POLITICS
For Texas’ highest courts, two Democratic races decided, one GOP race goes to runoff
Read full article: For Texas’ highest courts, two Democratic races decided, one GOP race goes to runoffMaggie Ellis and Kristen Hawkins win Texas Supreme Court Dem primaries. John Messinger wins his GOP race for Court of Criminal Appeals, while Alison Fox and Thomas Smith head to a runoff.
Supreme Court orders Dallas County to separate votes; Williamson County extends hours
Read full article: Supreme Court orders Dallas County to separate votes; Williamson County extends hoursThe Texas Supreme Court late Tuesday ordered Dallas County to separate any votes cast by voters who were not in line by 7 p.m., temporarily blocking a district court judge’s order for the polls to remain open.
James Talarico takes early lead over Jasmine Crockett in blockbuster Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
Read full article: James Talarico takes early lead over Jasmine Crockett in blockbuster Democratic primary for U.S. SenateTuesday’s primary is being widely watched as an indicator of the potential future of the Texas Democratic Party, with the two candidates putting forth vastly different visions of the kind of politics needed to win statewide.
Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick easily win their Republican primaries
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick easily win their Republican primariesSummary: On the Democratic side, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa captured the nomination to take on Abbott while Rep. Vikki Goodwin is in the lead for the lieutenant governor nomination.
14 measles cases reported at El Paso ICE tent camp as Democrats call for its shuttering
Read full article: 14 measles cases reported at El Paso ICE tent camp as Democrats call for its shutteringThe latest outbreak comes after a spate of COVID-19 and tuberculosis cases were reported at Camp East Montana, which holds more than 3,000 immigrants.
Change in primary voting rules leads to confusion in 2 Texas counties as voters are turned away
Read full article: Change in primary voting rules leads to confusion in 2 Texas counties as voters are turned awayVoters in two major Texas counties have been turned away at polling locations and directed to different precincts after a recent change in how the primary is conducted created confusion and frustration.
DA won’t refer police who killed Austin shooter to grand jury
Read full article: DA won’t refer police who killed Austin shooter to grand juryTravis County District Attorney José Garza faced intense criticism over a policy that would have sent the officers before a grand jury, before he said his office would not seek charges against “heroes.”
Texas Senate Democratic candidates raise concerns over voting location changes in two counties
Read full article: Texas Senate Democratic candidates raise concerns over voting location changes in two countiesDallas and Williamson counties closed centralized voting centers, which had become a common practice, at the request of local Republicans.
Election results: Key races to watch in March 2026 primary
Read full article: Election results: Key races to watch in March 2026 primaryTuesday’s midterm elections may not be as headline-grabbing as the presidential election every four years, but the results of this election will have a major impact in the nation’s capital.
Trump says 'someone from within' Iranian regime might be best choice to lead once war ends
Read full article: Trump says 'someone from within' Iranian regime might be best choice to lead once war endsPresident Donald Trump says “someone from within” the Iranian regime might be the best choice to take power once the U.S.-Israel military campaign is completed.
Pentagon dispute bolsters Anthropic reputation but raises questions about AI readiness in military
Read full article: Pentagon dispute bolsters Anthropic reputation but raises questions about AI readiness in militaryAnthropic’s moral stand on U.S. military use of artificial intelligence is reshaping the competition between leading AI companies but also exposing a growing awareness that maybe chatbots just aren’t capable enough for acts of war.
Ethics panel opens investigation of Rep. Nancy Mace over housing costs
Read full article: Ethics panel opens investigation of Rep. Nancy Mace over housing costsThe House Ethics Committee has opened an investigation into claims that Rep. Nancy Mace overcharged a congressional reimbursement program for housing and living costs.
New York’s congestion toll into Manhattan upheld by a federal judge over Trump’s objections
Read full article: New York’s congestion toll into Manhattan upheld by a federal judge over Trump’s objectionsA federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to halt New York’s first-in-the-nation congestion fee on drivers entering Manhattan.
Iran war taxes US diplomatic work and leaves Americans in the Mideast in limbo
Read full article: Iran war taxes US diplomatic work and leaves Americans in the Mideast in limboThe largest U.S. diplomatic drawdown in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq War is creating an apparently unplanned-for crisis for the Trump administration.
