Texas Tribune Brief

The other Texan running for president, Beto O’Rourke, has already qualified for the Houston debate.

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Ruth Ruggero Hughs replaces David Whitley, who failed to receive Senate confirmation after his office questioned the voter eligibility of thousands of naturalized citizens.

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One House lawmaker is resigning from a key post amid allegations of targeting Republicans and – across the aisle – a long-time Democrat has announced an early retirement.

Plus, a look at whether the billions of dollars more that Texas put into schools to raise teachers’ pay and improve pre-K programs will be enough to help one high-poverty district, in San Antonio, turn a corner.

And after losing his wife in a mass shooting, one man invited all El Pasoans to her funeral. Hundreds showed up.

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The spending in the traditionally red state is raising questions about whether he's simply shoring up his support — or treating Texas as potentially up for grabs in 2020.

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After May's 40 homicides, Gov. Greg Abbott deployed state troopers to Dallas. Despite some drops in violent crimes, city officials say they've done more harm than good. Meanwhile, there's still no consensus on what's driving the increase as victims' families are left to grapple with grief.

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The ad speaks to President Donald Trump directly — linking his rhetoric toward immigrants and people of color to that of the shooter in El Paso who killed 22 and left more than two dozen wounded.

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Two new laws will free up alcohol access in Texas starting Sept. 1. Certain breweries will now be allowed to sell their suds to go, and more restaurants will be able to deliver beer and wine to customers.

But first, state lawmakers have asked the Texas Rangers to investigate allegations against House Speaker Dennis Bonnen. At issue is whether Bonnen, an Angleton Republican, and state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, offered hardline conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan media credentials for his organization in exchange for politically targeting a list of fellow GOP members in the 2020 primaries.

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A conservative political activist accused Republican House Speaker Dennis Bonnen of making a deal at a June meeting to target 10 GOP lawmakers. Bonnen has denied the allegations, but several Texas House members who have heard a recording of the meeting in his office support the activist's account.

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Migrants have been bused to Monterrey and, they say, Chiapas under an ever-changing and often brutal “remain in Mexico” program. The policy is being carried out up and down the border by the Trump Administration in a controversial partnership with the Mexican government.

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In the wake of shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, the president and Congress are discussing laws blocking access to firearms for people considered an imminent threat. But here in Texas, bills that would do that have made little traction.

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