District Court: Voter ID Unlikely for 2012
By Julián Aguilar
The Texas attorney general’s office issued a statement in response to today’s court order and scheduling guidelines in the state’s lawsuit against the Department of Justice over the voter ID bill.

Larry Taylor for Texas Senate Campaign
Pearland Block Walk
We will head over to Pearland to knock on doors to let Republican voters know that Larry Taylor is the best candidate to Represent them in the Texas Senate.

State Board of Ed Races’ Recommendations!
Texans for Better Science Education
The upcoming primary elections will be on May 29th. These primaries are much more important than many believe. Many times liberal leaning candidates run as conservative Republicans because that is the best or even the only way to get elected.

Cruz continues attack on Dewhurst
By Joe Holley
In a Thursday night forum in Houston among candidates vying to succeed U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz picked up where he left off after a Dallas debate last month, blistering Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, the front-runner.

Will Texas Supreme Court race hinge on the name Smith or Willett?
By Linda P. Campbell
You just have to roll your eyes with an OMG! when Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett says stuff like this: “People always comment on the sheer ferocity of the paper flow at the Supreme Court, and that’s certainly true. If anything, the biggest surprise is how swiftly it confirmed for me how metabolically hardwired I am for the cloistered, contemplative, cerebral and nerdy life of Supreme Court judging.”

Planned Parenthood a proxy in abortion fight
By Brian Chasnoff
A startling moment emerges at the end of an appeal filed this week in which Attorney General Greg Abbott fights doggedly on behalf of Texas to exclude Planned Parenthood clinics from participating in a Medicaid waiver program for low-income women.

Establishment Bona Fides
By Andrew Kerr
A new group is purporting to rate lawmakers as conservatives, yet their results are surprising. As the Dallas Morning News noted, “establishment Republicans” who vote badly can claim a conservative rating. It signals the strength of the conservative movement in Texas that philosophically weak legislators are looking for help covering up their representational records.

Todd Smith Will Say Anything (Then Raise Taxes)
By Michael Quinn Sullivan
As a trial lawyer and politician, Todd Smith says whatever people want to hear. Too bad for them that he’s saying different things. The problem for Todd Smith is that folks are starting to compare notes about what he says… and none of it is good for Texas.

Judge rules Texas can’t exclude Planned Parenthood from health program
By Chuck Lindell
Texas cannot proceed with plans to exclude Planned Parenthood from a health and contraceptive care program for low-income women, a federal judge ruled Monday.

A Handicapped Heart
By Sheila Campbell
Lately I have been reflecting on the countless lessons the Lord taught me during the years that I cared for my oldest son, Justin, after he was left severely brain damaged from a lack of oxygen at age five. As the twentieth anniversary of that event approaches and I have been writing about that season in my life, I am amazed, awed, and forever grateful of how the Lord used Justin to open my eyes to the appalling condition of my own heart, to pry my fingers from the gifts in my hand and lift my eyes and my heart to the giver of all things, and to mold and shape my heart and my life.

Justice Department moves to postpone state’s voter ID case
By Tim Eaton
A motion by the federal government in the fight over Texas’s voter identification statute could jeopardize chances that the law would be in place for November’s elections.

New World-Class Math Standards for Texas!
Conservative Ken Mercer (R-San Antonio) announced to his 1.67 million constituents: “After more than a year of expert testimony and debate, the State Board of Education just approved world-class math standards! Texas students will be able to battle with the best students in both national and international competitions!”

The Texas Budget Compact
Posted by Erick Erickson
If Texas Democrats, or even Republicans for that matter, thought they’d have a quieter, gentler Rick Perry on their hands in the wake of his . . . um . . . temporary diversion into Presidential politics, they know better today.

Llano Tea Party Endorses Ken Mercer
The Llano Tea Party posted their recommendation of Ken Mercer for the the State Board of Education.