After abandoning law firm executive orders, Trump administration reverses course and pursues fight
Read full article: After abandoning law firm executive orders, Trump administration reverses course and pursues fightAfter abandoning its efforts to enforce executive orders targeting some of the world’s top law firms, President Donald Trump's administration has abruptly reversed course and said it'll proceed with the court fight.
Testy exchanges over immigration cases highlight growing confrontations between judges and DOJ
Read full article: Testy exchanges over immigration cases highlight growing confrontations between judges and DOJA federal judge has clashed with Minnesota’s top federal prosecutor during an unusual contempt hearing that highlighted growing confrontations between increasingly frustrated judges and Department of Justice officials.
Ted Cruz leads bipartisan bill that would void and prohibit confidentiality clauses in child sex abuse cases
Read full article: Ted Cruz leads bipartisan bill that would void and prohibit confidentiality clauses in child sex abuse casesKnown as Trey’s law, the legislation would make any non-disclosure agreement unenforceable if it prohibits or restricts revealing the sexual abuse of a minor or facts related to that abuse.
Noem defends her portrayal of killed Minneapolis protesters as agitators, in her Senate hearing
Read full article: Noem defends her portrayal of killed Minneapolis protesters as agitators, in her Senate hearingHomeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has defended her agency in testimony and under questioning at a Senate hearing.
Texas primary election results for U.S. Senate, attorney general and more
Read full article: Texas primary election results for U.S. Senate, attorney general and moreFollow The Texas Tribune’s coverage of election results for the 2026 primaries for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, the Texas Legislature and more.
Trump floods Texas primaries with his endorsements, testing limits of political reach
Read full article: Trump floods Texas primaries with his endorsements, testing limits of political reachWhile he has stayed out of some blockbuster contests, the president has otherwise spread his endorsement generously in Texas. The strategy has helped him form politically beneficial alliances in the past.
Polls close today in the Texas primaries. Here are five things to watch.
Read full article: Polls close today in the Texas primaries. Here are five things to watch.This Tuesday, Tribune reporters are watching two blockbuster Senate primaries, an open attorney general seat, and more high-stakes, competitive races up and down the Texas ballot.
Minnesota sues to block Trump administration's holding back of Medicaid funds
Read full article: Minnesota sues to block Trump administration's holding back of Medicaid fundsMinnesota is suing President Donald Trump’s administration in an attempt to stop it from holding back $243 million in Medicaid spending.
GOP congressman enters Texas primary fighting to keep his job after allegations of an affair
Read full article: GOP congressman enters Texas primary fighting to keep his job after allegations of an affairRepublican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas is seeking to fend off a primary challenge that comes as he faces calls to resign over allegations of having an affair with an aide.
Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley clinch US Senate in North Carolina, setting up high-stakes fall fight
Read full article: Roy Cooper and Michael Whatley clinch US Senate in North Carolina, setting up high-stakes fall fightFormer Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and ex-Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley have won their respective party nominations for a North Carolina U.S. Senate seat.
John Cornyn and Ken Paxton advance to runoff in Republican primary for Texas US Senate seat
Read full article: John Cornyn and Ken Paxton advance to runoff in Republican primary for Texas US Senate seatTexas Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton will compete in a May runoff for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
Anti-Muslim backlash shadows Austin after downtown shooting
Read full article: Anti-Muslim backlash shadows Austin after downtown shootingAfter a deadly downtown shooting, Texas Muslims report fear and backlash as political rhetoric intensifies and Austin’s first Muslim city council member responds.
Texas House Republicans ask Congress to halt all immigration after Austin shooting
Read full article: Texas House Republicans ask Congress to halt all immigration after Austin shootingMore than 70 GOP House members signed a letter asking Congress to stop legal immigration until “proper vetting protocols” are in place.
In a first as president, Trump says he'll attend the White House correspondents' dinner
Read full article: In a first as president, Trump says he'll attend the White House correspondents' dinnerPresident Donald Trump says he plans to attend the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 25, the first time he's done so as president.
