Politics & Government

For a time in the fall and winter, and maybe still, Texas Democrats talked themselves into thinking that maybe this year was going to be the year. Through the Virginia gubernatorial election in November, Doug Jones’ massive senatorial upset in Alabama and early voting in Texas, those who’ve wandered through…

Results from this week’s primary election in Dallas do not illustrate a conservative/liberal split in the city. Lots of luck even trying to get those labels to work. The outcomes in a couple of key state House districts argue more for a widening divide between people whose views are basically…

The Democratic primary race for Dallas County district attorney is turning out to be a battle between liberal forces over who will challenge Republican incumbent Faith Johnson, whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed after former DA Susan Hawk stepped down for mental health reasons two years ago. In one corner once…

Heading into Tuesday night’s Texas primary, the state’s Democrats had plenty of reasons to be hopeful. During early voting, more Democrats had turned out than during any previous mid-term primary in the state’s 15 biggest counties, besting their Republican counterparts by more than 40,000 ballots. Beto O’Rourke, the El Paso…

Former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez may not have been the best fundraiser or the smoothest campaigner during the 2018’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, but she did enough, and had enough name recognition, to ensure that she’ll have at least a few more months to get better on the trail. Valdez…

Dallas County voters easily topped their previous best turnout for early voting in an off-year primary thanks to an energized Democratic electorate. According to numbers from the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, 110,334 county residents voted early in the 2018 primary, beating the county’s previous high turnout in 2014 by…

This is a difficult moment for Dallas where the city’s affordable housing and economic development policies are concerned, probably even a scary moment for some people. Since most of the money in question — possibly vast sums — comes from the federal government, we should be able to look to…

This is one of those excruciatingly embarrassing moments that tend to be beyond the ability of persons of civility and good taste to resolve. That’s what I’m here for. It’s time to ask the president to stop giving his condolences in mass shootings. Of course I know how horrible, coarse,…

This week was the best of Lupe Valdez’s gubernatorial campaign. The former Dallas County sheriff announced her highest fundraising numbers since kicking off her campaign in November, picked up a key endorsement, and earned some poll numbers that are confusing but not any kind of a death knell. For a…

Twice-convicted felons, once they’ve completed their parole, are now eligible to serve on Dallas’ boards and commissions. Wednesday, the Dallas City Council voted to change an existing city policy that limited candidates for appointment to bodies like the Park Board or the City Plan Commission to one felony, no matter…

The Dallas City Council adopted the new Please Lord Make Dwaine Shut Up Act on Wednesday, reducing the amount of time council members may speak on any issue. The Dwaine part of the title, which I made up, is for council member Dwaine Caraway. The rest of it you can…

SMU graduate Hope Hicks, President Donald Trump’s 29-year-old confidant, gatekeeper and communications director, will leave the White House sometime in the next few weeks, according to reporting from The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman. Although Hicks testified for the U.S. House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday, reportedly admitting she told “white…

It’s not clear yet whether there truly are dark forces gathering on the horizon against Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax or just a chain of fools, but one thing is unmistakably true: Dallas’ first city manager in living memory to come from outside City Hall had better not walk by…

Being the Democratic primary leader for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat sounds like an uphill race before the starter pistol fires. President Donald Trump won 227 of the state’s 254 counties. The New York Times called Democratic primary front-runner Beto O’Rourke “The Lone Star Long Shot” in its recent profile of…

The city of Dallas has a new plan to fight panhandling. Same as 2017. Same as 2016 and 2015, too. The difference this time is End Panhandling Now, as the new program is (directly but not creatively) named, has the support of the City Council, as well as some ideas…

After Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwayne Caraway’s recent press conference telling the National Rifle Association to go home, a new petition is urging city officials to revoke the funds it put toward the NRA’s annual conference in May. Dallas resident Jonathan Herzog started the petition when he realized that city…

Strangest thing. I believe I’ve told you in previous years that I am annually privileged to attend the luncheon of Trinity Commons, the Trinity toll road booster group. I get to go because a generous member of the board has a robust sense of humor. Imagine my surprise last Friday…

Four years ago, things were easy for George P. Bush, son of Jeb and next in line for the Bush political dynasty. Endorsed by retiring incumbent Jerry Patterson and backed Texas’ Republican establishment, the then 38-year-old Bush cruised to his first elected office, becoming Texas land commissioner. In 2018, as…

Less than a week into early voting for this year’s Texas Republican and Democratic primaries, the state’s Democrats believe they could be seeing the blue wave many have expected as opposition to President Donald Trump solidifies ahead of the midterm elections. Across the state’s 15 largest counties, Democratic turnout is…

The National Rifle Association is coming to Dallas in May. No matter what Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway says, no matter how many times you call your City Council member and no matter how many times reporters ask Mike Rawlings why naked ladies are bad but AR-15s are OK, it’s…