TXElects

Top Aides Call for Investigation of Paxton and Other News for October 4

Oct 4, 2020 | Campaign News

Tomorrow (Monday) is the last day to register to vote, or update one’s registration, for the November 3 general election. Tomorrow is also the deadline for state and local candidates facing general election opponents to file their 30-day-out campaign finance reports....

Analysis of Competitive Central Texas House Districts

Aug 29, 2020 | House Race Analyses

We continue our series of analyses of competitive, or potentially competitive, legislative seats with an exploration of the I-35 corridor from Bell Co. to Bexar Co. Republican Targets HD45 (Lean Democratic): Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) won this open seat in 2018,...

Candidates Filing Up and Down Ballot as Deadline Looms

Dec 7, 2019 | Campaign News

Correction: In yesterday’s edition, we erroneously indicated Jacey Jetton was running for Congress when we reported that U.S. Rep. Pete Olson (R-Sugar Land) had endorsed him. Jetton is running to succeed the retiring state Rep. Rick Miller (R-Sugar Land). We regret...

Committee Hearing, Candidate and Lawsuit News for August 11

Aug 11, 2019 | Campaign News

House Speaker: The House General Investigating Committee will meet tomorrow (Monday) beginning at 10 a.m. to take invited testimony regarding the June 12 meeting between Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton), Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) and Empower Texans CEO Michael...

Candidate, Retirement and Census News for July 9

Jul 9, 2019 | Campaign News

SCCJ: Bellaire attorney and Court of Appeals Justice (Dist. 14, Pl. 3) Jerry Zimmerer amended his campaign committee for a potential challenge of Chief Justice Nathan Hecht (R) as a Democrat. Zimmerer won the Place 3 seat on the 14th Court of Appeals in 2018 by...

Cason First to Declare for HD92 and Other News for June 25

Jun 25, 2019 | Campaign News

HD68: Rep. Drew Springer (R-Muenster) announced he would seek re-election. Rotan resident Andrew Nelson has announced his intention to be the first Democrat to seek the seat since 2002. By our measure, HD68 is the second reddest district in the state. HD92 open:...

Revisiting Our Election Predictions

Nov 13, 2018 | General Elections, Political Climate

Now that most of the dust has settled, we take a look back at our predictions about the overall state climate and specific legislative and congressional races. We’ll take each of our five predictions in order. 1. Republicans sweep statewide races, including the...

Democrats Gain Ground But Fail to Win the Big Prize

Nov 7, 2018 | Election Night Returns

We’re still waiting on the last few boxes, mostly located in the big urban counties, to be reported. As of 3:45 a.m. CST, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R) leads U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, 51%-48%, with 98% of precincts reporting. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) leads former Dallas Co....

Predicting the 2018 General Election, Part 2

Nov 5, 2018 | Federal Race Analyses, House Race Analyses, Political Climate, Senate Race Analyses

This is the second of two analyses that will attempt to prognosticate Tuesday’s general election. Here we focus on individual races. Our previous analysis examined the state’s political climate entering the election. Borrowing from Monty Python, “That’s no ordinary...

‘Late-train’ Money Favors Federal Races

Nov 1, 2018 | Campaign Finance

“Late-train” money is flowing into close Congressional races but largely ignoring state races as the election campaign nears its end. Part of this disparity is due to the dates covered. Congressional candidates began disclosing contributions in “24-hour” reports on...

Key House Race Campaign Finance Results With a Week to Go

Oct 30, 2018 | Campaign Finance

Opposed state and legislative candidates were required to file 8-day-out campaign finance reports yesterday (Monday). These reports include contributions received and expenditures made between September 28 and October 27. We are in the process of updating our Crib...

Identifying Districts Potentially in Play, Part 7

Oct 19, 2018 | Political Climate

We have been exploring seats potentially in play by looking at specific metrics defining not only how a district voted in the most recent election but also how those voting patterns have changed over time. We also looked at fundraising totals and their historic impact...

🎙️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.

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Trusted by Government Affairs Professionals and Corporate Policy Teams
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#43 - Wes Benedict: Bridging Policy and Community with Texans for Reasonable Solutions
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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.

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

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🔗 Links: https://lauraluise.carrd.co/

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🎧 Subscribe to Bills & Business

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

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

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🎬 Produced by USLege

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

Texas Political Spotlight
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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
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Texas Political Spotlight
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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
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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
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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!