U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, right, Democratic primary candidate for U.S. Senate, answers a question during a debate at the 2026 Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention in Georgetown on Jan. 24, 2026. Her opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, looks on.

Republican meddling roils Senate Democratic primary in final days

A super PAC supporting James Talarico is running ads online warning that the GOP is ‘boosting’ Jasmine Crockett. Her spokesperson said Republicans ‘who underestimate her do so at their own peril.’

by Patrick Svitek and Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas TribuneMarch 2, 2026March 2, 2026

President Donald Trump speaks at a White House press briefing.

Texas News

Trump rivals blast president on tariffs as he visits South Texas to brag about economy

The president touted his energy and economic policies during an appearance in Corpus Christi, then took an odd detour into discussing transgender athletes.

by Samara GerstleFebruary 28, 2026February 28, 2026

Brandon Herrera, left, and Rep. Tony Gonzales, Republican primary candidates for Texas' 23rd Congressional District.

San Antonio News

Tony Gonzales heads into Election Day with political future imperiled, Democrats eyeing his district

Both parties are contemplating the notion of Brandon Herrera, a gun-loving YouTuber with a history of provocative comments, as the GOP nominee. Herrera says he can win in November.

by Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune February 28, 2026February 28, 2026

U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, has represented West Texas in Congress since 2021.

San Antonio News

Before scandal, Rep. Tony Gonzales had complicated relationship with his West Texas constituents

The moderate Republican’s votes on gun control and marriage equality upset the region’s most conservative voters, but local officials said they’re grateful for the work he did on public safety and health.

by Carlos Nogueras Ramos, The Texas Tribune February 27, 2026February 27, 2026

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn leaves after a 2024 meeting of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Texas News

Insiders in U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s campaign predict embarrassing loss to Paxton

Cornyn insiders told Cook Political Report they have ‘moved past the early stages of grief and are approaching more of a sullen acceptance’ that he can’t close the deal.

by Sanford Nowlin February 27, 2026February 27, 2026

23-year-old San Antonio resident Ruben Ray Martinez was killed last March, but it took a year to find out it was an ICE-involved shooting.

San Antonio News

Witness who disputed feds’ account of fatal ICE shooting of San Antonio man dies in car wreck

The only passenger in the car with Ruben Ray Martinez said in a statement that his friend was trying to comply with police when an ICE agent shot him dead.

by Sanford Nowlin February 23, 2026February 23, 2026

An RV Camper enters Big Bend National Park. The revered park is scheduled for “smart wall” construction, according to the Customs and Border Protection website.

News

The border wall is closing in on Big Bend, sparking opposition by locals

Residents and elected officials are speaking out against a proposed border barrier through Texas’ biggest state park and one of the jewels of the national park system.

by Martha Pskowski, Inside Climate News February 23, 2026February 23, 2026

Construction workers in South Texas attach a steel panel of bollards topped by a plate to the Border Wall, more than doubling its height.

Texas News

Trump’s new wall will destroy irreplaceable border treasures — unless Congress Acts

The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ did not include the provision that spared the La Lomita chapel, the Santa Ana refuge, or any other sensitive location, and a map posted by CBP indicates that Trump’s barrier will tear through them.

by Scott Nicol, the Texas ObserverFebruary 22, 2026February 22, 2026

Gov. Greg Abbott has increasingly adopted the combative tone and scorched-earth politics of President Donald Trump.

News Features

Trump isn’t alone in destroying U.S. political discourse. Texas leaders deserve blame too.

Texas Republican officials have increasingly emulated the coarse, divisive rhetoric popularized by Trump — and we’re worse off for it, experts said.

by Sanford Nowlin February 18, 2026February 18, 2026

Stephen Colbert attends PaleyFest's An Evening With Stephen Colbert Event at the Dolby Theater in LA.

News

Stephen Colbert blasts CBS for nixing James Talarico interview

The late-night host said the network feared running afoul of new FCC guidance directing shows to give equal airtime to political candidates.

by Kayla Guo, The Texas Tribune February 17, 2026February 17, 2026

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton finds something to smirk at during a 2024 appearance at a conservative conference in Arizona.

