A Statewide Democratic Win in Cards?
Sooner or later, the Democratic Party will recapture a statewide office in Texas, a feat that hasn't occurred since 1994.

Protestors Rally for Separation of Church and State at Capitol
Atheist groups and private citizens rallied for complete separation of church and state Saturday afternoon at the south steps of the Capitol.

Teacher Group Says Schools Should Ease Up on Testing
The third week of school is under way. In other words, it's time to start testing.

Setting the Record Straight
David Dewhurst Lieutenant Governor
Recently, a small Austin-based group sent an e-mail to some of my constituents accusing me and the Senate of failing to deliver significant tax relief this year. Apparently this group is misinformed about the budget we approved this year, which included the largest tax cut in Texas history!

Small-Business Group Starts Fight Against Tax Incentives
A coalition of almost 300 small local businesses has launched an effort to prevent tax incentive deals for retail projects by changing Austin's city charter.

Texan Works to Energize GOP's 'Values Voters'
One of the names coming up most frequently as the 2008 presidential campaign gears up isn't even a candidate.

GOP Threepeat? Tough But Doable, Some Say
President Bush's next and last big political challenge is one for the ages, something last accomplished about a half-century before women got the vote.

For Thompson, Goal Is to Don Reagan Mantle
Fred D. Thompson had one central strategic goal as he formally began his presidential campaign on Thursday: to win over conservatives who are disheartened at their current choice of Republican candidates by positioning himself as the ideological and stylistic heir of Ronald Reagan.

Thompson Runs to The Right
Fred D. Thompson took his bid for the White House to the campaign trail Thursday, vowing to compete aggressively for the support of Iowans and pitching steady, experienced and conservative leadership.

Obama, Clinton Trail Edwards in Texas Democrats' Straw Poll Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards has won a Texas straw poll conducted on the Internet, state Democratic Chairman Boyd Richie announced Monday.

Taking It 'One Step Further'
Democrat Bill Richardson said Wednesday that as president, he would ask potential Supreme Court nominees whether they support abortion rights and reject those who don't.

2008 and Counting: Leaked Poll Shows a Bump for Newest GOP Contender
Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) appears to be enjoying a bump in both national and state polls following his announcement tour, despite some comments that could cost him with conservative voters in the long run.

Clinton Appeals to Antiwar Democrats
Gayle Moore, an Iowa nurse, wants U.S. troops "out, out, out" of Iraq as soon as possible. Darleen McCarthy of South Carolina fears that Iraq is turning into "another Vietnam."

Perry Goes on Attack Against Democrats
He skipped Texas' GOP straw poll, but Gov. Rick Perry delivered a red-meat speech at the California Republican Party convention scoffing at Al Gore over global warming and taking on Nancy Pelosi and the Clintons.

Ron Paul Gets a Rare Chance to Spotlight His Views
For a candidate struggling for attention, Ron Paul's forum Tuesday at The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies was a welcome change of pace - a prestigious venue at which to contrast isolationism and disentanglement, to pine for the Bretton Woods monetary system and to rail against mercantilism.

Texas Netroots Take Hold in Battle for Senate Seat
The left-leaning political blogosphere is lined up almost completely with Houston's Rick Noriega over San Antonio's Mikal Watts in the battle for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. The question is whether it will do Noriega much good.

Petraeus' Integrity Under Fire on Hill
The reputation of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, whose counteroffensive in Iraq produced security gains this summer and reshaped the war debate at home, will be tested today as he and Ryan C. Crocker, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, deliver a report on the war to a hostile Democrat-led Congress.

Yin, Yang of Democratic Frustration
Texas Democratic activists are panting at the prospect of unseating Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, whose approval ratings have sunk to the low 40s, about 15 points below those of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Cornyn Condemns Attacks on Petraeus
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today spoke on the Senate floor on the sixth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Senator Cornyn discussed the way forward on the war on terror, today's testimony by General David Petraeus before the Senate Armed Services Committee, and an amendment he introduced today strongly condemning the personal attacks on the honor and integrity of General Petraeus by MoveOn.org.

Limited Pullout Is Middle Way on Iraq, Bush Will Say
When top Democratic leaders visited him at the White House this week, President Bush told them he wanted to "find common ground" on Iraq. But when the president said he planned to "start doing some redeployment," the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, cut him off.

