The Texas Tribune: Juan Salinas IIhttps://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/juan-salinas-ii/The latest news by Juan Salinas II.enFri, 03 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600Rep. Mihaela Plesa survived a heated GOP challenge. Here’s how she thinks Democrats can prevail.https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/03/mihaela-plesa-greg-abbott-texas-house-democrats/Plesa, a Dallas Democrat, said the party should embrace bipartisanship, and start talking about economic issues.By Juan Salinas IIFri, 03 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/03/mihaela-plesa-greg-abbott-texas-house-democrats/State Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Dallas, meets with donors during a House Democratic Caucus fundraiser at the Austin Club on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024.State Rep. Mihaela Plesa, D-Dallas, meets with donors during a House Democratic Caucus fundraiser at the Austin Club on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024.Eli Hartman/The Texas TribuneSouth Texas coal-fired power plant to switch to clean energy after receiving more than $1 billion in federal moneyhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/20/texas-coal-fired-power-plant-conversion-clean-energy/San Miguel Electric Cooperative's plan to turn into a solar and battery plant will leave only 14 coal-fired power plants in the state.By Juan Salinas IIFri, 20 Dec 2024 20:20:25 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/20/texas-coal-fired-power-plant-conversion-clean-energy/The San Miguel Electric Cooperative power plant can be seen in the background of a sign for the Peeler Ranch on April 26, 2019.The San Miguel Electric Cooperative power plant can be seen in the background of a sign for the Peeler Ranch on April 26, 2019.Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneGov. Greg Abbott signals support for David Cook over Dustin Burrows in GOP fight for House speakerhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/11/texas-greg-abbott-republicans-house-speaker-race/Days after the Texas House GOP caucus backed Cook, Abbott made clear that he expects Republican representatives to do the same.By Juan Salinas II and Renzo DowneyWed, 11 Dec 2024 19:57:42 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/11/texas-greg-abbott-republicans-house-speaker-race/In a social media post Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott, seen on Nov. 26, said the Texas House needs a "Texas House Speaker chosen by a majority of Republicans in accordance with the Republican Caucus Rules."Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to DPS Troopers and National Guard troops at a Thanksgiving dinner event in Edinburg on Nov. 26, 2024.Michael Gonzalez for The Texas TribuneTrump nominates former Texas lawmaker Scott Turner to lead Housing and Urban Developmenthttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/22/scott-turner-nomination-housing-urban-development/Turner served in the Texas House for four years and was also executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council in the first Trump administration.By Juan Salinas II and Renzo DowneyFri, 22 Nov 2024 21:28:30 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/22/scott-turner-nomination-housing-urban-development/Scott Turner, who has been nominated to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, represented the 33rd district in the Texas House from 2013 to 2017.State Rep. Scott Turner, R-Frisco, gives a personal speech on the House floor in Austin in January 2015 after losing the speaker's race to Joe Straus, R-San Antonio.Bob Daemmrich for The Texas TribuneIn preview of legislative session, lawmakers expect school vouchers to pass and the House to shift to the righthttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/07/2025-legislative-session-preview/Lawmakers discussed public education, gun laws and health care policy at a daylong Texas Tribune event.By Juan Salinas II, Pooja Salhotra and Sneha DeyFri, 08 Nov 2024 13:52:55 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/07/2025-legislative-session-preview/Republicans win Tarrant County, moving local government further to the righthttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/tarrant-county-2024-results/Former state Rep. Matt Krause’s win may push the commissioners court even further away from the bipartisanship on which it once prided itself.By Juan Salinas IIWed, 06 Nov 2024 07:50:52 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/tarrant-county-2024-results/Voters cast their ballots at the Tarrant County College Southeast Campus polling location in Arlington on March 5, 2024.Voters cast their ballots at the Tarrant County College Southeast Campus polling location in Arlington on primary election day, March 5, 2024.