U.S. Republican Party Politics

Finding the Write Candidate

Early Voting in Fort Bend County

Subpoena Envy

A legislative panel summons local GOP leaders to a show-and-tell

Lonesome Donkey

Refusing to switch, Andell fights for his bench

GOP Mayoral Pipe Dreams

West U rejected them, so how will they ever win Houston's City Hall?

Harris County Becomes Democratic

West U rejected them, so how will they ever win Houston's City Hall?

A Country Requiem for the GOP

West U rejected them, so how will they ever win Houston's City Hall?

Log Cabin Fever

Gay caucus endorsements draw out profiles in political courage -- and cowardice

Turkeys (and Other Creatures) On the Ballot

Quick! It's almost Election Day!! Do you know who your candidates are? Check this guide to the mother of all ballots!

The Insider

Quick! It's almost Election Day!! Do you know who your candidates are? Check this guide to the mother of all ballots!

The Avenging Exterminator

Why the House majority whip got involved in the Fort Bend sheriff's race

The Insider

Why the House majority whip got involved in the Fort Bend sheriff's race

The Kingdom and the Power

Money may be the root of all evil, but it's fueled Steven Hotze's rise from a fringe player on the religious right to kingmaker in the local Republican Party. Now he's trying to stretch his influence further afield.

Crashing the Grand Old Party

Dolly McKenna is the GOP candidate for the 25th District. But will Republicans vote for her?

The Insider

Dolly McKenna is the GOP candidate for the 25th District. But will Republicans vote for her?

The Insider

Dolly McKenna is the GOP candidate for the 25th District. But will Republicans vote for her?

The Insider

Dolly McKenna is the GOP candidate for the 25th District. But will Republicans vote for her?

Insider

Dolly McKenna is the GOP candidate for the 25th District. But will Republicans vote for her?

GOP Lay-Ups

Enron fuels Republican soft money machine

Rogue Elephant

Log Cabin Republicans want to be part of the GOP, which wants no part of them

The Insider

Log Cabin Republicans want to be part of the GOP, which wants no part of them

Easygoing George W. Bush

With help from Democrats Pete Laney and Bob Bullock, Bush has been a Republican governor Texans love. But who'll be his pals if he sets his sights on the presidency?

GOP Sweeps Week

Republicans complete Texas political reconstruction

Which Bug Gets the Gas?

Will the next house DeLay fumigates be that big White one or his own?

Bush vs. McCain

A shot of Texas Shrub with a Budweiser chaser

Changes in Attitude

When voters elected Martha Wong, they thought they were sending a moderate Republican to Austin. Critics say once there, she took a right turn. Now her district is rethinking its representation.

Dragon Slayer

A new Republican challenger steps forth to take on Tom DeLay

A Little Jump to the Right

Can a ballot triple shift win City Hall for the GOP?

Best Republican

Political consultant Allen Blakemore

Best Democrat

District 137 state Representative Scott Hochberg

Banana Republicans

A Hispanic GOP confab leaves delegates yelling foul

Elephants Versus RINOs

Party veterans sound alarms at the proposed GOP political-purity rules

Why This Hound Won't Hunt

The Texas Ethics Commission lacks eyes, ears and teeth

Best Republican

Paul Bettencourt, Harris County tax assessor-collector

An Open Mike

He wants to castrate pedophiles and purge the courts of politics. He has assailed fellow jurists, lawyers and lawmakers. He's maverick Mike McSpadden, a tennis ace with a tomahawk tongue.

GOP Inc.

How "Scary" Gary Polland turned his party apparatus into a political slot machine

The Day the Democrats Died

Learning to love the one-party state

The Insider

Prayer Lunch Indigestion. A conservative kingmaker meets his match in "Mama Bear"

Political Sex Change

Guess who's embracing GOP family values?

The Insider

The Talented Mr. Stockman. A defeated politician resurrects himself in Seventh District heaven with a stash of campaign cash

Bishop's Endgame

An early GOP force could be savoring party triumphs -- from prison

The Deal Busters

GOP chair's super slush fund helps sink arena deal

Hungry: Will Judge for Food!

GOP chair's super slush fund helps sink arena deal

The Exterminator

Tom DeLay, the bug man from Sugar Land, has always despised environmental regulation. Now, as House majority whip, he's in a position to do something about it.

John Culberson: I'm Just Like The Brave Iranian Protesters

Among the heroic people fighting for freedom these days -- the protesters clogging Iranian streets, taking life-threatening risks to urge democracy in a repressive regime; and, ummm, House Republicans.At least according to one House Republican, Houston's John Culberson.The Twitter-addicted rep h ... More >>

Carl Lewis' N.J. State Senate Run Going As Smoothly As His Anthem Singing

The political career of UH's Carl Lewis has, so far, proven to be as successful as his "Star-Spangled Banner"-singing sideline. In other words, not very successful at all. Lewis, who is trying to run for the state senate from his hometown New Jersey district, has been thrown off the ballot for no ... More >>

Here's Something: Obama Polls As Well As Perry In Texas; Both Over 50 Percent

Make his next one a Shiner​Here's something we wouldn't have guessed: Texans give President Obama about as good a job approval rating as they do Governor Rick Perry. More surprising, both are over 50 percent. The Texas Lyceum has a new poll out, and it shows Obama with an approval rating of ... More >>

Rick Perry Gets The Colbert Treatment

The Colbert ReportGet More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video ArchiveStephen Colbert may have found the GOP candidate of his dreams -- Rick Perry. Colbert sounded very enthusiastic about Perry's platform and it looks like he really wants him to ru. Because it would be ... More >>

Rick Perry the Gunslinger: Report Released from Brady Campaign on Perry's Gun Record

Rick Perry the Gunslinger​Governor Rick Perry's love of guns has been well documented and he is more than happy to share his thoughts on the matter, particularly when it comes to killing a coyote on a morning jog and his affinity for laser sights on his weapons of choice. In Texas, loving you ... More >>

10 Rock Stars the GOP Should Nominate for President

Now, we're talking!​As the 2012 presidential race begins to heat up in earnest, Rocks Off can't help but feel that the front-runners for the Republican nomination are lacking a certain je ne sais quoi. Call it star power. Call it sex appeal. Whatever it is, these guys ain't got it. If the G ... More >>