https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/james-barragan/The latest news by James Barragán.enSat, 07 Dec 2024 17:14:18 -0600https://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 Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/25/kamala-harris-trump-ted-cruz-allred-texas-beyonce-joe-rogan/Harris talked about reproductive rights to a stadium full of supporters in Houston. In Austin, Trump stumped to supporters and reporters at a private jet terminal and appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast.By Jasper Scherer, James Barragán and Matthew ChoiFri, 25 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/25/kamala-harris-trump-ted-cruz-allred-texas-beyonce-joe-rogan/Donald Trump and Kamala Harris both visited Texas on Friday. Trump held a press conference and appeared on a podcast with Joe Rogan in Austin; Harris tells supporters in Houston, "We will win."Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are both visiting Texas today. Trump will hold a press conference and appear on a podcast with Joe Rogan in Austin; Harris is attending a rally in Houston.The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/16/exas-noncitizen-voting-proof-of-citizenship/Gov. Greg Abbott gave an inflated number of noncitizens removed from the state’s voter rolls, officials acknowledged, confirming findings by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune, and Votebeat.By James Barragán, The Texas Tribune, Lexi Churchill, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, Natalia Contreras, Votebeat and The Texas Tribune, Vianna Davila, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, and Jen Fifield, VotebeatWed, 16 Oct 2024 20:19:45 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/16/exas-noncitizen-voting-proof-of-citizenship/Ken Cuccinelli, a former acting director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and former acting deputy secretary of DHS, speaks at a state Senate hearing at the Texas Capitol on Oct. 16, 2024.Ken Cuccinelli, a former acting director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and former acting deputy secretary of DHS, speaks at a state Senate hearing at the Texas Capitol on Oct. 16, 2024.Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/16/texas-legislature-voter-rolls-noncitizens/Here’s what you need to know after a ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and Votebeat investigation found that Gov. Greg Abbott likely inflated the number of noncitizens on voter rolls.By Vianna Davila and Lexi Churchill, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, James Barragán, The Texas Tribune, and Natalia Contreras, Votebeat and The Texas TribuneWed, 16 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/16/texas-legislature-voter-rolls-noncitizens/Voting signs direct voters outside of the Rolling Fork Castle Club during Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023 in Houston. The castle was built in the late 1970s and has served as a voting location for almost forty years.Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/15/texas-noncitizen-voter-roll-removal-included-americans/An investigation by ProPublica, The Texas Tribune and Votebeat found that U.S. citizens were incorrectly labeled as noncitizens or removed from the rolls because they did not respond to letters about their citizenship.By Lexi Churchill and Vianna Davila, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, James Barragán, The Texas Tribune, and Natalia Contreras, VotebeatTue, 15 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/15/texas-noncitizen-voter-roll-removal-included-americans/Gov. Gregg Abbott speaks at a podium in a photo collage that also includes a sign for a polling location.Photo illustration by Tiffany Herring/ProPublica. Source images: Amna Ijaz/The Texas Tribune, Montinique Monroe/The Texas Tribune.https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/10/texas-house-competitive-races-vouchers-democrats-republicans/Democrats — riding a wave of enthusiasm sparked by Kamala Harris’ nomination — think they can flip just enough House seats to stop Republicans from passing school vouchers.By Jasper Scherer and James BarragánThu, 10 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/10/texas-house-competitive-races-vouchers-democrats-republicans/Roll call is tallied on the House floor on Aug. 23, 2021.Roll call is tallied on the House floor on Aug. 23, 2021.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/23/douglas-emhoff-san-antonio-fundraiser/The stop by the husband of presidential candidate Kamala Harris included a rally to boost local Democrats looking to flip seats in the Texas House.By James BarragánMon, 23 Sep 2024 20:26:38 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/23/douglas-emhoff-san-antonio-fundraiser/