Bonnen becomes the heir apparent for Texas House speaker post
State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, barring something unforeseen, will be the next speaker of the Texas House, Rice University political science professor Mark Jones said…
East Texas legislator may be in jail but he’s also in…
Unopposed and ensconced in a Montgomery County Jail cell, state Rep. Ron Reynolds still managed to haul in 47,305 votes Tuesday, for his election…
Abbott got more than $200,000 in donations that may conflict with…
Since 2010, it has been illegal under federal securities policy for investment companies to use campaign donations to curry favor with the politicians who…
Bonnen joins House speaker race, surprising no one
The election for speaker of the Texas House is more than two months away, but Dennis Bonnen has established himself as the favorite among…
No surprise: Darby files to run for Texas House speaker
Confirming what might be the worst-kept secret in state politics, state Rep. Drew Darby told the media Friday he intends to run for speaker…
Travis Clardy: Too moderate to be House speaker or just moderate…
Some of the qualities that appear to disqualify him might actually be assets for state Rep. Travis Clardy, who is running for speaker of…
State Rep. Eric Johnson files to run for Texas House Speaker
Making good on a promise he made in January, state Rep. Eric Johnson has filed his intention to run for Speaker of the Texas House.
Johnson,…
Elgin ISD: AG, we did not violate the law; Galena Park…
The Elgin Independent School District is the second district to take issue with an assessment by Attorney General Ken Paxton that school officials broke…
Paxton’s school electioneering claims more complex than originally thought
What began with a state senator’s effort to stop what he thought might be illegal politicking by teachers and administrators in several Texas school…
State Rep. Tan Parker keeping reasons for House Speaker bid close…
Unlike the two other challengers who got in early, state Rep. Tan Parker waited until two days after the March 6 primaries to announce…
State Rep. John Zerwas and his place in the Texas House…
On Oct. 25, the day Texas House Speaker Joe Straus announced he would not seek a sixth term, state Rep. John Zerwas filed his…
Could State Rep. Phil King replace Straus as House Speaker?
(This is the first of a series of profiles of the candidates for the speaker of the Texas House of Representatives for the 86th…
Bush and Miller prevail in primaries despite questionable public trust
While they avoided convictions and courtroom drama, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller had similar battles to fight in their reelection…
Why are Texans so forgiving? Voters elect pols despite corruption allegations
Whispers of questionable activity, indictments and even felony convictions cannot thwart a die-hard voter or dampen the enthusiasm of an elected official.
Ask Ron…
Geren beats French in bitter primary
State Rep. Charlie Geren practically assured himself of a tenth term, beating Bo French Tuesday night in what was one of the most bitter…
260 candidates haven’t paid Texas Ethics Commission fines
More than 260 candidates owe the state of Texas $1.1 million in fines for failing to file legally required campaign finance reports. Loopholes in…
Questionable tactics, dueling accusations mark Geren, French primary
A mailer questioning the professional ethics of state Rep. Charlie Geren and his wife, a high powered lobbyist, distributed by the conservative political advocacy…
After early voting, Abbott continued his salvos against Rep. Sarah Davis
After voting early Tuesday in Austin, Gov. Greg Abbott continued campaigning for the opponent of Sarah Davis — a four-term Republican state representative from…
AG Paxton sends letters to three Texas school districts he says…
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued cease and desist letters to three Texas school districts he believes are participating in unlawful electioneering.
Brazosport, Lewisville…
Austin Lobby backs Straus ‘priority’ members
Top-spending political action committees are putting their money on 20 Texas House Republicans listed as "priorities" of lame-duck Speaker Joe Straus.
In November, Capitol Inside…
Texas GOP chief speaks after historic censure of Speaker Straus
James Dickey, who was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas in June 2017, gave his first far-reaching interview about the historic censure…
Ag Commissioner Sid Miller used $37K in campaign funds to buy…
It might be an American Revolution, as the tag line for Chevy Tahoe marketing puts it, but for Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, it’s another…
Signers rise: Three Straus PAC members take new speaker pledge
More than 60 percent of Republican state House candidates — including three board members of Speaker Joe Straus’ Leadership Fund — have pledged to support…
State Rep. Huberty in court to boot challenger from ballot, claiming…
HOUSTON — State Rep. Daniel Huberty will be in Harris County District Court Friday in an effort to force challenger Reginald Grant off the…
In Texas House, pledge deniers face primary battles
Half of 182 GOP candidates have yet to sign a pledge to honor the Republican caucus’ choice for the next speaker of the Texas…
Lawmakers duck open-records request on ‘bribery’ question
Nine Texas House members have failed to respond to repeated open-records requests seeking the source of a “legislative bribery” allegation.
