Lawyers representing the federal government argue that a court cannot stop construction of a White House ballroom because it was already underway and because of the sensitive security concerns they say the structure is meant to address.

With virtually no strings attached, Congress is on the verge of providing a massive infusion of cash to the Homeland Security Department.

The Texas senator’s defeat to Ken Paxton sparked talk he’d join the “YOLO Caucus” of Republicans defecting from Donald Trump. This week, he sided with Senate GOP leadership on every key vote.

Menefee, 38, unseated U.S. Rep. Al Green, 78, to represent a redrawn Harris County congressional district. The men faced off after Republicans combined parts of their current districts into one.

The House has passed a bill to aid Ukraine and sanction key segments of the Russian economy.

More than 63 million Americans who rely on Social Security could face significant benefit cuts within the next decade if lawmakers fail to address the program’s funding challenges, according to a new report.

The House for the first time has approved a war powers resolution that would halt the U.S. military action against Iran.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, Amy Webb, Pete Sessions and Annette Gordon-Reed among newly announced TribFest voices helping us navigate a world in flux.

President Donald Trump is fuming about a court ruling that blocked his renovation plans for the Kennedy Center in Washington.

To counter what appeared to be a GOP push to elevate Maureen Galindo, who’d voiced antisemitic stereotypes, national Democrats carpet-bombed the San Antonio area with $1.7 million worth of ads.

Paxton’s blowout win on Tuesday compelled an alliance by necessity, if not natural synergy, between the attorney general and the Washington groups that spent months trying to elect John Cornyn.

Rep. Christian Menefee has defeated veteran Rep. Al Green in a generational Democratic primary runoff for a newly created congressional district following Republican redistricting.

Johnson succeeded Allred in Congress, but Republican redistricting pushed them into an unusual primary confrontation for the 33rd Congressional District.

The boundaries of the 35th Congressional District in South Central Texas were redrawn in 2025 to favor GOP candidates as requested by President Trump.

With their Republican nominations in hand, the two are favored to win their GOP-leaning seats in November to replace outgoing Reps. Jodey Arrington and Wesley Hunt.

The Army veteran was endorsed by President Donald Trump and saw millions in outside spending on her behalf. Cain, meanwhile, was backed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

A former state Supreme Court justice, Texas attorney general and a four-term U.S. senator, Cornyn had held on in the Republican Party as it transformed from the party of Bush, to the Tea Party movement and eventually the dominion of Trump.

The attorney general’s victory is a crushing blow to the Texas GOP's old guard, which has faltered in recent years against the Paxton-led insurgent wing.

Green’s loss means the Texas House delegation is losing one of its most senior members, who served more than 20 years in Congress.

John Cornyn is trying to fend off Ken Paxton. Both parties are picking attorney general nominees. And an oil and gas regulatory race has become uncharacteristically costly.

Texas 2026 primary runoff election results for U.S. Senate, attorney general and more

Democrats are increasingly critiquing each other over their personal stock trades as the party looks to hone its anti-corruption message against President Donald Trump in the midterm elections.

Mark Takano can't help but see the parallels in U.S. history.

Nearly 14 months and $135 million later, Texas’ blockbuster Republican Senate primary will finally be decided Tuesday.

The clash embodies the tension for Democrats who rely on large fundraising hauls to remain competitive, even as they denounce the outsized political influence of corporate cash.

A House committee has discussed the future of the Transportation Security Administration as the Trump administration lobbies to replace TSA officers with private contractors.

Two police officers who helped defend the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riot are suing to block anyone from receiving payouts from a new $1.776 billion settlement fund for people who claim to be victims of politically motivated prosecutions.

Barney Frank has died.

The GOP establishment has gone to bat for John Cornyn, touting the statesmanship and Washington know-how that make him a favorite of his colleagues and a pariah among Paxton’s base.

President Donald Trump is defending the White House ballroom he's building.

The development, coming partway through early voting, is a searing blow for John Cornyn, who finished first in the March runoff but was unable to convince Trump to endorse him.

Kentucky U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie has lost his Republican House primary after a concerted effort by President Donald Trump to oust him through challenger and ultimate winner Ed Gallrein.

Our series of explainers and guides will help you get ready to vote in the upcoming runoffs. Early voting begins May 18.

PACs have accounted for 89% of ad spending in Texas’ congressional runoffs as crypto, AI and mystery groups flood the contests.

