Politics

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's campaign released a television ad Wednesday that criticizes his opponent, State Sen. Dan Patrick, for not repaying his personal bankruptcy debts in the 1980s.

The ad features footage from the Jan. 27 "Texas Debate: The Race For Lieutenant Governor," filmed at KERA's studios. The debate moderator, KERA’s Shelley Kofler, is shown asking Patrick about the bankruptcy. You can watch the Dewhurst ad, called "Mother of All Debts," and Patrick's full response to the question during the debate, and read the Patrick campaign's response to the ad.

As they traded barbs during a televised debate on Tuesday night, Republican lieutenant governor candidate Dan Patrick and San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro covered a range of issues beyond the set topic of immigration policy, including the November general election and abortion rights.

On Tuesday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis continued her assault on Republican opponent Greg Abbott’s pre-kindergarten plan, this time in Dallas.

But as she spoke at the annual conference for the Texas Retired Teachers Association, a new national poll was released, showing the state senator from Fort Worth has made little headway in chiseling down Abbott’s lead.

Greg Abbott, the Republican candidate for governor, wants copies of any photos taken when his Democratic opponent, Wendy Davis, met Thursday with President Barack Obama. 

To get them, Abbott has filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the White House.

Davis’ campaign says she had a private meeting with the president at the LBJ Library in Austin, where he helped commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

Dallas made the first cut in the competition to host the 2016 GOP Convention.

The Republican National Convention just announced that Dallas and five other cities are moving on to the next round of consideration.

The other cities are Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Kansas City and Las Vegas.

Two cities were cut: Phoenix and Columbus.

Democrats in the Texas Senate are asking the lieutenant governor to investigate pay discrimination for women in state agencies, including the attorney general’s office.

It’s the latest salvo being fired by supporters of Democrat Wendy Davis, who has made equal pay a key issue in her race for governor against Republican Greg Abbott, the Texas attorney general.

After finishing 13 points behind Texas Sen. Dan Patrick in the Republican primary, incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst told Republican women in Arlington on Thursday he may need to introduce himself to voters again, even though he’s held statewide office for 15 years.

Dan Patrick brought out some star power in Highland Park: Mike Huckabee. The former presidential candidate and Fox News host focused on Patrick’s surprising lead in the March 4 primary.

Robert Strauss, the Dallas lawyer who became a political power on the national and international stage, died Wednesday at age 95.

Strauss was a staunch Democrat, but he advised presidents from both sides of the aisle, from Lyndon Johnson to George H.W. Bush.