The state Republican Party last…
Straus censured in home county over ‘abuse,’ ‘obstruction’
Republican leaders in Joe Straus’ home county voted to censure the retiring Texas House speaker, saying he “abused the power of his office and…
As deadline approaches, Republican Caucus pledge short on signatures
Fewer than half the Republicans running for House seats in 2018 have signed a party pledge form that would commit them to supporting the…
Republican ballot propositions hit back at Straus
This article is a part of our ongoing coverage on Election Ethics. Read the full series here.
Eleven party propositions — ranging from toll roads…
Conservative coalition blasts House ‘obstructionists’
Momentum is building for Republicans to vote as a bloc for Texas House speaker.
Eighty-one conservative leaders from around the state on Monday called on…
Texas GOP seeks source of legislative ‘bribery’ inquiry
Questions alleging legislative “bribery” against the Republican Party of Texas have prompted the state GOP to send public records requests to all Texas House…
Speaker’s parting shot: Straus arms his House loyalists
Lame duck Speaker Joe Straus isn’t going quietly.
The retiring House leader and his chief strategist, Gordon Johnson, are persuading deep-pocketed lobbyists to bankroll like-minded…
GOP Chairman: Inquiry into Speaker pledge ‘laughable’
State Republican Party chairman James Dickey on Tuesday mocked an inquiry into a party pledge for House speaker.
An anonymous legislator asked the state Ethics…
PAC backs Abbott’s move against ‘corrupt’ Rep. Sarah Davis
A political action committee targeting “corrupt” Texas House leadership is applauding Gov. Greg Abbott’s move against Republican Rep. Sarah Davis.
Abbott endorsed Susanna Dokupil, the…
Week in Review: New pressure in the House Speaker race and…
This week on The Texas Monitor: mounting pressure in the House Speaker race from the GOP and the New Leadership PAC; Rep. Phil King…
Rep. Zerwas may be in crosshairs of PAC’s $100,000 ‘Dirty Dozen’…
A “Dirty Dozen” Texas House Republicans are being targeted by campaign bounties of $100,000 or more in the 2018 elections.
Among the yet-to-be-identified lawmakers reportedly…
GOP chairman calls on House candidates to honor the caucus
The chairman of the Republican Party of Texas says state House members need to support their caucus in selecting a successor to retiring Speaker…
With Straus out, caucus considers Speaker selection rules change
Seeking fresh leadership, Republicans in the Texas House will vote on new rules for selecting a successor to retiring Speaker Joe Straus.
A report to…
In the face of growing controversy, Straus steps down
Confronted by increasing dissension in the Republican ranks, House Speaker Joe Straus announced on Wednesday that he is retiring.
It was a stunning turn for…
‘Cyber-bullying’ PAC starts campaign wars over Straus
Raising the stakes for next year’s Republican state House primaries, a new political action committee aims to pick off Speaker Joe Straus’ soldiers and…
New PAC aims to topple Straus and his lieutenants in ‘corrupt’…
A new Texas political action committee is turning up the heat on Speaker Joe Straus and calling for a House cleaning from the top…
Lawmakers accept $1.5 million while passing governor’s agenda
At a time when the state’s lawmakers are asked to continue making laws, most of them are also making money.
During this summer’s special session…
Straus rival: Limit speaker’s term, free up legislation
A lawmaker bidding to unseat Texas House Speaker Joe Straus wants to term-limit the speaker and committee chairmen.
Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, proposes a three-term…
No vote on Speaker race rules, members meet again in September
A House Republican Caucus meeting Wednesday where the discussion centered around how to choose the next Speaker of the House broke up with no…
Grassroots count: Quorum of GOP members will be at Speaker meeting
When the House Republican Caucus meets to discuss a plan to pick the next Speaker of the House, a quorum will be attending and…
Will Texas House Speaker showdown kick off next week?
The House Republican Caucus will meet next week to discuss — and possibly adopt — a plan to pick the next Speaker of the…
Conservative Texas House members want GOP members to pick Speaker
More than a dozen Republican House members asked in a letter on Thursday that their caucus chairman allow the Republican members of the House…