Beto O’Rourke’s Surprising Poll Numbers And Fundraising Success Continue To Turn Heads

This week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune.

By Rhonda Fanning & Alexandra HartApril 20, 2018 1:36 pm, , ,

Time for the week that was in Texas politics with Emily Ramshaw, editor-in-chief of the Texas Tribune.

The news earlier this week that the Senate race between incumbent Ted Cruz and challenger Beto O’Rourke is surprisingly close made a lot of news nationally, though some in Texas politics have their doubts. Ramshaw says there’s a difference between the registered voters who were polled and the group of voters who are more likely to show up on election day to cast a ballot.

“Obviously, we know that there is great interest in this race, and certainly there is a lot of money being raised, at least on O’Rourke’s side,” Ramshaw says.

Andrew White, who’s running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, released a plan for funding education in Texas. He would reduce expenditures on border security, and increase legal gambling. The proceeds would fund a $5,000 pay increase for teachers, among other things. White’s opponent, former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez has opposed Gov. Greg Abbott’s education policies, but hasn’t yet offered specific proposals of her own, Ramshaw says.

At the embattled Texas Health Services Commission, Chief Operating Office Heather Griffith Peterson was ousted following a variety of contracting scandals.

Listen to the full interview in the audio player above.