El Paso judge blocks Ken Paxton from taking legal action against Beto O’Rourke’s political group
The order bars Paxton from prosecuting O’Rourke’s nonprofit or otherwise bringing legal action aimed at revoking Powered by People’s charter. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke speaks at a rally from the south steps of the Capitol in Austin on Aug. 16, 2025.]()
Credit: Ronaldo Bolaños for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton asks judge to jail Beto O’Rourke for fundraising Texas Dems' walkout
Paxton sued O’Rourke and his political group, Powered by People, last week, arguing that the group was deceptively fundraising for and illegally supporting Texas Democrats’ walkout. Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke speaks during the People vs. the Power Grab rally at the Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025.]()
Credit: Desiree Rios for The Texas Tribune -
Judge blocks Beto O’Rourke from financially supporting Texas Democrats who left the state
The order came at the request of Attorney General Ken Paxton, who O’Rourke accused in a separate lawsuit of going on a “fishing expedition, constitutional rights be damned.” Full Story
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![Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke speaks during a Fight the Trump Takeover rally outside the South Steps of the Capitol on Thursday, July 24, 2025 in Austin, Texas.]()
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Paxton launches investigation into Beto O’Rourke’s political group for funding Democrats who left state
The attorney general is also looking into the George Soros-backed Texas Majority PAC, which is playing a coordinating role to solicit donations from Democratic donors. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at the Republican Party of Texas Convention in San Antonio on May 23, 2024..]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Top Texas Democrats ponder the state’s future at forum amid questions about what’s next for their party
Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke was joined at his San Antonio town hall by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro and state Rep. James Talarico, whose names have been floated for statewide office. Full Story
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![Texas Rep. James Talarico answers a question during a town hall at Stable Hall in San Antonio, Texas on June 27, 2025.]()
Credit: Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribune -
Here are some of the Texas Democrats eyeing statewide runs in 2026
Democrats will need to sort through a pileup of potential candidates who see an opportunity to harness backlash to the Trump administration in next year’s midterms. Full Story
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![Beto O’Rourke speaks at the Texas Democratic Convention Reception Kick-Off in El Paso, Texas on June 6, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats underperformed yet again. Now what?
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. Full Story
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![The Ector County Democratic Headquarters on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Odessa.]()
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Bernie Sanders tells Texas progressives to back Harris, says Allred win would “make all the difference”
Joining Sanders as he campaigns up and down the I-35 corridor are Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Greg Casar, and former El Paso congressman Beto O’Rourke. Full Story
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![(From left to right) Politicians Beto O’Rourke, Lloyd Doggett, Greg Casar, Bernie Sanders, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a rally organized by the University Democrats on the University of Texas campus on Oct. 1, 2024.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
Colin Allred’s understated campaign strategy draws mixed reviews from fellow Democrats
Allred’s sharp divergence from Beto O’Rourke’s more active campaign style has stirred dissent among some Democrats. His allies say it’s working. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, speaks during the kick-off event for the “Women for Allred” coalition in Dallas on Aug. 24, 2024.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Democrats try to unify against GOP “extremism” as their own challenges and strife persist
The party faces internal tension over the Israel-Hamas war and Biden’s new immigration policy heading into November. Full Story
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![The first day of the Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso on June 6, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
After overlooking O’Rourke, national Democrats show early confidence in Allred
Six years after Beto O’Rourke nearly toppled Ted Cruz, Democrats outside Texas are expressing confidence in Colin Allred’s 2024 challenge. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, speaks at a U.S. Senate debate in Austin on Jan. 28, 2024. The Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention hosted the debate ahead of the March 5 primary elections.]()
Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune -
Colin Allred’s fundraising for U.S. Senate race surpasses O’Rourke’s early 2018 pace
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred raised over $9.5 million for his U.S. Senate campaign this quarter, surpassing Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 first quarter sum of $6.7 million. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, smiles as the crowd claps and cheers for him during a stop for his U.S. Senate campaign in McAllen on Feb. 17, 2024.Rep. Allred is running against Texas Senator Roland Gutierrez for the March 5 primary election in hopes to be the Democratic candidate that goes head to head with incumbent Ted Cruz for the general election in November.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
New George Soros-backed, Democratic PAC aims to turn Texas blue
The group is “helping to build party infrastructure at the regional level, because the various regions of our state are distinct and therefore require different strategies,” a PAC official said. Full Story
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![Democratic Party signage and logos at the Texas Democratic Party office in Austin.]()
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Texas Supreme Court declines to revive billionaire’s defamation lawsuit against Beto O’Rourke
Kelcy Warren, a Dallas pipeline billionaire, sued O’Rourke in early 2022, saying the Democrat defamed him with critical comments about his company’s windfall profits after the Texas energy-grid collapse in February 2021. Full Story
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Dan Patrick says he won’t accept donations during trial, after taking heat for pro-Paxton money
The Senate Republican and Democratic caucuses also said they will not fundraise as organizations during the trial, which starts Tuesday. Full Story
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![Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick gavels in the Senate on Aug. 10, 2021.]()
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U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz raises $4.4 million in second quarter as he seeks reelection
The Republican’s haul fell short of the money raised by Rep. Colin Allred, a Democratic opponent who collected $6.2 million in a shorter period — but Cruz prevailed in the 2018 election despite getting outraised then. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz signs books and greets supporters during the Republican Party of Texas 2022 Convention in George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston on Friday, June 17, 2022.]()
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U.S. Rep. Colin Allred raises $6.2 million in first 2 months of Senate race
Allred also transferred $2.4 million from his House campaign account, giving him $8.6 million in total receipts through the end of June. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas speaks to media with members of the Congressional Black Caucus during a press conference on voting rights legislation and reforming the filibuster at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022.]()
Credit: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
Appeals court dismisses GOP megadonor’s lawsuit against Beto O’Rourke
Billionaire Kelcy Warren claimed that he was defamed by the Democratic candidate’s criticism of the power-grid failure in 2021. Full Story
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![Gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke greets attendees during a Get Out the Vote Rally hosted by the Asian American Democrats of Texas in Asiatown on October 15, 2022.]()
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U.S. Rep. Colin Allred preparing to challenge Ted Cruz in 2024, sources say
The former NFL player and civil rights lawyer has been a rising Democratic star in Congress. Full Story
![U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas speaks to media with members of the Congressional Black Caucus during a press conference on voting rights legislation and reforming the filibuster at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022.]()
Credit: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
Bills to create new Texas courts would likely reverse Democratic gains, restore GOP dominance
Supporters say the proposals would increase efficiency and expertise, but opponents argue the attempts are political and probably unconstitutional. Full Story
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![The Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
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