https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/james-barragan/The latest news by James Barragán.enFri, 17 Jan 2025 12:38:58 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/17/texas-house-speaker-democrats-dustin-burrows/The Democrats’ short list of possible benefits: A leader who learned to keep promises, a chance at chairing committees, and what they see as more chances for a fairer playing field.By James Barragán and Jasper SchererFri, 17 Jan 2025 12:38:58 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/17/texas-house-speaker-democrats-dustin-burrows/State Rep. Toni Rose, D-Dallas, hugs fellow Reps. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, and David Cook, R-Mansfield, after Burrows won the vote for speaker.State Rep. Toni Rose, D-Dallas, hugs fellow Reps. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, and David Cook, R-Mansfield, after Burrows won the vote for the next Speaker of the Texas House Of Representatives on the first day of the 2025 Texas Legislative Session in Austin on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/dustin-burrows-david-cook-texas-house-speaker-vote/Burrows defeated Rep. David Cook with a coalition of Republican and Democratic votes.By James Barragán, Jasper Scherer, Renzo Downey and Robert DownenTue, 14 Jan 2025 14:46:54 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/dustin-burrows-david-cook-texas-house-speaker-vote/State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) shakes hands with Rep. Jeff Leach, R- Plano, during opening day ceremonies on the House floor on Tuesday, Jan. 14th, 2025.State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) shakes hands with Rep. Jeff Leach, R- Plano, during opening day ceremonies on the House floor on Tuesday, Jan. 14th, 2025.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/texas-legislature-2025-speaker-race-live-updates/The Texas House kicked off the 2025 session by electing an establishment Republican to lead the chamber, drawing criticism from within the GOP.By James Barragán, Renzo Downey, Jasper Scherer, Pooja Salhotra and Robert DownenTue, 14 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/texas-legislature-2025-speaker-race-live-updates/Republican Party of Texas Chair Abraham George, right, speaks to the press on the steps of the state Capitol following the vote for House speaker on Jan. 14, 2025. Looking on are Republican freshman state Reps. Wes Virdell, David Lowe, Andy Hopper and Brent Money.Republican Party of Texas Chair Abraham George speaks to the press on the steps of the state Capitol following the vote for House speaker on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Looking on are Republican freshman state Reps. Wes Virdell, David Lowe, Andy Hopper and Brent Money.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/texas-house-speaker-dustin-burrows-david-cook/The new speaker will have a dramatic impact on the direction of this year’s lawmaking — and potentially the future of the Legislature.By James BarragánTue, 14 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/14/texas-house-speaker-dustin-burrows-david-cook/The House Chamber on June 21, 2021.The House Chamber on June 21, 2021.Sophie Park/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/13/shawn-thierry-greg-abbott-juvenile-justice-board/Thierry became a Republican cause celebré for breaking with Democrats over her views on transgender rights.By James BarragánMon, 13 Jan 2025 15:29:16 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/13/shawn-thierry-greg-abbott-juvenile-justice-board/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/06/ken-paxton-house-speaker-david-cook-dustin-burrows/Paxton’s latest tour is the continuation of his efforts in the past year to get political revenge on House Republicans who supported his impeachment.By James BarragánMon, 06 Jan 2025 16:22:52 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/06/ken-paxton-house-speaker-david-cook-dustin-burrows/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a rally at the Tarrant County Republican Party Headquarters in Fort Worth on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a rally at the Tarrant County Republican Party Headquarters in Fort Worth on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.Emil T. Lippe for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/07/texas-house-speaker-david-cook-dustin-burrows/Burrows claims the support of a coalition of Republicans and Democrats, while Cook has the endorsement of the GOP caucus.By James Barragán, Renzo Downey and Jasper SchererSat, 07 Dec 2024 17:14:18 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/07/texas-house-speaker-david-cook-dustin-burrows/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/06/texas-house-speaker-david-cook-dustin-burrows-dade-phelan/With Speaker Dade Phelan out of the race, Republican state Reps. David Cook and Dustin Burrows will now face off.By Jasper Scherer, Renzo Downey and James BarragánFri, 06 Dec 2024 12:45:09 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/06/texas-house-speaker-david-cook-dustin-burrows-dade-phelan/The Texas House floor on Aug. 31, 2021.The Texas House floor on Aug. 31, 2021.Michael Gonzalez/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/05/texas-house-speaker-dade-phelan/Phelan, a Beaumont Republican, had previously insisted he had enough votes to thwart a challenge from the right led by state Rep. David Cook of Mansfield.By Jasper Scherer, James Barragán and Renzo DowneyFri, 06 Dec 2024 08:08:31 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/05/texas-house-speaker-dade-phelan/Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan before gavelling in the House for the third-called special session on Oct. 9, 2023.Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan before gavelling in the House for the third-called special session on Oct. 9, 2023.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/27/david-cook-dade-phelan-texas-house-speaker/The two-term Republican caught many Capitol observers off guard when he emerged as the standard-bearer for a coalition that wants to depose Phelan and reshape how the House operates.By James Barragán, Jasper Scherer and Renzo DowneyWed, 27 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/27/david-cook-dade-phelan-texas-house-speaker/State Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, takes the oath of office with his hand on a bible on the first day of the 88th Texas legislative session on Jan 10, 2023.State Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, takes the oath of office with his hand on a bible on the first day of the 88th Texas legislative session on Jan 10, 2023.