Texas law bans state-licensed mental health providers from giving gender-transitioning care to minors, AG Ken Paxton says
Read full article: Texas law bans state-licensed mental health providers from giving gender-transitioning care to minors, AG Ken Paxton saysTexas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion that says that a 2023 law that bans gender-transitioning medical care to minors also applies to mental health care.
Supreme Court blocks law against schools outing transgender students to their parents in California
Read full article: Supreme Court blocks law against schools outing transgender students to their parents in CaliforniaThe Supreme Court is clearing the way for California schools to tell parents if their children identify as transgender without getting the student’s approval, granting an emergency appeal from a conservative legal group.
Supreme Court preserves only GOP-held congressional district in New York City for 2026 elections
Read full article: Supreme Court preserves only GOP-held congressional district in New York City for 2026 electionsThe Supreme Court has sided with Republicans in ruling that the boundaries of the only GOP-held congressional district in New York City do not not need to be redrawn for the 2026 elections, despite a court ruling that the district is unfair to Black and Hispanic residents.
Trump takes unconventional approach to communicating to the public about war in Iran
Read full article: Trump takes unconventional approach to communicating to the public about war in IranThe Trump administration took more than 48 hours to make any live, public communication with the American people about why it had decided to go to war with Iran.
Muslim parent sues Texas over exclusion of Islamic private schools in voucher program
Read full article: Muslim parent sues Texas over exclusion of Islamic private schools in voucher programThe federal lawsuit argues Texas officials are engaging in religious discrimination by preventing Islamic private schools from accessing state voucher money.
Democrats’ newfound unity faces a test after US and Israeli strikes on Iran
Read full article: Democrats’ newfound unity faces a test after US and Israeli strikes on IranDemocrats stay mostly united against President Donald Trump, but the strikes on Iran are starting to reveal some splits in the party.
Austin downtown shooting: What we know about the gunman, victims and motive
Read full article: Austin downtown shooting: What we know about the gunman, victims and motiveThree people were killed and 13 wounded in a West Sixth Street attack. Police say the shooter fired from an SUV before getting out and continuing on foot.
Business owners sue comptroller after their removal from state minority business program
Read full article: Business owners sue comptroller after their removal from state minority business programWomen- and minority-owned businesses were removed from the Historically Underutilized Business Program in December by acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock, who argued he was ending a DEI program.
Trump pushes back on mounting criticism about his Iran war battle plan as conflict spreads
Read full article: Trump pushes back on mounting criticism about his Iran war battle plan as conflict spreadsPresident Donald Trump is pushing back on criticism that he hasn’t done enough to explain why it was necessary to start a war with Iran now or to articulate his vision for an endgame to the escalating conflict.
Former Trump Cabinet secretary Ryan Zinke won't seek reelection to a Montana US House seat
Read full article: Former Trump Cabinet secretary Ryan Zinke won't seek reelection to a Montana US House seatA Republican lawmaker from Montana who served as interior secretary during President Donald Trump’s first administration says he will not seek reelection to a fifth term.
Lawmakers finally questioned the Clintons about Epstein. They also asked about pizzagate and UFOs
Read full article: Lawmakers finally questioned the Clintons about Epstein. They also asked about pizzagate and UFOsA House committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein labored for six months to question former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
White House attributes redness on Trump's neck to skin cream but doesn't say what it's treating
Read full article: White House attributes redness on Trump's neck to skin cream but doesn't say what it's treatingThe White House says a red spot on President Donald Trump’s neck comes from a prescribed skin cream.
Supreme Court could loosen law barring marijuana users from owning guns
Read full article: Supreme Court could loosen law barring marijuana users from owning gunsThe Supreme Court seemed likely Monday to loosen a federal law that bars marijuana users from owning guns in a case that crossed typical political lines.
Republican meddling roils Senate Democratic primary in final days
Read full article: Republican meddling roils Senate Democratic primary in final daysA super PAC supporting James Talarico is running ads online warning that the GOP is “boosting” Jasmine Crockett. Her spokesperson said Republicans “who underestimate her do so at their own peril.”
From doubts about nuke talks to an Air Force One flight, what led up to Trump's order to strike Iran
Read full article: From doubts about nuke talks to an Air Force One flight, what led up to Trump's order to strike IranPresident Donald Trump says he was not pleased with the way that negotiations with Iran were proceeding.