Senators have unanimously approved a resolution to withhold their pay during government shutdowns.

Julie Johnson labels her opponent a “flip-flopper.” Colin Allred said previous votes reflected Rio Grande Valley frustration with Biden-era border policies.

The two contests are among the most closely watched U.S. House runoffs in Texas. Menefee, newly elected to Congress, faces longtime Democratic Rep. Al Green in a matchup spawned by GOP redistricting.

President Donald Trump is moving to suspend the federal tax on gasoline to help Americans shoulder surging fuel prices caused by the Iran war.

The latest version of the El Paso Democrat’s Dignity Act includes a key change to make it more palatable to Republicans. Some have gotten on board, but others are firmly opposed.

Two Democrats and two Republicans advanced to May runoffs for the open San Antonio-area seat, which was drawn to favor the GOP yet is considered winnable for Democrats in a wave year.

The primary between predecessor and successor arose from a combination of redistricting and Allred’s move to exit the U.S. Senate race to make way for Rep. Jasmine Crockett.

The University of Houston survey results were within the margin of error less than a month out from the May 26 election. State Sen. Mayes Middleton had a wider lead in the attorney general primary.

The Democratic runoff for the Houston-based seat — a longtime bastion of Black political power — pits the Texas delegation’s newest member, Christian Menefee, against one of its longest-tenured, Al Green.

The Supreme Court weakened Section 2, the linchpin of the 1965 civil rights legislation that prohibits diluting the electoral power of voters of color. But the statute’s fingerprints can be seen all over Texas’ maps.

The U.S. senator won the Hawkeye State during the 2016 Republican primaries. This year he used his appearance to blame Democrats for anti-Semitism and call out GOP Trump foes Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The proposal is part of a package from the Casar-led Congressional Progressive Caucus focused on cost of living. It’s unlikely to go anywhere but could give Democrats a campaign blueprint.

The White House is telling Congress that hostilities with Iran have “terminated” despite the continued presence of U.S. armed forces in the region.

The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April.

Amtrak is considering allowing people to store guns in lockboxes on most of its trains, which critics say would weaken security measures that instead should be strengthened in light of the shooting at last weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

Congress gave approval to a short-term extension of a key U.S. surveillance program as they continue to work toward a long-term deal.

President Donald Trump has signed a bill funding much of the Department of Homeland Security and ending the longest agency shutdown in history.

The Houston Democrat was elected earlier this year to finish out the term of Rep. Sylvester Turner, who died in March 2025. The safely blue district was left vacant for 334 days.

The Voting Rights Act over its six decades became one of the most consequential laws in the nation’s history, preventing discrimination against minorities at the ballot box and helping to elect thousands of Black and Hispanic representatives at all levels of government.

Texas voters could nominate as many as six Hispanic Republicans in the state’s most hotly contested congressional races. Party leaders hope that’ll help keep Hispanic voters in the GOP’s corner.

Black members of Congress are bracing for a crippling shake-up of their ranks after a Supreme Court ruling gutted a key section of the Voting Rights Act that had protected minority communities in political redistricting and helped boost their representation.

While the court did not strike down the provision entirely, Justice Elena Kagan said Wednesday’s ruling made Section 2 of the VRA “all but a dead letter.”

The Supreme Court has weakened a landmark Civil Rights-era law that has increased minority representation in Congress and elsewhere.

The head of the Environmental Protection Agency is back on Capitol Hill defending the administration's plan to cut in half the EPA's budget.

The House has taken a crucial step toward funding the Department of Homeland Security.

The Austin Democrat, who won his party’s nomination in March, led Cornyn and Paxton by margins of 3 and 5 percentage points, respectively. Both results were within the survey’s margin of error.

Republicans in Congress have launched new efforts to approve and pay for President Donald Trump’s proposed ballroom at the White House.

The high court had previously allowed the map to be used temporarily, but Monday’s ruling makes that permanent.

Separately, Amarillo Rep. Ronny Jackson is considering a bid for the top Republican spot on the House Armed Services Committee in the next Congress.

Late-night votes are an age-old pressure tactic for congressional leaders in both major political parties.

The lieutenant governor’s office is one of the most powerful in Texas government, and the 2026 race features a Democratic runoff between Vikki Goodwin and Marcos Velez.

A Republican congressman has introduced legislation that would expand the borders of Washington, D.C., and cost Virginia Democratic voters.

