Resigning Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams (R) sat down with Texas Tribune editor Evan Smith yesterday to offically announce that he will be running for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's seat in 2012. A staunch conservative, Williams was already a Tea Party darling before the 2010 election cycle, and Slate named him one of their ten conservatives who will define 2011. more ›

• Today's holiday getaway location: Tunisia (ok, not so much)
• Biden taps Clinton aide. What do you think this is about?
• Sarah Palin to speak at gun convention. Anyone else a bit unnerved by this idea?

The Rick Perry campaign has announced that the governor will not be meeting with any newspaper editorial boards before the election. Perry's spokesperson Mark Miner announced that the campaign will continue to talk to reporters at scheduled stops and to focus on social media. It's not the first time Perry has chosen to pass over the papers--the question is whether they can come back to haunt him. more ›

• Obama to unveil offshore drilling plans for oil and natural gas
• 12 killed in twin bombings in southern Russia days after Moscow attacks
• World's largest atom smasher crashes proton beams together, world survives

• Man, this Austin “winter” weather is freaky! From sunburn on Sunday to possible snow on Tuesday. What up, sunshine?
• If you are supporting Kay Bailey Hutchison in the Governor’s race, you might want to get to an early voting location. Polls show she’s trailing Perry in the primary.
• Waco Dentist Kent Starr is very aware that former Whitewater prosecutor Ken Starr will be moving to Central Texas.

Governor Perry's campaign has drummed up a creative way for its supporters to profit off its success. more ›

Members of Governor Perry's re-election campaign are in a huff after the web video feed broadcasting his live speech was hijacked by hackers. more ›

Update 2:30 p.m.: MoveOn just sent an apology email clarifying that "Senators Cornyn and Hutchison are not expected to attend, as we said in the email—nor are any other members of Congress." Regardless, it's a chance for you to weigh in on the matter. more ›

Although Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's new website has removed hidden text that said "rick perry gay", the remaining 2,000-plus hidden words and phrases could get the site banned from search engine results. more ›

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison wants to focus on the March Republican primary (so far she has raised $12.5 mil for the governor's race to Perry's $9.3 mil) and mentioned in a radio interview this morning that she expects to exit the Senate somewhere around October or November. When her resignation is official, Gov. Perry is likely to pick someone to fill her seat until a special election is held. Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams (R), former State Comptroller John Sharp (D), Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R), and Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) are some of those expected to try for Hutchison's soon-to-be vacant seat in the special election (which might be held earlier than May 2010). [Washington Post] more ›

• Former Austin police officer charged in bank robbery
• Fugitive -- wanted for kidnapping, sex assault and arson -- arrested in Pflugerville
• Texas Youth Commission to fire 100 employees, eliminate 330 vacant positions

Texas Ethics Commission says that Supreme Court Justice Hecht has to pay a fine of $29,000 for accepting a sketchy contribution. Last of the LBJ recordings released to the public today. LBJ ideas in an Obama administration. Rumor is that Rove is advising Kay Bailey Hutchison on her possible run for governor's office. Someone actually paid cash for a plane to fly around UT today carrying a banner saying "Mack Brown Quit Your Whining U Knew The Rules." Round Rock woman has donated 25 gallons of blood in 18 years. Two Border Patrol agents accused of working with drug traffickers crossing the South Texas border. more ›

Two items of note regarding Texas Republicans have come out this week. First off, current Texas House Speaker Craddick faces an ethics complaint about payments to and insurance coverage for his adult daughter. A Houston man points out that Craddick has his daughter Christi on campaign payroll (at $12,000 a month), yet claims her as a dependent so that she is covered by his state health insurance. Another member of the GOP, current Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, today filed paperwork towards her expected run for governor in 2010. She's still in the exploratory stages, it seems, and the paperwork filed today set up an exploratory committee and campaign treasurer. more ›

In this video of a small press gaggle earlier today at the RNC in St. Paul, Hutchison defends McCain's choice of Gov. Sarah Palin as running-mate. When asked why she didn't want to be vice-president, she says, "I didn't want to spend the next four years in Washington, and I really don't. And I really have decided I'm going to go in a different direction." Her "different direction"? Veering towards the governor's mansion . . . more ›

Image from City of Austin Watershed Protection Dept. 108,000 gallons of wastewater drain into tributary to Harris Branch Creek, killing fish and possibly harming nearby residents who use well-water. Manhunt on for man who shot and killed someone during a card game in Bastrop this morning. Truck overturns in South Austin, takes power lines with it. Georgetown cop indicted for sexually assaulting a female in custody. Dawnna Dukes may have an opponent in her race... more ›

Kay Bailey Hutchison may be running for governor and detests your anonymous blog. Retiring Republican Reps may lead the Dems to a larger majority in the House when election time rolls 'round. Temporary pedestrian islands to go up on S. Congress Avenue, in the area between Riverside and Ben White. Live bat found at McNeil High School yesterday has tested positive for rabies. And another rabid bat was found this weekend at the Convention... more ›

Texas U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison are, evidently, pushing hard for a $450 million national disease research lab to be installed in San Antonio. more ›

The Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library in Austin and Austin's Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority are set to receive $4.35 million in funds from a newly-passed Congressional appropriations bill. The LBJ Library will receive $1 million to make repairs and to tie it to the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who has received some heat lately from Democratic challenger Barbara Radnofsky, set the bill in action. Cap Metro will get $3.35... more ›