Facing criticism from Texas House Republican leadership and despite the concerns of one key GOP senator about certain tax cuts, the Texas Senate this past week passed its version of the state’s two-year spending plan on a vote of 30 to 1. Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, cast the lone “no” vote. The $211 billion budget, […]
Texas House and Senate in a Budget Showdown
by Scott on April 19, 2015 in Dan Patrick, Economy, Joe Straus, Politics, Tea Party, Texas
AUDIO Flashback: Dan Patrick vs Ted Cruz
by Scott on March 23, 2015 in Audio, Dan Patrick, Politics, Tea Party, Texas, Uncategorized
As mentioned on the West Texas Drive this afternoon, here is the audio of then-Sen. Dan Patrick and Sen. Ted Cruz on Patrick’s radio show in Houston. This was during the GOP primary in 2012. The two really get into it about the way the Texas Senate operated under former Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Tweet […]
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 […]
2014: The Year of Tom Delay’s Permanent Republican Majority
by Scott on December 31, 2014 in Dan Patrick, Politics, Tea Party, Texas
As 2014 draws to a close, one thing of which I am certain is you do not need to read another story about the variety of reasons Texas did not turn blue – or mauve or any shade of purple – this year but instead went from pretty darn red to “red concentrate” with a […]
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 […]
Houston Up For Grabs in the Race for Governor?
by Scott on November 3, 2014 in Dan Patrick, Houston, Politics, Tea Party, Texas
Note: This story originally appeared on The Quorum Report. Join us there daily for coverage of Texas politics and government. As I’ve said from time to time: If Texas is a battleground, Harris County is ground zero. Perhaps never before has that seemed so true. Conservative activists, including the local GOP’s new and old leadership, […]
Sour-faced Perry is Picking the Right Fights
by Scott on July 15, 2014 in Dan Patrick, Immigration, Politics, Rick Perry, Tea Party
Note: This column originally appeared on The Quorum Report. Join us there daily for coverage of Texas politics and government. Not only did Gov. Perry get way out ahead of the border crisis politically but he has also now figured out a way to differentiate himself in a major way from a potential fellow GOP […]
Houston Equal Rights Fight Could Have Statewide Electoral Consequences
by Scott on June 26, 2014 in Dan Patrick, Houston, Politics, Texas
Note: This story originally appeared in The Quorum Report. Join us there daily for coverage of Texas government and politics. Time is running short for opponents of Houston’s recently passed equal rights ordinance, which supporters call HERO, to gather signatures on a petition to try to overturn it. Opponents led by longtime – and now […]
Dewhurst and Patrick Clash in a Very Personal Debate in DFW
by Scott on May 11, 2014 in Dan Patrick, Immigration, Politics, Tea Party, Texas
Note: This story originally appeared on The Quorum Report. Join us there for daily coverage of Texas politics and government. DALLAS – Sen. Dan Patrick and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst pulled no punches on Wednesday in a 45-minute televised debate that one candidate would later describe as childish. Patrick said “I think it was in […]
Patterson and Patrick Spar over Senator’s Lack of Military Service
by Scott on May 9, 2014 in Dan Patrick, Politics, Texas
Note: This story originally appeared on The Quorum Report. Join us there daily for coverage of Texas politics and government. As if the campaign to preside over the Texas Senate weren’t nasty enough, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and Sen. Dan Patrick got into a war of words Thursday over exactly why Patrick did not […]
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Scott Braddock is a journalist and political analyst based in Austin.
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