Texas Observer Staff
The Lege This Week: Texas House Passes Budget, Republicans Again Reject Medicaid Expansion
The Lege This Week: Elections and Abortions and Grid-Reforms, Oh My!
As the Legislature’s pace quickens, lawmakers advance “election integrity” crackdowns, attacks on abortion rights, and reforms in response to the deadly blackouts.
Welcome to the 87th Legislative Session. Since the last session came to a close in June 2019, Texas has been hit by an unrestrained pandemic and a crippling economic crisis—and now the fallout from deadly blackouts. Under unprecedented circumstances, lawmakers … Read More
Portraits of the Pandemic: Part Two
One year in, we revisit Texans who shared their COVID-19 stories last summer.
By Texas Observer Staff Illustrations by John Jay Cabuay From the March/April 2021 issue. O ne year into the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Texans have now been infected. Hospitalizations surged past last summer’s record highs this winter. Tens of thousands … Read More
Nine Texans On How They Survived A Frozen Week
After an unprecedented freeze swept Texas, the state’s grid approached a catastrophic blackout. Millions of Texans lost power or water—or both.
Nine Texans On How They Survived A Frozen Week After an unprecedented freeze swept Texas, the state’s grid approached a catastrophic blackout. Millions of Texans lost power or water—or both. By Texas Observer Staff February 18, 2021 As a winter … Read More
Portraits of the Pandemic
There are people who lost their jobs, who miss their family, who worry about their kids. These are the stories of ordinary Texans dealing with extraordinary circumstances.
By Texas Observer Staff Illustrations by Lindsay Mound August 31, 2020—Nearly six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 600,000 Texans have been infected. As of late August, more than 12,000 had died. Total cases and deaths more than doubled … Read More
An Observer Staff Guide to the 2019 Texas Book Festival
It’s an embarrassment of riches.
The 24th annual Texas Book Festival, happening this Saturday and Sunday in downtown Austin, is expected to draw approximately 50,000 curious readers to hear from nearly 300 authors. Among the most prominent speakers are U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, … Read More
Live Blog: Texas Midterm Elections 2018
We’re updating readers all Election Day with analysis, results and on-the-ground coverage from reporters throughout Texas. – 12:20 a.m., Texas Berniecrats Lose En Masse —Gus Bova So here’s a list of Bernie Sanders-style Democrats who ran in Texas this year. … Read More
Best of the 2018 Texas Book Festival: An Observer Staff Guide
Six can’t-miss author events hand-picked by our writers.
Best of the 2018 Texas Book Festival: An Observer Staff Guide Six can’t-miss author events hand-picked by our writers. It’s the most wonderful time of the year for Texas bibliophiles, an estimated 50,000 of whom will descend upon the Texas … Read More
What You Missed: First 2 Days of the 2018 Texas Republican Convention
Most recent updates at top. 5:30 p.m., Friday — Day 2 Closes with Fireworks The second day of the Texas GOP convention is wrapping up on a long and drawn out note — though not an uncontentious one. The race … Read More
Six Things to Watch in Texas’ 2018 Runoff Election
Tuesday’s runoffs will spotlight intra-party feuds, test whether 2018 is really the year of women and conclude a dispiriting battle for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
Will the DCCC’s chosen few win out? As part of its plan to win back the U.S. House, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has set its sights on a handful of Texas congressional seats, all of which have Democratic … Read More