It’s time for the week that was in Texas politics with Alex Samuels, political reporter for The Texas Tribune.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott visited Amarillo this week as part of his continued response to the high number of positive COVID-19 cases in the area. Cases were particularly high at one Tyson meatpacking plant; over 400 people had tested positive as of May 14. But the governor said that “surge response teams” have helped decrease the number of new cases.
As the number of cases overall in Texas appears to be slowly going down, Abbott has also announced that most counties will be able to host sporting events with spectators at outdoor venues.
“As long as visitors are capped at 25% capacity,” Samuels said.
A few counties considered coronavirus hot spots are currently excluded from that reopening, including Potter County, where Amarillo is located. The order also excludes high school and college sporting events. And leagues looking to hold events first need approval from the state.
Also, as we enter the summer before a presidential election, political parties are getting ready for their conventions. Texas Democrats will be holding a virtual convention the first week of June, and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is expected to close out the convention with a speech on June 6. Republicans are holding their convention in person in Houston in July.
Web story by Caroline Covington.
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