In Texas GOP primary, it’s who can love Trump the most

Texas holds the nation's first 2018 primary elections Tuesday, March 6, 2018, and the campaign is providing a... . In this Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018, photo, Matt McCall, standing, and other Republican congressional candidates attend a forum, in New Braunfels, Texas.

Ahead Of Texas Primary, Early Signs Of A 2018 Democratic Surge

Signs mark a polling site as early voting begins began on Feb. 20 in San Antonio. Early voting in Texas ran through last Friday, March 2. The 2018 primary elections kick off this week, and Democrats are already seeing reasons to be excited deep in the red, beating heart of Texas.

With top-of-the-ticket races all but decided, lesser-known GOP races benefiting from media boost

Without much action at the top of the Republican primary ticket, much of the media and voter attention this election season has focused on races to decide the leaders of lesser-known statewide offices -- the General Land Office and the Texas Department of Agriculture. "It's heated, they're spending money, it's competitive," said Jim Henson, the director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas.

Trump and Old-Time Democrats

Last Saturday afternoon, I listened to a gathering of Wall Street Journal editors and writers on Fox News discussing the congressional deadlock on immigration. Paul Gigot, Jason Riley, and Karl Rove were all disturbed that the president and congressional Republicans who followed his lead were stalling a compromise over DACA and other related immigration issues.

US Reps: ICE should review sexual abuse cases in detention

More than 40 congressmen have signed a letter calling on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to investigate its handling of sexual assault reports in its detention facilities. The letter released Monday is based on the case of Laura Monterrosa, a detainee at the T. Don Hutto Residential Center in Central Texas.

Texas launches Harvey recovery tracker 6 months after storm

Texas launched a public online tool to track incoming and outgoing funds for Hurricane Harvey recovery on Monday, six months after the storm hit and two months after The Associated Press reported that it did not have one. Gov. Greg Abbott called the tracker - which provides a county-level view of the more than $13 billion in flood insurance payouts, hotel vouchers and other forms of federal aid that has been disbursed so far - "a good start in achieving transparency" in a statement from the Texas A&M University System-based Commission to Rebuild Texas.

Ted Cruz’s Democratic rival stomps him in latest round of fundraising

U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke , an El Paso Democrat, once again reported raising more money than Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in what is shaping up to be an intense general election matchup. Over the first 45 days of 2018, O'Rourke raised $2.3 million - almost three times more than Cruz's $803,000, according to new reports filed by Cruz and O'Rourke with the Federal Election Commission.

Democrats accuse Texas of voter suppression in schools Source: AP

Democrats are alleging new attempts at voter suppression in Texas, where the GOP-controlled Legislature's electoral maps and a strict voter ID law already have been previously struck down in federal court and the nation's first primary of the year is less than two weeks away. At issue this time: unusual accusations by top Republicans that schools districts and educational groups are trying to unfairly sway elections.

Stratford settles guardrail ‘spear’ lawsuit for $400K

A proposed Canadian class action that alleged secret cost-saving design changes made to a highway safety guardrail had in fact turned the barrier into a potentially lethal spear has been settled, court documents show. This week's settlement of the $500-million action filed by the City of Stratford in February 2015 will see Trinity Industries pay $400,000 - without any admission it did anything wrong.

Florida executes inmate; Texas, Alabama executions halted

If executions set for Alabama, Texas and Florida were carried out as scheduled, it would have marked the first time in more than eight years that three convicted killers were put to death in the U.S. on the same day. But Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday accepted the recommendation of the state's parole board and granted clemency for Thomas "Bart" Whitaker.

Governor, call a special session to fix teacher retirement system

The Texas Federation of Teachers held a protest rally in front of the Stafford office of Congressman Tom DeLay in 2003, wanting a bill granting teachers full Social Security spousal and family benefits in addition to their Texas Teachers' Retirement System benefits. That didn't come true and now rising insurance premiums are eating into their TRS benefits.

Beto O’Rourke banks $2.2M in six weeks in bid to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz

El Paso Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the Texas Democrat hoping to oust Republican powerhouse Sen. Ted Cruz, announced he's raised $2.2 million in the first six weeks of 2018. That's almost as much as O'Rourke raised in the final three months of 2017, when he posted a $2.4 million haul and outraised the sitting senator.