Most Texas Republicans remained supportive of their state’s redraw even as their gains have been wiped out by California and Virginia.

House Majority PAC is targeting five majority-Hispanic seats, including the 23rd Congressional District, which was recently vacated by Republican Tony Gonzales. The top Republican group is spending $13.9 million on two seats.

Zeke Enriquez, who ran in the GOP primary for Texas’ 21st Congressional District, was fined and barred from the prediction market platform for five years. Two candidates in other states were suspended for the same offense.

Editor’s note: This is an updated version of one of our primary surveys featuring candidates in the Democratic and Republican primaries for U.S. Senate and attorney general. This Q&A has been edited since it first ran before the March primary to remove Aaron Reitz, a former top official in the U.S. Department of Justice, and […]

A trade group argued that a federal gas tax suspension would be unlikely to show up in savings for drivers and would diminish needed infrastructure revenue.

As Cornyn and Paxton head to the runoff, we updated our Q&A to reflect the two candidates. Both declined to participate, so we used their past statements and voting history to show where they stand on foreign policy, AI and other key issues.

So far this year, cryptocurrency PACs have spent more than $2.5 million on Texas congressional candidates, up from $1 million in 2024.

Congress has approved a short-term renewal of a controversial surveillance program used by U.S. spy agencies just days before it was set to expire.

The House has rejected a resolution requiring President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from the war with Iran unless Congress authorizes military action.

Both Republican candidates lagged far behind Democratic candidate James Talarico.

The Republican-led Senate has rejected the latest Democratic attempt to halt President Donald Trump’s war in Iran.

The Austin Democrat’s haul is the largest-ever sum for a Senate candidate — in any state — in the first quarter of an election year.

Melania Trump has made a rare appearance on Capitol Hill to urge Congress to pass a series of bills to update a nearly 30-year-old federal foster care program.

Resignations came quickly this week from two congressmen accused of sexual misconduct toward staff members.

Democrats in Congress are trying to overturn the Trump administration's changes to a student loan forgiveness program.

House members were set to vote this week on expelling both the San Antonio Republican and Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell. Gonzales’ announcement came shortly after Swalwell said he would step down.

Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas says he will retire from Congress amid bipartisan calls to expel him.

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California says he will resign from Congress following sexual assault and misconduct allegations.

U.S. House members say they will bring resolutions to the floor this week to expel the Republican Gonzales and Democrat Eric Swalwell. Each motion would require a two-thirds majority.

Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell’s abrupt exit from the race for California governor left his rivals scrambling to lock down his former supporters in a crowded contest with no clear leader.

In-person early voting runs from April 20-28. The last day to apply to cast a ballot by mail is April 20. Read more about who qualifies for that option, which is limited in Texas, in our guide.

A federal judge from Massachusetts has blocked the Trump administration's decision to end Temporary Protected Status for over 5,000 Ethiopians.

The Republican and Democratic primary runoffs are May 26. See the full list of statewide candidates, as well as local races that will be on your ballot.

Since GOP Rep. Monica De La Cruz said the race “isn’t about who you want performing at your niece’s quinceañera,” the Democrat has played at a dozen such events in the 15th Congressional District.

We’re committed to supporting Texans throughout the 2026 election. Share your thoughts by using the form below.

The White House is releasing details of President Donald Trump’s 2027 budget, including a $1.5 trillion defense spending request.

Democrats have sued to block President Donald Trump's latest executive order restricting mail voting.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have announced a plan to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security and try to end a record partial government shutdown.

King Charles III will deliver an address to Congress during his visit to Washington in late April.

Groups funded by artificial intelligence industry leaders have spent more than $2.8 million in the state, mostly on U.S. House GOP candidates who favor a light regulatory touch.

Lawyers for Rep. Eric Swalwell are demanding that FBI Director Kash Patel immediately end any effort to release decade-old files from an investigation involving the California Democrat and a suspected Chinese spy that resulted in no criminal charges.

TSA workers have begun receiving paychecks after weeks without pay during the federal shutdown, a development that is already easing long lines at Houston’s largest airport.

Long security lines at airports are driving people crazy as Congress and President Donald Trump try to work out a budget stalemate.

Members of Congress have repeatedly introduced bills to ensure the federal employees who control air traffic and conduct airport security screenings get paid during government shutdowns.