It was a decade ago that then-Gov. Rick Perry stood on the banks of the Rio Grande in his Carhartt jacket, promising in a TV commercial that “If Washington won’t protect our border, Texas will.” At that time, Texas Republicans were treating President George W. Bush as an apostate who was weak on the issue […]
Trump Victory Could Pressure Gov. Abbott to Lay Out an Agenda
by Scott on November 17, 2016 in Border Security, Immigration, Joe Straus, Politics, Rick Perry
AUDIO: Former undocumented Collin Street Bakery worker calls McNutt a hypocrite
by Scott on January 12, 2016 in Audio, Border Security, Politics, Tea Party, Texas
The hardline immigration rhetoric of Thomas McNutt, GOP challenger to Rep. Byron Cook, is coming under intense scrutiny now that the Dallas Morning News has revealed that McNutt’s company has a history of hiring undocumented immigrants. McNutt told the newspaper he will look into how undocumented workers could have been employed by his family’s Collin […]
Trump intensifies proxy war between Cruz and Perry
by Scott on July 26, 2015 in Border Security, Immigration, Politics, Rick Perry, Tea Party, Ted Cruz, Uncategorized
Following Donald Trump’s visit to the Texas-Mexico border and after his comments that Sen. John McCain was not a real war hero because he was captured in Vietnam, it is worth taking the time to think through what his campaign might mean for the presidential contenders from the Great State. What Trump said about Sen. McCain […]
The Texas Senate Stands
by Scott on June 7, 2015 in Border Security, Dan Patrick, Immigration, Politics, Tea Party, Texas
As the 84th Texas Legislature concludes, there will be plenty of talk about which lawmakers were the best and worst, which made a difference, which made no difference at all, and what new laws will make Texas a better or worse place. I’ll leave that kind of list-making to wiser folks for the moment. Instead […]
Speaker Straus Hints at What’s to Come in Texas Legislative Session
by Scott on February 17, 2015 in Border Security, Dan Patrick, Economy, Education, Immigration, Joe Straus, Politics, Rick Perry, Tea Party, Texas, Video
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus said this past week that he is “personally” against repealing in-state tuition for undocumented students, he wants to work with Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on border security, and that The Legislature should avoid “gimmicks” when deciding how to pay for critical infrastructure like roads. In a […]
Special Election for Texas Senate Seat Turns Nasty
by Scott on December 5, 2014 in Border Security, Houston, Politics, Rick Perry, Tea Party, Texas
BRENHAM – The mad dash to succeed Comptroller-Elect Glenn Hegar in the Texas Senate has turned quite negative in the final days leading up to this Saturday’s special election. The perceived frontrunner, Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, has sought to create a sense of inevitability through high-profile endorsements and has focused her message on border security. […]
Breaking Down the Election on WFAA
by Scott on November 9, 2014 in Border Security, Dallas, Dan Patrick, Immigration, Latinos, Politics, Rick Perry, Texas
The way some of the down-ballot races in Texas played out this past week put a fine point on just how powerful a wave the GOP was riding heading into Tuesday’s election. Not only did Republicans sweep every statewide race, which was expected, but their margin of victory was way higher than even the party’s […]
National Guard Deployment Along the Rio Grande is Now Underway
by Scott on August 26, 2014 in Border Security, Economy, Immigration, Latinos, Politics, Rick Perry, Tea Party, Texas
Note: This story originally appeared on The Quorum Report. Join us there daily for coverage of Texas politics and government. BASTROP – The “force multiplier” for the border surge touted by Gov. Perry and other members of the state’s Republican leadership is now becoming a reality as up to 1,000 Texas National Guard troops begin […]
National Guard Theatrics Jeopardize Billions in Potential Growth Along the Texas Border
by Scott on August 15, 2014 in Border Security, Economy, Immigration, Politics, Rick Perry, Texas
Note: This story originally appeared on The Quorum Report. Join us there daily for coverage of Texas politics and government. While Gov. Perry continues his national cable TV tour talking about the influx of migrant children along the border and his decision to deploy as many as 1,000 Texas National Guard Troops to the region, […]
Texas Business Leaders Are In a Full-Court Press on Immigration
by Scott on July 12, 2014 in Border Security, Dallas, Economy, Immigration, Politics, Rick Perry, Tea Party, Texas, Workforce
Note: This column originally appeared in The Quorum Report. Join us there daily for coverage of Texas politics and government. Hoping to lose none of any ground – either real or perceived – they may have gained on immigration in the United States House of Representatives, Texas business interests over the last couple weeks have […]
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Scott Braddock is a journalist and political analyst based in Austin.
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