Since entering the Texas House in 2017, State Rep. Ernest Bailes of Shepherd has amassed a voting record as one of the most liberal Republicans in the House. Now, the three-term lawmaker finds himself with three challengers in the Republican primary election. Since...
Most Tuesday mornings, the Texas Minute—our weekday email publication—includes the One-Click Survey. It’s almost always a question about policy or politics, oftentimes tinged with a bit of humor. We ask readers to not only “click” an answer, but to then reply with...
Update: State Sen. Larry Taylor (R–Friendswood) and State Rep. Lyle Larson (R–San Antonio) confirmed to the Dallas Morning News that they were among the lawmakers in attendance. While citizens are being told to stay home and contend with shutdowns and mandates in...
NOTE: Since this article was published, yet another Republican –Geanie Morrison of Victoria – reportedly filed for the speakership. It has been updated. What GOP insiders hoped would be a quiet race for Speaker of the Texas House got suddenly heated on Thursday, with...
Dear Reader, I want to share with you our New Year’s Resolutions at Empower Texans. Communications experts say you should never repeat an accusation that is made against you. I hold to that as a good practice, but let me this one time repeat the accusation many in the...
A few members of the Texas House are rushing to accept an apology from House Speaker Dennis Bonnen for saying “terrible things” about other lawmakers in the meeting he requested of me on June 12. They want to forgive and forget—especially Democrats who are at the head...
For a week there has been speculation about whether I or Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen lied about our meeting on June 12. This was my greatest concern when he proposed a meeting in the first place. Which is why I recorded the entire meeting, from before I walked...
Shortly after the legislative session ended, House Speaker Dennis Bonnen invited me to his office for a meeting. Despite his occasional rants against Empower Texans, the organization I lead, and similar slights aimed at other conservative groups during the closing...
Republican lawmakers should be very concerned. Come November 2020, Texans will be showing up to vote for the greatest promise-keeping politician in modern U.S. history. Love him or hate him, President Donald Trump has been a man of his political word. Taxes cut,...
A number of Texas House Republicans won’t rule out supporting the Democrat Party’s choice for Speaker next January according to Texas GOP officials. Two dozen incumbent lawmakers have thus far failed to sign the party’s form or speak on the record of the matter...
Episode 22: Tony McDonald and Zach Maxwell discuss how you can carry freedom’s torch after the primary elections. Also Brandon Waltens discusses a trio of TXLege bad actors and Erin Anderson has some info on voter fraud in the RGV. Data guru Derek Ryan drops in...
After being confronted by a constituent over a pro-abortion vote he took during the last legislative session, one state representative tried to intimidate the voter into silence by threatening his job. On Thursday, a constituent of State Rep. Ernest Bailes...
Episode 19: Tony McDonald chats with Miriam Cepeda about a district judge under fire. Brandon Waltens discusses misuse of campaign funds, and Erin Anderson on Ken Sheets’ run for Congress. Tim Young of the Washington Examiner calls in to discuss the memo. And...
Grassroots women across the state lined up in support of a fellow conservative woman today after her opponent compared her experience in the pro-life movement to “prostitution.” Emily Kebodeaux Cook, a long-time grassroots leader in the pro-life movement, decided to...
LIBERTY, Texas—A conservative activist has decided to run for office herself after her hometown lawmaker failed to fight for conservative values in the Texas Legislature. Emily Kebodeaux Cook, the general counsel for Texas Right to Life, announced her campaign against...
Freshman State Rep. Ernest Bailes (R-Shepherd) has received the endorsement of the former chairwoman of the San Jacinto County Democratic Party in his campaign for re-election to the Texas House. Earline Murry, former SJC Democrat Chair, took to social media to...
We’ll be releasing the 2017 Fiscal Responsibility Index this week. While the public release is set for 2pm on Wednesday, we thought we’d share the “top-lines” with you today. All votes included on the Index were announced in advance, and focus – as the name implies –...
Joining the growing list of county Republican parties condemning Texas Speaker Joe Straus for his repeated obstruction of conservative reforms, the Liberty County Republican Party unanimously passed a resolution of “no confidence” in the speaker and recommended...
On the 140th day of the legislative session, the last day for work to be completed under Texas’ constitution, we generally start gearing up for the release of the Fiscal Responsibility Index, which measures lawmakers’ records on fiscal and governance issues. Not this...
With just hours left in the 85th regular session of the Texas Legislature, lawmakers will be heading home with tales of their governing prowess. For members of the Texas House, that’s exactly what it will be: tall tales. The House failed to deliver on key reforms...