The Lone Star Way: Why Texas’ Legal War with the Federal Government Could Be the Biggest One Yet
By Hilary Hylton
The debate over what has come to be called Obamacare moved into the eye of a political storm last week as the U.S. Supreme Court weighed the law’s constitutionality. With its civilized tone, the legal discourse was akin to the calm in the center of a hurricane. But at the periphery of the same storm, a multitude of other legal fights are sweeping through federal courts across the country, evidence of the tumultuous relationship between conservative states and the federal government. Some of the strongest winds are blowing out of Texas, a state with a passionate independent streak and a long history of conflict with the federal government.

Getting Under Their Skin
By Michael Quinn Sullivan
In our mission to promote sound fiscal policy by encouraging greater citizen engagement in the political process, we’ve apparently hit a couple sensitive nerves for legislators more intent on representing entrenched lobby interests than working for the people.

Republicans file ethics complaint against Texas conservative group
By Chris Tomlinson
Two prominent Republican legislators filed state ethics complaints Tuesday against one of the most influential conservative activist groups in Texas, accusing it and its president of violating lobbying laws.

Tea Party-Backed Challenger Takes Aim at Straus
By Jay Root
House Speaker Joe Straus easily quelled the Tea Party rebellion that threatened his reign in early 2011. But opponents of Straus, convinced that the San Antonio Republican is too moderate for Texas, have not given up.

By Even Academic Standards, David Dewhurst is “centrist”
Posted by Erick Erickson
In the race for U.S. Senate in Texas, the conservative candidate clearly is Ted Cruz. His record of fighting for conservative ideals is clear, as I have noted before. Senator DeMint has endorsed him, as has Senator Mike Lee, the Club for Growth and a number of other important conservative voices.

Of, By, And For The Lobby
By Michael Quinn Sullivan
Former State Rep. Delwin Jones wants to represent the Austin lobby. At least, that’s the tone the liberal Lubbock Republican is taking in seeking contributions from what he calls the “’Third House’ of the Legislature” in his bid to return to the Texas House.

The Guy That Raises Taxes
By Michael Quinn Sullivan
It’s not often a Republican primary race for the Texas House gets this clear of a distinction. One candidate is a proven taxpayer champion, the other has admitted he’s “the guy that raises taxes.” The bad news is that the guy who raises taxes has lots of family money to spend.

State Rep. Byron Cook (R-Corsicana)
You might recall that Mr. Cook was one of 11 Republicans who joined 65 Democrats in installing Joe Straus as Speaker of the House.

Byron Cook playing it fast and loose
By Weston Hicks
In the course of an open records request, Representative Byron Cook’s office informed us that Rep. Cook does not keep a schedule. This is a violation of the Texas Administrative Code, Title 13, chapter 6, Section 6.10, which requires schedule retention. Texas State Records Retention Schedule 1.1.013 requires representatives to keep a calendar for at least a year, and up to two years, depending on the time of year.

Do you know the real Jeff Wentworth? Not the guy who campaigns for office, but the one who actually serves as a senator in the state’s Capitol? He ranks at the bottom of every conservative organization’s ratings, and has consistently been one of the most liberal Republicans serving in the Texas Senate.

Texans for Fiscal Responsibility is today announcing a new website, looking at his record: JeffWentworth.com. There, you can see where he stands on a variety of issues facing the Lone Star State. We hope you will use the site’s information to educate your neighbors and friends about the need for a new state senator!

Christian activist expects brokered convention
Posted by Joe Holley
“Bush would be able tell you, right here in Texas,” Bob Vander Plaats was saying over a La Quinta cup of coffee in The Woodlands Friday morning, “that when the conservative base is motivated and energized, you will win the presidency. If the conservative base is not motivated and energized — John McCain can tell you that story.”

Judge rules tea party group a PAC, not a nonprofit
By Joe Holley
A Travis County district court judge ruled this week that a Houston-based tea party group is not a nonprofit corporation as it claims, but an unregistered political action committee that illegally aided the Republican Party through its poll-watching efforts during the 2010 elections.

