TXElects

Deadline Day Arrives for Candidates and Incumbents Hoping for No Opposition

Dec 12, 2021 | Campaign News

Filing for partisan nomination or an independent candidacy for the 2022 general election concludes at 6 p.m. local time tomorrow (Monday). As far as we can tell, all incumbent statewide officials, legislators and members of Congress who announced plans to run for...

Early Voting is Here and Other Election News for October 12

Oct 12, 2020 | Campaign News

Early voting for the November 3 general election begins tomorrow (Tuesday) and runs through October 30. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) extended the normally two-week early voting period to three weeks in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Harris Co. reported it has mailed...

Historical Perspectives and a Correction from Last Night’s Runoffs

Jul 15, 2020 | breaking-news, Runoff Elections

Correction: In HD119, Liz Campos defeated Jennifer Ramos, 56%-44%, not the other way around, as we reported late last night. The report on our website has been corrected. We regret the error. Campaign Finance: Today is the deadline for federal and state officeholders...

4 Incumbents Fall, Hegar to Face Cornyn After Runoff Elections

Jul 15, 2020 | Campaign News, Runoff Elections

Voters filled most of the remaining spots on the general election ballot, but a handful of races remained too close to call. Four legislative incumbents out of six fell: Lorraine Birabil (D-Dallas) lost to Jasmine Crockett, 50.5%-49.5%, after the challenger won...

Runoff Storylines and Other Election News for July 13

Jul 13, 2020 | Campaign News, Political Climate

Election Day for the primary runoff and special elections is tomorrow (Tuesday). We’ll have live coverage beginning at 7 p.m. CDT. Here are the storylines we’ll be watching as votes are counted. Incumbents vs. History: Six legislative incumbents were...

Abbott, Realtors, TLR Among Top Runoff Contributors

Jul 7, 2020 | breaking-news, Campaign Finance

Runoff reports were due yesterday (Monday) for state candidates on the July 14 primary runoff ballot. Candidates in the SD14 special election were required to file 8-day-out reports. These runoff reports disclose contributions received and expenditures made between...

Endorsements Abound as Early Voting Begins

Jun 28, 2020 | Campaign News

Early voting in person begins tomorrow (Monday) for the July 14 primary runoff and special elections. Voters in all 254 counties can participate in the Democratic runoff because of the statewide runoff for Railroad Commissioner. The Republican runoff is limited to all...

Fox News Texas Poll: Biden 45%, Trump 44%

Jun 25, 2020 | Campaign News

A new Fox News Poll (PDF) finds Joe Biden leading President Trump, 45%-44%, in Texas. Trump led among men, 51%-39%, while Biden had an identical lead among women, 51%-39%. Trump led among Anglo voters, 60%-31%, while Biden led among Black voters, 85%-6%, and...

By the Numbers: First-place Candidates in Runoffs

May 26, 2020 | By the Numbers

82% Winning percentage of runoff candidates who finished 10% or more ahead of their challenger in the primary election since 2002. There have been 175 “open” primary runoff elections for state, legislative and federal offices since 2002, and the candidate who finished...

Revisiting Our Main Primary Election Storylines

Mar 10, 2020 | Campaign News

Heading into last week’s primary elections, we outlined four principal storylines we’d be watching as the results came in. Final official results, and the results of any recounts and contests, are still to come, but we have answers to all the questions we...

Primary Voters Deliver Sitton Shocker and Runoffs Aplenty

Mar 4, 2020 | Campaign News

Slow reporting of numbers – early voting and Election Day – muddled some views that are normally clear much earlier in the evening, but we now have a fairly complete picture of the winners, losers and runoff participants. Vote percentages below are unofficial and as...

Few Surprises in Late-filed 8-day-out Reports

Feb 26, 2020 | Campaign Finance

We look at some late-filed campaign finance reports and one race we accidentally overlooked yesterday. SD27: Sara Stapleton-Barrera raised $2K, spent $74K and increased her loan principal to $214K from $166K. She outspent State Board of Education member Ruben Cortez...

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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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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!