It’s time for the week that was in Texas politics with Alex Samuels, political reporter for The Texas Tribune.
Austin-area state Sen. Kirk Watson announced this week that he’s leaving office to become the first dean of the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs. A special election will decide who will serve out the reminder of Watson’s term, which ends in 2023.
“It’s likely to set off some sort of mad dash for that seat,” Samuels says.
In the U.S. Senate race, Samuels says five of the 12 Democratic candidates running stand out as possible winners in the upcoming primary election. But she says the race will likely be decided in a runoff. Candidate MJ Hegar has been endorsed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, while Cristina Tzinzún Ramirez was recently endorsed by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
In the presidential race, Sen. Bernie Sanders will be in Texas for a series of rallies this weekend.
“He’s the only Democratic presidential candidate who will be in Texas on the second-to-last weekend before the primary,” Samuels says.
Written by Caroline Covington.
