (TAB) is the Texas State Chamber, representing companies of every size and industry. TAB’s purpose is to champion the best business climate in the world, unleashing the power of free enterprise to enhance lives for generations.

You can follow TAB on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

Table of Content
  1. 01 First
Trusted by Government Affairs Professionals and Corporate Policy Teams
Blog & Articles

Read more news

#43 - Wes Benedict: Bridging Policy and Community with Texans for Reasonable Solutions
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome to Episode #43 of Bills & Business. In this episode, Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege, sits down with Wes Benedict, Grassroots Manager at Texans for Reasonable Solutions.

Wes brings years of advocacy experience and a steady, practical approach to community engagement. The conversation explores how Texas communities can navigate political tension, build cross-partisan coalitions, and create space for meaningful dialogue in an increasingly polarized environment.

They dive into the organization’s focus on key statewide issues including housing, infrastructure, water, and the evolving relationship between local and state governments. Wes breaks down why these policies matter for both everyday Texans and the business community, and how reasonable, bipartisan solutions can move conversations forward.

The episode closes with insights on how individuals can get involved, what success looks like in grassroots policy work, and what Texans should be watching as the special session unfolds.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Bills & Business on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for more deep dives into Texas policy and business news.

📲 Follow Laura Carr

🐦 Twitter: @Laura_USLege https://x.com/Laura_USLege

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurauslege/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereallauracarr/

🛍️ ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/lauraluise?Section_title=latest-finds&tab=collections

✍️ Substack: https://lauraluise.substack.com/

🔗 Links: https://lauraluise.carrd.co/

📲 Follow USLege

✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uslege.ai/

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USLegeai

🐦 Twitter: @USLege_ai https://x.com/USLege_ai

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uslege-ai/

🎧 Subscribe to Bills & Business

🌐 Website: https://www.uslege.ai/

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BillsandBusiness

🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22ZWg9VVb2AEGqyV14osNi?si=effe3795f8414171

🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/bills-and-business-by-uslege/id1781059329

🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uslege

📲 Follow Wes Benedict

🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/Wes_Benedict

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wes-benedict/

🎬 Produced by USLege

📞 Want to see USLege in action? Schedule a demo today! https://www.uslege.ai/demo

Texas Political Spotlight
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome back, friends

Michael and Susan Dell’s unprecedented $6.25 billion pledge to expand federal “Trump Accounts” aims to boost long-term savings for 25 million American children. In Lubbock, Texas Tech’s new classroom restrictions on race, gender identity, and sexuality have ignited an immediate clash over academic freedom and curriculum control. And in Northeast Texas, Rep. Gary VanDeaver’s decision not to seek reelection opens a pivotal Republican primary.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

Stay connected with TXLege News on X and LinkedIn!

USLege’s ‘Best in Government Affairs Awards’ Celebrates Heroes of the Texas Capitol with State’s First Peer-Nominated Government Affairs Honor
This is some text inside of a div block.
Texas Political Spotlight
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome back, friends

Michael and Susan Dell’s unprecedented $6.25 billion pledge to expand federal “Trump Accounts” aims to boost long-term savings for 25 million American children. In Lubbock, Texas Tech’s new classroom restrictions on race, gender identity, and sexuality have ignited an immediate clash over academic freedom and curriculum control. And in Northeast Texas, Rep. Gary VanDeaver’s decision not to seek reelection opens a pivotal Republican primary.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

Stay connected with TXLege News on X and LinkedIn!

Texas Political Spotlight
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome back, friends

Texas voters approved one of the largest property tax relief packages in state history on Tuesday, raising the homestead exemption to $140,000 and granting new tax breaks for seniors, people with disabilities, and small businesses. In Austin, residents rejected Proposition Q, a plan to fund public safety, homelessness programs, and city facility initiatives through a property tax hike, forcing city leaders to rework the budget and brace for service cuts. Meanwhile, Bexar County voters narrowly passed Propositions A and B, greenlighting up to $311 million in tourism-funded support for a new downtown Spurs arena and upgrades to the Freeman Coliseum grounds.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

Stay connected with TXLege News on X and LinkedIn!

Texas Political Spotlight
This is some text inside of a div block.

Welcome back friends,

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, one of the most influential and controversial figures in modern American politics, has died at 84, remembered by former President George W. Bush as a “patriot” whose intellect and conviction shaped decades of U.S. policy. In Texas, the Education Agency announced a sweeping takeover of Fort Worth ISD, the state’s second-largest intervention, citing years of academic underperformance and plans to install new local managers. And in Washington, a United Airlines flight was evacuated after a bomb threat, prompting an FBI investigation that later found no explosives, allowing operations to resume safely.

We hope you enjoyed today’s read!

Stay connected with TXLege News on X and LinkedIn!