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune9 million Texans voted early in 2024. Here’s how that compares to previous years.https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/04/texas-early-voting-turnout-rate-down/The turnout rate dropped more than 8 percentage points compared to four years ago — a high-water mark for the Lone Star State.By Juan Salinas II, Data reporting by Yuriko SchumacherMon, 04 Nov 2024 17:58:51 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/04/texas-early-voting-turnout-rate-down/East Texans wait to vote at the Gilmer Civic Center during the first day of early voting on Oct. 21 in Gilmer.Voters visit the Gilmer Civic Center during the first day of early voting on Monday October 21, 2024, in Gilmer.Michael Cavazos for The Texas TribuneFairgoers join Ken Paxton in suing Texas State Fair for allegedly violating their gun rightshttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/31/fairgoers-ken-paxton-state-fair-lawsuit/Three fairgoers are requesting up to $1 million in damages and to allow guns at the State Fair.By Juan Salinas IIThu, 31 Oct 2024 14:19:59 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/31/fairgoers-ken-paxton-state-fair-lawsuit/The Texas State Fair in Dallas on Oct. 12, 2024.The Texas State Fair in Dallas on Oct. 12, 2024.Lorianne Willett/The Texas TribuneTexas turnout rate slightly down after first three days of early votinghttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/25/texas-2024-election-early-vote-turnout/State data shows just two of Texas’ most populous counties have surpassed their voter turnout rate in 2020.By Juan Salinas II, Graphics by Yuriko SchumacherFri, 25 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/25/texas-2024-election-early-vote-turnout/Voters in Rosenberg line up outside of the Rosenberg Annex as early voting begins in Texas on Monday. Fort Bend County, which includes Rosenberg, is one of only two of the state's most populous counties to see an increase in their voter turnout rate during the first three days of early voting.Voters line up outside of the Rosenberg Annex as early voting begins in Texas on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, in Rosenberg.Annie Mulligan for The Texas TribuneRepublicans want to flip this last competitive South Texas senate seathttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/18/morgan-lamantia-adam-hinojosa-texas-senate/State Sen. Morgan LaMantia, D-Palm Valley, faces off against Republican Adam Hinojosa in the only competitive race for the Texas Senate.By Juan Salinas IIFri, 18 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/18/morgan-lamantia-adam-hinojosa-texas-senate/State Sen. Morgan LaMantia, D-Palm Valley, left, and Republican challenger Adam Hinojosa.State Sen. Morgan LaMantia, D-Palm Valley, left, and Republican challenger Adam Hinojosa.The Texas TribuneAg Commissioner Sid Miller’s former political consultant pleads guilty to briberyhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/16/sid-miller-todd-smith-texas-plea-guilty/Todd Smith’s plea comes days before he was set to go to trial, where Miller was subpoenaed to testify.By Juan Salinas IIWed, 16 Oct 2024 16:47:25 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/16/sid-miller-todd-smith-texas-plea-guilty/Todd M Smith.Todd M Smith.Social MediaIn Texas’ biggest purple county, this far-right Republican is creating a playbook for local governinghttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/11/texas-tarrant-county-tim-ohare-far-right/From cutting social services to changing election rules, Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare has pushed his agenda with an uncompromising approach.By Robert Downen, The Texas Tribune, and Jeremy Schwartz, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, Data reporting by Dan Keemahill, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, Story by Juan Salinas II, The Texas Tribune, and Jodi S. Cohen, ProPublicaFri, 11 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/11/texas-tarrant-county-tim-ohare-far-right/Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare at a Commissioners Court meeting in Fort Worth on April 18, 2023Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare listens to Commissioner Roy Charles Brooks after Brooks tells the attendees of the meeting that O’Hare “broke the system” in Fort Worth on April 18, 2023. Following a conversation between O’Hare and Elections Administrator Heider Garcia, Garcia announced his resignation. O’Hare denied responsibility, saying “I did not ask Heider to resign. I did not put pressure on Heider to resign. I did not threaten to fire Heider, I did not threaten to bring him before the election commission for review to determine if he would keep his employment. He chose to resign on his own.”Shelby Tauber for The Texas TribuneTexas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller subpoenaed to testify in his former political consultant’s criminal trialhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/10/texas-sid-miller-ag-commissioner-todd-smith-hemp-indicted/Todd Smith was indicted in 2022 on felony charges of theft and commercial bribery related to taking money in exchange for hemp licenses that are issued by Miller’s office.By Juan Salinas IIThu, 10 Oct 2024 15:48:08 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/10/texas-sid-miller-ag-commissioner-todd-smith-hemp-indicted/Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller speaks during a "Make America Great Again" rally on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Caldwell.Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller speaks during a "Make America Great Again" rally on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Caldwell. The rally was one of Miller's stops on his "Gas and Groceries Truth Tour,” during which he visited various swing states to denounce President Joe Biden’s management of the economy.Olivia Anderson/The Texas TribuneTexas Supreme Court leaves State Fair’s gun ban in placehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/24/ken-paxton-state-fair-gun-ban-appeals-court/Attorney General Ken Paxton had turned to the high court to overturn the ban after other lower courts declined to intercede.By Juan Salinas IITue, 24 Sep 2024 17:36:47 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/24/ken-paxton-state-fair-gun-ban-appeals-court/Children enjoy a ride at the State Fair of Texas on Oct. 20, 2016 in Dallas.Children enjoy a ride at the State Fair of Texas on Oct. 20, 2016 in Dallas.Allison V. Smith for The Texas TribunePublic education takes center stage at Houston lawmakers discussionhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/20/inside-the-interim-with-houston-lawmakers/Lawmakers reflected on Houston ISD takeover and prospect of the Legislature creating subsidies for private school tuitionBy Juan Salinas IIFri, 20 Sep 2024 12:42:45 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/20/inside-the-interim-with-houston-lawmakers/Judge allows Texas State Fair’s gun ban to stand for nowhttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/19/texas-state-fair-gun-ban-injunction-denied/Texas AG Ken Paxton says the fair's gun ban violates state law, which bars most government bodies from prohibiting weapons.By Juan Salinas IIThu, 19 Sep 2024 13:55:31 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/19/texas-state-fair-gun-ban-injunction-denied/The State Fair of Texas in Dallas on Oct. 20, 2016.The State Fair of Texas in Dallas on Oct. 20, 2016.Allison V. Smith for The Texas TribuneTarrant County GOP sought an election advantage with failed effort to shutter college voting locationshttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/18/tarrant-county-gop-college-voting-locations-election-advantage/In a resolution signed Friday, the party blasted two Republicans who voted against the measure and accused them of undermining its electoral chances.By Juan Salinas IIWed, 18 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/18/tarrant-county-gop-college-voting-locations-election-advantage/Cases of ballots and equipment at the Tarrant County Elections Administration building in Fort Worth on May 6, 2023.Cases of ballots and equipment at the Tarrant County Elections Administration building in Fort Worth, Texas. on May 6, 2023.Azul Sordo for The Texas TribuneWhat you need to know about the Venezuelan gang that Texas is targetinghttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/18/texas-venezuelan-gang-tren-de-aragua-abbott-crackdown/Gov. Greg Abbott has declared the Venezuelan gang a foreign terrorist organization and asked the Department of Public Safety to create a strike team targeting them.By Juan Salinas II and Pooja SalhotraWed, 18 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/18/texas-venezuelan-gang-tren-de-aragua-abbott-crackdown/Gov. Greg Abbott announces crackdown on Venezuelan ganghttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/16/texas-venezuelan-gang-el-paso-tren-de-aragua-abbott/Abbott signed a proclamation declaring Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization and directed Texas DPS to create strike teams targeting the gang.By Juan Salinas II and Pooja SalhotraMon, 16 Sep 2024 13:50:26 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/16/texas-venezuelan-gang-el-paso-tren-de-aragua-abbott/Gov. Greg Abbott arrives at a press conference with several other state leaders at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass in February. Abbott on Monday announced a state crackdown on a Venezuelan gang.Gov. Greg Abbott arrives at a press conference with several other states leadership at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass on Feb. 04, 2024.Kaylee Greenlee Beal for The Texas TribuneDemocratic Rep. Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos joins crowded Texas House speaker racehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/15/ana-maria-ramos-texas-house-speaker-democrat/Rodríguez Ramos faces an uphill battle, as Democrats are the minority party with 64 seats in the 150-member Texas House.By Juan Salinas IISun, 15 Sep 2024 18:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/15/ana-maria-ramos-texas-house-speaker-democrat/State Rep. Ana-Maria Rodríguez Ramos, D-Richardson, speaks at a Texas House Progressive Caucus press conference at the Capitol on Sept. 20, 2021.State Rep. Ana-Maria Rodríguez Ramos, D-Richardson, speaks at a Texas House Progressive Caucus press conference at the Capitol on Sept. 20, 2021.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune