July 2, 2009

Lori Stahl and Tawnell D. Hobbs

Highland Park may be the first public school district in Texas to end the practice of ranking all high school students, but some suburban school districts say they may consider following suit.

Southlake's Carroll Independent School District has already begun studying the issue, and officials there will consider a similar recommendation during the coming school year.

Measure for privatization of tolls killed

July 3, 2009

By Enrique Rangel

AUSTIN - The Texas Legislature ended its special session on Thursday - the shortest in 22 years - and though the lawmakers reauthorized the existence of five state agencies that would have been closed next year, they didn't pass everything Gov. Rick Perry put on the agenda.

The lawmakers passed a bill that authorizes the Texas Department of Transportation to issue $2 billion in road bonds, but killed a measure that would have allowed the agency to continue with the privatization of toll roads. For a good number of legislators this proposal was dead

Published: Friday, July 03, 2009

ENRIQUE RANGEL

AUSTIN - The Texas Legislature ended its special session on Thursday - the shortest in 22 years.

They passed a bill that authorizes the Texas Department of Transportation to issue $2 billion in road bonds. They killed a measure that would have allowed the agency to continue with the privatization of toll roads.

For a good number of legislators this privatization proposal was dead on arrival because of the growing opposition to most toll proposals in

Raised $600K in 7 business days from more than 200 supporters

July 6, 3:30pm

This morning, Republican Attorney General candidate Ted Cruz announced that he had raised more than a million dollars.

Possible primary opponent Dan Branch (R-Dallas) just announced that he would be reporting more than $1 million on the July 15th report.

"Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas) announced today that Texans for Dan Branch will report over $1 million cash on hand, after expenses, on the upcoming semi-annual Texas Ethics Commission filing.

July 6, 2009

Ross Ramsey

Republicans Ted Cruz and Dan Branch each have pulled together more than $1 million to run for attorney general. Neither Cruz, the state's former solicitor general, nor Branch, a state representative from Dallas, plans to seek that job unless the current occupant, Greg Abbott, decides to quit or run for another office.

Branch, limited by a state law that prevents officeholders from raising money during a legislative session, had only seven days during the

July 6, 2009

By Mike Hailey

Capitol Inside Editor

State Rep. Dan Branch wasted no time Monday countering a report about the fundraising efforts by a possible competitor in a potential race for attorney general next year when he revealed that he'd raised more than $600,000 during the last week of June.

Branch, a Dallas Republican who's served in the Texas House for the past six years, announced that he had more than $1 million in the campaign bank at the end of last month as he ponders whether to seek re-election or run statewide in the event that Attorney General Greg Abbott decides to seek higher office himself in 2010.

July 6, 2009

Robert T. Garrett

Houston lawyer Ted Cruz, who was the state's chief talker in courtrooms for 5 1/2 years, announced today he's raised more than $1 million for his campaign for Texas attorney general.

Cruz, 38, who was Texas' first Hispanic solicitor general, doesn't like to talk about the hurdles that may await Hispanics running in statewide Republican primaries. He says a Hispanic "absolutely" can win.

"The principal basis of our campaign is that I'm running based on a proven record of standing up for conservative principles," he said.

July 8, 2009

Gromer Jeffers, Jr.

Based on campaign disclosure reports that officially will be filed next week, we now know the race for attorney general, if it occurs, will be a costly one.

Republican hopeful Ted Cruz and potential candidate Dan Branch say their semiannual reports to be released July 15 will show they each raised $1 million.

Cruz, a Houston lawyer who was Texas' first Hispanic solicitor general, says he'll run only if current Attorney General Greg Abbott does not seek re-election.

July 8, 2009

Chris Rizzo

AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline)-The two possible Republican candidates for Texas attorney general say they are poised to report that they are raking in big money ahead of the 2010 race.

Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz and state Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, say they will report that they have each raised more than $1 million when campaign finance reports are filed July 15.

Cruz said he has collected contributions from more than 500 people from 57 Texas cities and 18 states.

July 12, 2009

Posted by Will Lutz

Now that the policy season is over, most in Austin are taking a well-deserved summer vacation. Those not on vacation are switching their attention to the upcoming elections and the March primary.

A few key things to watch out for in the next few months:

* Who is running and who isn't. Loyalists of former Speaker Tom Craddick worried that his demise might cause some of his lieutenants to retire, creating open seats Republicans may have to defend. Who retires is always important in an election cycle. With the House almost evenly divided, it's even more so now.