Straus’ opponent wins national tea party endorsement
By Kate Alexander
The primary opponent of House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, has won the backing of a national tea party heavyweight.

On “60 Minutes,” Exoneree Seeks Accountability
By Brandi Grissom
Michael Morton, who spent 25 years in prison wrongfully convicted of his wife’s murder, told Lara Logan of CBS’s 60 Minutes that it’s not revenge he’s after — it’s accountability.

The Rehabilitation of Rick Perry Begins
By Margaret Carlson
Was I fair? Did I get him right? These are the questions reporters ask ourselves when we try to capture a candidate. I had to wonder anew at the Gridiron Dinner Saturday night as Governor Rick Perry of Texas gave one of the best speeches ever delivered there.

Hutchison Sides Against Texas
By Michael Quinn Sullivan
As she prepares to fade from public office, US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is offering one more fight in DC. Too bad she is fighting against Texas.

Keller City Manager Becomes Taxpayer Hero
By Dustin Matocha
Would you consider firing yourself if you didn’t have enough work to do? That’s what the City Manager of Keller, TX did. Yes, you read that right. A government employee is including his own position in a round of budget cuts. Take note, because you may never see this type of fiduciary responsibility in government ever again.

Start Now On A Conservative Budget
By Michael Quinn Sullivan
Raising taxes and seeking new revenue sources is off the table for Texas taxpayers and voters, so it also needs to be for lawmakers. Government efficiency, not creative financing, is what taxpayers have been, and will continue to be, demanding.

Donate to the Obamacare Repeal Bomb
Today marks the two-year anniversary of ObamaCare passage and the unconstitutional bill is proving more destructive than ever. We just learned that ObamaCare will cost nearly twice as much as previously expected — $1.76 trillion! Not to mention all the mandates and violations of our rights.

THSC PAC supports Ted Cruz for U.S. Senate because we need a strong conservative fighter who will lead the charge to repeal every syllable of every word of ObamaCare. Will you join me in supporting Ted’s campaign and donate now?

Washington attempting to overturn the will of Texans
By State Sen. Dan Patrick
Anyone who would say that Gov. Rick Perry has been playing political games with the Women’s Health Program simply doesn’t have the facts straight.

Feds to halt Texas Women’s Health Program funding
By Will Weissert
The federal government on Thursday began making good on its promise to cut off all funding for the Texas Medicaid Women’s Health Program amid an escalating fight over the state’s ban on funding for clinics affiliated with abortion providers.

Analysis: Where will evangelical voters land in GOP race?
Religious conservatives once seen as bit players in an election year about the economy have emerged as a dominant force in prolonging the GOP presidential race. And they are poised to determine the winner this fall, should they turn out — or not.

Texas Voter Identification Law Blocked by Justice Department as Biased
By Seth Stern
The Obama administration blocked Texas (BEESTX)’s new law requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification at the polls, escalating a partisan dispute over voting restrictions.

Texas Independence Day
On March 2, 1836, Texas’ founding fathers declared independence from Mexico. In those early days, things looked pretty bleak. The Alamo fell just a few days later, and revolution suffered more set-backs than wins.

Obama Threatening Health Of Texas Women
By Michael Quinn Sullivan
In one of the few substantive conservative victories during last year’s session, the Texas Legislature voted to ban abortion providers – including Planned Parenthood – and their subsidiaries from receiving state dollars. That law is now under attack, with the Obama Administration threatening to the health care of 130,000 women.

Abbott Wins In Map Fight
By Michael Quinn Sullivan
When Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott decided to appeal the representational maps handed down by a San Antonio federal court panel, some acted like his was an exercise in futility. But after winning a unanimous decision from the US Supreme Court, and today’s release of the re-drawn maps, not only is Mr. Abbott’s legal approach vindicated, but his place as the state’s most valuable political player is secured.