News Roundup: Ken Paxton Asks Appeals Court To Uphold Fetal Remains Law

Our daily look at Texas headlines.

By Becky FogelNovember 20, 2018 1:38 pm

The Standard’s news roundup gives you a quick hit of interesting, sometimes irreverent, and breaking news stories from all over the state.

Texas is asking a federal appeals court to uphold a state law requiring the burial of fetal remains from miscarriages, abortions, and ectopic pregnancies. That’s regardless of a woman’s wishes or beliefs.

Attorney General Ken Paxton wants the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a lower court ruling that found this 2017 law unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge David Ezra said Senate Bill 8 created “substantial obstacles” for women, doctors, and abortion clinics while offering no health benefits.  Paxton argues that if the law takes effect women will have the same access to abortion.




Nearly two weeks after the 2018 midterms, Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones conceded Monday to Republican incumbent, Will Hurd, in the race for the state’s 23rd congressional district.

Texas Public Radio’s Carson Frame reports.

The race between Jones and Hurd was not called on election night, and it seemed headed for a recount. Jones argued that the nearly 700 votes that separated her and Hurd made the race too close to call. She pushed to make sure all provisional, military, and mail-in ballots had been counted.

 

Jones also sued Bexar County for a list of provisional ballots, and asked for more time to see them validated. But a judge denied the extension.

 

After election results were canvassed in Medina County and across the district, Jones released a statement saying, “While we came up short this time, we ran a race of which we can be proud.”

 

She also wished Hurd the courage to fight for District 23, which stretches from San Antonio to El Paso. Jones could not be reached for further comment on the election result.

 


 

 


Black voters were key to Democratic gains during this year’s election. That’s according to a survey the African-American Research Collaborative conducted for the NAACP and Advancement Project.

KUT’s Ashley Lopez reports the study looked at polling of black voters in six key states – including Texas.

Black voters were the most reliable voting bloc for Democrats this year as the party won a majority in the U.S. House. According to the research collaborative report, 90 percent of black voters supported Democratic House candidates. That’s compared to just 53 percent of all voters. Researcher Judith Browne Dianis says black women were particularly important for Democrats this year.

“They get it. Black women are turning out. They are strong when they turn out.  They know who they want to support and they understand Trumpism,” Dianis says.

Black women were also more likely to say they felt disrespected by President Donald Trump than black men. And it appears Democrats were working to tap into that voting potential. Many black voters reported being contacted by campaigns this year.

In the Texas Senate race, black voters overwhelmingly said they were voting for Democrat Beto O’Rourke.