Graphic by Wells Dunbar
Texas Gains Two Congressional Seats
Texas gained about 4 million more residents in the past decade, according to newly released Census data. The population growth means the state will gain two new congressional seats, bringing its total U.S. House districts to 38. Texas will be a bigger player in the Electoral College, growing from 38 to 40 votes. Rogelio Saénz, a demography professor at the University of Texas in San Antonio talks to the Standard about the impact.
Ron Wright Special Election
More than two dozen candidates are running in a special election to fill a congressional seat left open after North Texas Republican Ron Wright died from COVID-19 earlier this year. The race is likely headed to a runoff. But as the race has intensified in the past couple of weeks, it’s harder to say which Republican will make that runoff, despite Ron Wright’s wife, Susan Wright, being the favored front-runner just a month ago. Jim Riddlesperger is a political science professor at Texas Christian University and has been following the race. He talks to the Standard.