MoveOn Marshals Money Against GOP
Gen. David H. Petraeus isn't alone as the target of an ad campaign by the group MoveOn.org.

Security Chief Says Terrorists Have Been Arrested on Texas Border
Texas' top homeland security official said Wednesday that terrorists with ties to Hezbollah, Hamas and al- Qaida have been arrested crossing the Texas border with Mexico in recent years.

No Democratic Censure for MoveOn Ad
Democratic congressional leaders and the party's presidential candidates yesterday refused to repudiate a liberal group's ad questioning Gen. David H. Petraeus' character.

Cornyn Fails to Get Liberal Group Denounced
Republican Sen. John Cornyn wanted the Senate to declare a liberal group out of line for criticizing Iraq war Gen. David Petraeus in a newspaper ad.

Excerpt from the President's Address to the Nation
On September 13, President Bush Addressed the Nation from the Oval Office to lay out his plan for the way forward in Iraq.

Hearing Those Porky Squeals
by Michael Quinn Sullivan
A reporter for the Amarillo and Lubbock newspapers stopped in my office on Wednesday. It appears several Republican lawmakers are angry that you are paying attention. They don't like the fact taxpayers and voters are now asking questions about how they voted in Austin.

Here Comes The Thug
by Gary Bauer
A key Islamist website known to be a reliable source of information announced yesterday that in the next 72 hours there will be a new videotaped message to America from mass murderer Osama bin Laden. The last video was released just before the 2004 presidential election. This one is obviously timed to coincide with the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 atrocities.

Being A Democrat Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry
by Doug Patton
Since the details of Idaho Sen. Larry Craig's disgusting restroom antics came to light, comparisons and contrasts of scandals involving Republicans versus Democrats have been made by almost every pundit with a political ax to grind.

A Few Questions For Fred Thompson
by Michael Reagan
Fred Thompson's opening shot in launching his campaign on the Jay Leno show was impressive, but now he has to forget the sound bites and the folksy advice and get down to brass tacks.

Making No Child Left Behind Worse
by Dan Lips
Congress is preparing to take up the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, but parents and taxpayers shouldn't get their hopes up. An early draft of the new NCLB bill suggests that congressional leaders are working to make the already flawed program worse.

You're Invited...
by Gary Bauer
According to numerous press reports, Osama bin Laden's latest message turned out to be a bizarre rant that runs the gamut - covering issues from global warming to the U.S. mortgage meltdown to the evils of capitalism and the failure of congressional Democrats to force our retreat from Iraq, which he compares to the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan.

The Senate's Ethics Sleight of Hand
by Robert Novak
The final version of the widely celebrated ethics bill, approved by overwhelming margins in both the House and Senate a month ago, finally and quietly made its way last week from Capitol Hill to the White House. It surely will soon be signed into law by President Bush.

Dr. Dobson Found Innocent
by Gary Bauer
I hope that headline got your attention, because in the game of "gotcha politics" headlines are often effective weapons, as perception often becomes reality. Stung by the reelection of George W. Bush, despite the incredible sums of money spent by radical Soros- funded groups to defeat him, and furious with the success of the pro-family movement in passing marriage protection amendments in more than two dozen states, a number of leftwing groups set out to intimidate pro-family organizations, their leaders and supporters. Dr. Dobson and Focus on the Family were at the top of their list.

"Family Discount"?
by Gary Bauer
It seems that the radical anti-war group MoveOn.org got a big break from the New York Times for its disgusting attack ad against General David Petraeus. Today's New York Post reports that the open rate for a full-page like the one MoveOn.org ran is $181,692. Yet, the group paid only $65,000 - about a third.

Crockett Letter Might Not Be Worth the Paper It's Written On
Historical document experts are raising doubts about the authenticity of a letter supposedly penned by Alamo hero Davy Crockett, which the state said this week it hopes to buy for $550,000.

State to Seek Experts to Authenticate 'Crockett' Letter
Retracting a statement claiming "99.9 percent" certainty that Davy Crockett penned a letter it plans to buy, the state's historical commission said Monday it will begin seeking expert advice by next week.