The lieutenant governor’s office is one of the most powerful in Texas government, and the 2026 race features a Democratic runoff between Vikki Goodwin and Marcos Velez.

Don Huffines, Christi Craddick and Kelly Hancock are talking more about fighting DEI, trans athletes and illegal immigration than the office’s traditional fiscal duties.

The lieutenant governor’s office is often described as the most powerful in Texas government. Here’s a look at who’s running in the 2026 Democratic and Republican primaries and where they stand.

As the Texas House prepares to vote on the budget, officials and other experts monitor national policy and state tax revenue.

If bills now being considered pass, lawmakers will be left with $3.3 billion to take care of unforeseen costs over the next two years. Some experts worry that Texas can’t sustain its massive spending on the border and public education.

Abbott’s spending proposals also include spending $750 million on school safety and mental health services and expanding postpartum Medicaid to a year.

Texas homeowners have some of the highest property tax bills in the nation, a byproduct of the state’s reliance on such taxes to help pay for public schools and the state’s lack of an income tax.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had asked House leaders to support his push for arming school police officers with bulletproof shields after the Uvalde shooting. House Speaker Dade Phelan is also asking for more money for mental health and school safety programs.

The state’s highest civil court has been asked to decide if Gov. Greg Abbott has the power to cut off funding for legislative staff, a move Abbott hoped would keep Democratic lawmakers from leaving the state and shutting down a special legislative session.

The House Appropriations Committee voted on Friday 21-0 to move forward a bill that would reinstate the funding after Abbott vetoed it to punish House Democrats who broke quorum in the final days of the session to kill two of his priority bills.

During the Texas legislative session, the Capitol sees a rush of advocates. Our latest "Under the Dome" episode features two people lobbying on issues they are all too familiar with.