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/18/greg-abbott-chinese-government-dissidents-operation-fox-hunt/The order is in response to “Operation Fox Hunt,” a Chinese government initiative intended to root out corruption but in practice has been used to intimidate Chinese citizens living abroad.By James BarragánMon, 18 Nov 2024 14:01:03 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/18/greg-abbott-chinese-government-dissidents-operation-fox-hunt/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/08/dan-patrick-texas-senate-school-choice-vouchers/School voucher supporters say they have the votes to get a bill across both the Texas Senate, led by Patrick, and the House, which has repeatedly blocked such proposals.By James BarragánFri, 08 Nov 2024 12:40:07 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/08/dan-patrick-texas-senate-school-choice-vouchers/Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at the 2024 Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on May 23.Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks at the 2024 Texas GOP Convention in San Antonio on May 23, 2024.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/07/texas-house-speaker-election-dade-phelan-david-cook/Neither Speaker Dade Phelan, nor his current opponent Rep. David Cook, have enough public support yet from the GOP caucus to win the nomination.By James BarragánThu, 07 Nov 2024 14:29:21 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/07/texas-house-speaker-election-dade-phelan-david-cook/The state capitol on the last day of the regular legislative session, May 29, 2023.The state capitol on the last day of the regular legislative session, May 29, 2023. Leila Saidane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/texas-democrats-election-night/Tuesday was another electoral blowout in which Democrats underperformed expectations, weakening their case that Texas is a battleground state worthy of investment and attention from the national party.By James Barragán and Matthew ChoiWed, 06 Nov 2024 20:28:18 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/texas-democrats-election-night/The Ector County Democratic Headquarters on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Odessa.The Ector County Democratic Headquarters on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Odessa.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/05/texas-donald-trump-electoral-votes-election-2024/The win continues the state’s streak of going red in every presidential election since it went for Jimmy Carter in 1976.By James BarragánTue, 05 Nov 2024 20:13:58 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/05/texas-donald-trump-electoral-votes-election-2024/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/05/texas-election-day-trump-harris-allred-cruz-congress-legislature/Texas might not be a swing state, but many of its races will have major consequences to the national political landscape and on the lives of everyday Texans.By Texas Tribune Staff, James Barragán, Jasper Scherer, Matthew Choi, Robert Downen, Alejandro Serrano, Joshua Fechter, Kayla Guo, Pooja Salhotra and Terri LangfordTue, 05 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/05/texas-election-day-trump-harris-allred-cruz-congress-legislature/Voters wait in line at the Houston Community College Southeast voting location in Houston on Election Day.Voters wait in line at the Houston Community College Southeast voting location in Houston on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.Mark Felix for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/04/ted-cruz-colin-allred-texas-senate/Both candidates are making their closing arguments at the culmination of a heated and expensive race which could decide control of the U.S. Senate.By Jasper Scherer, Berenice Garcia, Matthew Choi and James BarragánMon, 04 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/04/ted-cruz-colin-allred-texas-senate/U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, left, and U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas.U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, left, and U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas.The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/01/texans-trump-administration/Donald Trump has built close ties to many Texas Republicans, from judges to elected officials to policy experts.By Matthew Choi, Robert Downen, Eleanor Klibanoff, James Barragán and Jasper SchererFri, 01 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/01/texans-trump-administration/Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Million Air in Austin, Texas on Oct. 25, 2024.Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Million Air in Austin, Texas on Oct. 25, 2024.Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/30/colin-allred-black-voters-ted-cruz/With stops in Houston and the Rio Grande Valley, Allred hopes to make the race competitive by running up the tally with the core of the Democratic base.By James BarragánWed, 30 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/30/colin-allred-black-voters-ted-cruz/U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, takes to the stage of Sawyer Auditorium on the campus of Texas Southern University in Houston on Oct. 29. Allred, the Democratic candidate for Senate challenging Republican incumbent Ted Cruz, was joined by Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock for a day of campaigning in the area.Colin Allred takes to the stage to a moderately packed house at the Sawyer Auditorium on the campus of TSU to encourage people to get out and vote and to campaign for Colin Allred who is looking to take the seat of Ted Cruz, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in Houston.Douglas Sweet Jr. for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/29/texas-noncitizen-voter-roll-removal-mary-howard-elley/Mary Howard-Elley is the 10th U.S. citizen identified by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and Votebeat whose registration was canceled after her citizenship was questioned. Her saga shows how tough it can be for eligible voters to get reinstated.By Lexi Churchill, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, James Barragán, The Texas Tribune, Vianna Davila, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, and Natalia Contreras, VotebeatTue, 29 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/29/texas-noncitizen-voter-roll-removal-mary-howard-elley/Mary Howard-Elley, 52, a Splendora resident, was removed from the state’s voter rolls after being inaccurately labeled as a noncitizen.Mary Howard-Elley, 52, a Splendora resident, was removed from the state’s voter rolls after being inaccurately labeled as a noncitizen.Danielle Villasana for ProPublica and The Texas Tribune