Behind the scenes of Texas politics, statewide officials oversee the state’s finances, agriculture industry, energy regulation and highest criminal court. As the March 3 Republican primary approaches, voters face decisions in several contested races that will shape how Texas governs for years to come.
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Behind every state budget, courtroom ruling and public land decision is an elected official tasked with steering Texas’s future. This election cycle, Democratic voters will decide nominees for key positions that oversee the state’s finances, natural resources, judiciary and legislative priorities.
Early voting turnout for the 2026 Texas primary elections has surged to levels never before seen in a midterm cycle, with statewide total turnout on pace to more than double the figures recorded during the 2022 primaries.
President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in modern history Tuesday night, speaking for more than 1 hour and 40 minutes in an unusual speech that saw him comment about the Supreme Court’s ruling, announce new policy proposals and attack congressional Democrats.
Texas state Rep. James Talarico visited Waco during a campaign stop, discussing political division, economic concerns and the need for stronger representation for younger generations.
The propositions at the bottom of the ballot touch nearly every corner of public life. Here’s what Baylor students should know before they vote.
Texas Democrats gathered in Waco on Saturday at the Performing Arts Community Center for a McLennan County Democratic Party candidate forum ahead of the March 3 primary. The group was optimistic about state races following decades of Republican dominance, focusing on public education, healthcare access and affordability.
With primary elections on the horizon, Beto O’Rourke returned to the campaign trail at Waco High School on Wednesday night, rallying local Democrats with a call to organize, volunteer and turn out in force on Election Day.
For many believers, this concern is especially clear regarding abortion. Biblical passages such as Psalm 139 and Hebrews 12 emphasize God’s role as the author of life, leading some Christians to support policies that protect life from conception.
American politics feels less like a democracy and more like a never-ending custody battle. Voters get stuck in the middle while two massive parties argue over who gets to “own” them. The Republican and Democratic parties were originally created to help organize elections and mobilize people. Today, they mostly organize outrage, and they’ve gotten extremely good at it.
Organized by the McLennan County Democratic Party and Indivisible Waco, the “No Kings” protest turned sidewalks into a curbside gathering — spotlighting limits on executive authority as demonstrators waved homemade signs, a few wearing costumes and blasted pop anthems like Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA.”
Donning a blue tie with no court robes in sight, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sat down to have a conversation with McLennan Community College history professor Ashley Cruseturner as part of the Ken Starr Lecture Series hosted by MCC Thursday evening.
“Parents have a significant impact on the value system and the ideological system that children develop over time. We’re all impacted by the messages that we hear growing up in our parents’ home,” McAninch said.
The Republican Party’s platform has lost its substance by only opposing and provoking the left. Conservatives, if they want to stay strong after Trump’s second term ends, will have to search for a platform that focuses on traditional, family values rather than purely opposing the left and “woke.”
In the final session of Baylor Libraries’ Readers Meet the Authors Series, political science and law come together with one common idea: the U.S. Supreme Court is the most powerful court in history — and it is the only institution that will protect minority rights, according to Dr. David Bridge.
Sitting 80 years from the reign of concentration camps, some of the most influential people in the world have accepted, forgiven and laughed off a gesture that insulted generations. Hundreds of news publications and thousands of people stated their disbelief, but their opinions were quickly swept under the rug when their reasoning was dubbed “wokeism.”
Our society forces everything from political figures and media companies into one of two political categories. It’s become an unstoppable battle that should never have begun.
Despite the hope of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party gained a lead and ran with the House Tuesday night. Though votes are still being counted, the GOP currently has a 17 seat lead. Despite this, the majority might still be up in the air with the GOP currently only holding one seat from the Democrats.
Political polarization in America has gone beyond debates and ballot boxes, driving wedges between loved ones and turning neighbors into adversaries. As ideological divides deepen and tensions escalate, can we find a way to reclaim civil discourse, or are we destined to live in a nation where division and distrust define us?
Republican David Schenck ran against Democrat Holly Taylor and has been appointed the new Presiding Judge. Republican Gina Parker now occupies Place 7 over Democrat Nancy Mulder and Republican Lee Finley assumes Place 8 over Democrat Chika Aniyam.
Targeted for their rulings on recent abortion cases, the three Republican Texas Supreme Court justices up for reelection successfully fended off Democratic opposition, retaining all nine seats.
“If America can stand up and say that we want to get back to where America is strong, militarily respected, [with a] strong border, we defend freedom and we defend personal rights, that’s just a revolution yet again, and I’m excited to see it happen,” Holland said.
“This campaign really became a calling from God,” Curry said.
Democrat Barry Johnson — who switched parties on the day of filing for candidacy — conceded to incumbent republican Thomas West around 10:30 p.m. With 55% of voters reporting, Johnson was behind 32% to 67%, a 35-point deficit.
Upon victory, Maynard said that he looks forward to serving the 5.5 million students in District 10 for another term.
“We don’t need to worry about what’s going to happen to our democracy, because the end of all things is the reign of God over all people and over this land,” Baksa said. “That’s what we have to look forward to — not the victory of one candidate or another.”
What is a fascist? Is it as simple as an authoritarian ruler? A catch-all descriptor for political opposition?
With the election coming up, we ought to attend in-person political events, especially events hosted by political parties we are not affiliated with. By watching and listening to people talk about their political standings, we add a sense of humanity to our differences.
“We need to carry our Christian values into many aspects of the law,” Curry said. “We need God back in our in our government.”
County commissioners serve on an elected court where they oversee county day-to-day policies. These decisions include maintaining infrastructure such as bridges and roads, ensuring proper allocation of taxpayer funds and developing healthcare and the local economy.