search
The Texas Observer
Trends
- 1SpaceX's Starship completes first orbital test flight▼SpaceX's Starship rocket does its job during first orbital flight
SpaceX's Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, lifted off on its first integrated orbital test flight from Starbase in Texas. The booster and upper stage flew through launch and ascent, and while the vehicle was lost before completing the full flight profile, SpaceX and many observers called the debut a success for proving the vehicle could fly at all. The test gathered extensive flight data for future launches.
- 2GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales announces he is leaving Congress●GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales says he's stepping down from Congress
Republican Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas says he will step down from Congress. The announcement, reported by ABC News, makes the moderate congressman one of the latest Republican incumbents to depart Capitol Hill. Details on his reasons and the timing of his resignation have not yet been laid out, and reactions are beginning to come in from colleagues and political observers.
- 3Paxton tacks to center as Talarico leads Texas polls▼Election Dispatches:: Paxton, Trailing Talarico in Polls, Tacks Toward the Center in Texas
Ken Paxton, trailing James Talarico in polling for the Texas race, is shifting his messaging toward the political center. The New York Times reports the move as part of its election dispatches from Texas. Observers read the pivot as an attempt to broaden his appeal beyond the Republican base after falling behind in early campaign polls.
- 4
SMP has jumped into Texas, according to reporting by Punchbowl News. No further details about the nature of the move — whether a campaign, legal effort, political operation or organizational expansion — were provided in the available reporting. The development is drawing attention among observers tracking national politics and the increasingly prominent role Texas plays in partisan maneuvering.