San Antonio News

Texas AG Ken Paxton investigates San Antonio school district over student walkouts

Paxton, a MAGA loyalist, said he’s looking into concerns officials at North East ISD ‘orchestrated the protests’ against Trump’s immigration policies.

by Sanford Nowlin February 16, 2026February 16, 2026

Protesters gather outside the Dilley detention center to protest conditions inside.

San Antonio News

Illness Is rampant among children trapped in ICE’s massive jail in Texas

The number of people held at the notorious Dilley immigration jail has nearly tripled since October.

by Mike Ludwig, TruthoutFebruary 14, 2026February 14, 2026

Brandon Herrera, Republican candidate for Texas' 23rd Congressional District, speaks at a campaign event at the Angry Elephant in San Antonio on March 14, 2024.

San Antonio News

Trump lawyer sends cease-and-desist letter to Brandon Herrera over use of president’s image in campaign ad

The letter says Herrera’s mailer depicting him next to the president “is inconsistent with President Trump’s unequivocal endorsement” of Rep. Tony Gonzales in the GOP primary for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.

by Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas Tribune February 13, 2026February 13, 2026

Brianna Lennon, who runs elections in Boone County, Missouri, pushed back against the use of a new error-prone federal tool to identify potential noncitizens on her voter rolls.

Texas News

A federal tool to check voter citizenship keeps making mistakes. It led to confusion in Texas.

DHS rolled out the revamped tool while it was still adding data. That led to widespread misidentification, particularly for citizens born outside the U.S.

by Jen Fifield, ProPublica, and Zach Despart, ProPublica and the Texas TribueFebruary 13, 2026February 13, 2026

There once was performative schmuck named Paxton...

San Antonio News

San Antonio and Texas news in limericks, Feb. 7-13

This week, we skewer Ken Paxton’s lawsuit spree, Judge Peter Sakai’s Project Marvel about-face and Trump’s ICE cruelty in verse.

by Sanford Nowlin February 13, 2026February 13, 2026

The Trump administration is sending pregnant unaccompanied minors to a South Texas shelter (above) flagged as medically inadequate by ORR officials. The facility is run by a for-profit contractor called Urban Strategies. Founder and president Lisa Cummins told the newsrooms the company is “deeply committed to the care and well-being of the children we serve.”

Texas News

Trump admin sending pregnant migrant girls to Texas shelter criticized as medically inadequate

Government sources and advocates for the children worry the goal is to concentrate them in Texas, where abortion is banned.

by Mark Betancourt, The Texas Newsroom and the California NewsroomFebruary 12, 2026February 12, 2026

Environmental Protection Agency workers and supporters protest job cuts at the agency on the streets of Chicago.

Texas News

Local environmental groups in Texas are still reeling from Trump’s DOGE cuts

Since last year, the EPA has cut millions of dollars in grants previously awarded for environmental initiatives in Texas during the Biden administration.

By Justin Doud, The Texas ObserverFebruary 11, 2026February 11, 2026

ICE conduct an arrest at workplace enforcement.

Texas News

How Trump’s ICE is locking up longtime Texans with paths to legal status

The case of one Houston man, nearly deported to India after a quarter-century here, shows what happens when prosecutorial discretion is abandoned.

by Jason Buch, The Texas Observer February 10, 2026February 10, 2026

Masked ICE agents stand on the streets of Minneapolis next to a U.S. government SUV with "Defend The Homeland" emblazoned on it.

Texas News

Texas court district leads U.S. in immigrants challenging legality of federal detention

The administration’s push for mass deportations has resulted in more than 18,000 habeas petitions, a historic high. Texas and California account for about 40% of cases this year.

by Pratheek Rebala, Jeff Ernsthausen and Perla Trevizo, The Texas TribuneFebruary 10, 2026February 10, 2026

Candidate for Texas Attorney General Aaron Reitz answers a question from a moderator during a Texas Republican candidate debate forum at the Civic Center in Canton on Saturday, January 17, 2026.

Texas News

Texas AG candidate says if he wins, he’d try to revoke Democratic leader Gene Wu’s citizenship

Aaron Reitz, who is running for Texas attorney general, issued the threat after an interview of Wu was shared online of him discussing non-white voting strength.

by Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune February 10, 2026February 10, 2026