Faith Bugenhagen

The first hearing of the House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting has concluded after 6ish hours of discussion/testimony. The next hearing is in Houston on Saturday. Vote to adjourn was 11-7.#txlege

NOW: TX-18 candidate Isaiah Martin was testifying against redistricting when tensions boiled over—he went over time, refused to yield, and was tackled out of the hearing room. @cbsaustin @_audreywong @isaiahrmartin

"We pray, may Harris County be great again." @MattressMack joined founders of the newly-established Harris County MAGA PAC to launch the group, which aims to save Harris County—"ground zero" for restoring conservative control @chron chron.com/politics/artic…

Scoop: Former President Barack Obama will headline an August fundraiser in Martha’s Vineyard for @DemRedistrict in response to ongoing GOP redistricting efforts in Texas. politico.com/news/2025/07/2…

William L. Clay, Missouri’s First Black Congressman, Dies at 94 nytimes.com/2025/07/21/us/… via @NYTimes. It was an honor to be a staffer on Capitol Hill and get to know him well.

NEW: Alden Global Capital's MediaNews Group is making a last-minute bid for The Dallas Morning News, which reached a deal with Hearst earlier this month. MediaNews offering $16.50 a share to Hearst's $14 nytimes.com/2025/07/22/bus…

Texas Values, an influential political group and staple of the Texas Religious Right, dropped its support of Ken Paxton's Senate bid after Angela Paxton filed for divorce, citing infidelity. #txlege chron.com/politics/artic…

NEWS: Gov. @GregAbbott_TX tells me he wants to BAN intoxicating consumable THC products in Texas: "The only hemp product that's going to be out there is non-intoxicating hemp, which is below 3 milligrams of THC." Story tk via @impactnews #txlege

NEW: Gov. Greg Abbott told members of Congress he was skeptical about calling a special session to redraw Texas’ congressional maps. Most Texas Republicans were not a fan, either. Then Trump called. How the redistricting effort came to be: @TexasTribune texastribune.org/2025/07/22/tex…

Conservative power group drops support of Ken Paxton amid divorce news chron.com/politics/artic… via @chron

📍 TX House gaveled in for the 89th special legislative session. Many members are wearing green or a green ribbon, the color for the Kerrville floods. #txlege

And we’re off. Special session open with a prayer for the July 4 flood victims and families. #txlege

House adjourned until 10 am Thursday. Quick in and out. #txlege

Happening now: ⁦@GregCasar⁩ joins a press conference ahead of the opening of the special session on redistricting to say Democrats should consider filibustering and/or quorum busting to block the map redrawing. #txlege

acting comptroller hancock says lawmakers have more than 3 billion in general revenue available as special session gets underway : bit.ly/4m69x6b

Kerrville officials announced Saturday that the number of people listed missing dropped from more than 160 to three. kxan.com/independence-d…

Stein was one of the first poly sci experts to answer my emails, texts and phone calls. He’d answer from his bike ride to and from Rice and when I told him work was difficult he told me it was supposed to be and to hang in there🤍I’ll miss our chats