John C. Moritz
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Chief Political Reporter for the Austin American-Statesman. Unverified on this platform since 2009. Past lives include @startelegram, @kxan and @quorumereport.
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Articles by John C. Moritz
Could Texas Democrats withstand another loss, especially in such a favorable year? Original
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate (L), and James Talarico, Texas Democratic Senate candidate (R). Elías Valverde II Jason Fochtma/The Dallas Morning News/ Houston When Beto O'Rourke came within a whisker of knocking off incumbent U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018, Texas Democrats were like fans of a baseball team that had finally made it into the postseason after years — even decades — of finishing in or near the cellar of the standings.
GOP women's group behind fake transgender mailer campaign, records show
A Republican women's group was identified in court records as being involved in a fake Texas transgender student union that sent text messages and brochures to as many as 3 million voters this month. The Republican Women's Caucus Fund and someone named John Braun were identified in the scheme that riled up voters just as early voting began court filings made public Thursday evening show. The identities were ordered to be revealed by a Travis County judge.
GOP women's group behind fake transgender mailer campaign Original
The flyers began appearing in Texas mailboxes as early voting got underway, presenting themselves as informational materials from a transgender advocacy group. Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News A Republican women's group is behind a fake Texas transgender student union that sent text messages and brochures to as many as three million voters this month.
GOP women's group behind fake transgender mailer campaign
A Republican women's group is behind a fake Texas transgender student union that sent text messages and brochures to as many as three million voters this month. The Republican Women’s Caucus Fund and someone named John Braun were identified as those responsible for the scheme that riled up voters just as early voting began, according to legal filings made public late Thursday. The identities were ordered to be revealed by a Travis County judge.
Austin judge orders depositions in trans mailer campaign days before midterms Original
A mailer sent to Texas households purporting to be from a transgender advocacy group photographed at the Dallas Morning News in Dallas, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News The people behind a mysterious mailer campaign claiming to represent transgender students must identify themselves and submit to depositions later this week, a judge in Austin has ruled.
Petition to uncover who sent Texas transgender mailers can proceed, judge says
A judge in Austin ruled Tuesday that a transgender advocacy group can proceed with its legal effort to uncover who is behind the mysterious campaign of text messages and mailers that have gone out ahead of the midterm elections purporting to represent transgender students. During a preliminary court hearing, a lawyer for the group, Transgender Education Network of Texas, or TENT, said it has the right to know who is behind the effort because they used its logo and other branding against its will.
Petition to uncover who sent Texas transgender mailers can proceed, judge says
A mailer sent to Texas households purporting to be from a transgender advocacy group photographed at the Dallas Morning News in Dallas, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News A judge in Austin ruled Tuesday that a transgender advocacy group can proceed with its legal effort to uncover who is behind the mysterious campaign of text messages and mailers that have gone out ahead of the midterm elections purporting to represent transgender students.
Petition to uncover who sent Texas transgender mailers can proceed, judge says
A mailer sent to Texas households purporting to be from a transgender advocacy group photographed at the Dallas Morning News in Dallas, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News A judge in Austin ruled Tuesday that a transgender advocacy group can proceed with its legal effort to uncover who is behind the mysterious campaign of text messages and mailers that have gone out ahead of the midterm elections purporting to represent transgender students.
Dan Patrick and Vikki Goodwin are locked in a tight race for lieutenant governor Original
Vikki Goodwin, Dan Patrick Ricardo B. Brazziell, Julio Cortez/Austin American-Statesman, Associated Press Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is used to getting his way in the Texas Senate. As leader of the chamber and the state's second-highest elected official for more than a decade, he is one of the few Republicans with the power and experience to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott.
Bill Clements: The man who was able to break one party's lock on Texas
Filmmaker Mat Hames can't help but spread the word about a Texas political figure who was foolish enough to think he could break one political party's stranglehold on Texas elections and maybe even usher in an unheard-of era of bipartisanship that would lead to the wholesale redrawing of the state's electoral map. But it's not James Talarico or even Gina Hinojosa who has captured Hames' imagination, even though both Democrats believe they can pull off such an upset on Nov. 3.
The final sprint: How Ken Paxton and James Talarico are framing their closing arguments Original
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (L), and James Talarico, (R). Elías Valverde II Jason Fochtma/The Dallas Morning News/ Houston The state’s nailbiter U.S. Senate race has officially hit the final dash with Democrat James Talarico painting the world's richest person as the poster child for political self-dealing and Republican Ken Paxton doubling down on the culture-war issues that have helped keep his party in power in Texas for decades.
The final sprint: How Ken Paxton and James Talarico are framing their closing arguments
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (L), and James Talarico, (R). Elías Valverde II Jason Fochtma/The Dallas Morning News/ Houston A crowd gathers with James Talarico, U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia and Houston Mayor John Whitmire during a Harris County Democratic Party canvass launch Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during a news conference with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in Houston on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026.
How James Talarico and Ken Paxton split on key issues likely to come before Congress Original
Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, and State Rep. James Talarico, right, on the campaign trail. The Dallas Morning News In the competitive race for U.S. Senate, Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton are both making affordability a top campaign promise. But their ideas for how to lower the cost of living differ quite a bit, as do their positions on a number of other key issues expected to come before Congress in the coming years.
How James Talarico and Ken Paxton split on key issues likely to come before Congress
Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, and State Rep. James Talarico, right, on the campaign trail. The Dallas Morning News Whoever wins the race will be among the most junior members in a chamber where seniority often equals clout, meaning neither is likely to be the chief ball carrier on any significant piece of legislation. Article continues below this ad But that does not mean that either would be powerless in the 100-member upper chamber.
Why Trump is already blaming others if Paxton loses the Senate race
If we have learned anything about Donald Trump, from his days as a self-promoting New York developer to reality TV star to president of the United States, it's that even acknowledging so much as the possibility of losing is anathema to his soul. And if forced to confront such a possibility, he will assign the blame for it to someone else. That's what made Trump's Thursday evening post on his social media platform, Truth Social, both surprising and predictable at the same time.
Why Trump is already blaming others if Paxton loses the Senate race
Ken Paxton, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks to the crowd after being invited onstage by President Donald Trump during a political rally at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News If we have learned anything about Donald Trump, from his days as a self-promoting New York developer to reality TV star to president of the United States, it's that even acknowledging so much as the possibility of losing is anathema to his soul.
Why Trump is already blaming others if Paxton loses the Senate race
Ken Paxton, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks to the crowd after being invited onstage by President Donald Trump during a political rally at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News If we have learned anything about Donald Trump, from his days as a self-promoting New York developer to reality TV star to president of the United States, it's that even acknowledging so much as the possibility of losing is anathema to his soul.
Do you care about inflation, data centers or ICE raids? Here are the Texas races to watch.
Gas and diesel prices Congress Since the Iran War began in February, gasoline prices are up about 45% nationally; diesel prices have jumped roughly 65%. Experts say the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sharply restricted oil flows, driving up prices. Ending the conflict could help ease the pressure, although it won’t reverse damage that’s already been done to critical oil and energy infrastructure.
James Talarico’s flu bout gave Ken Paxton an opening in Texas’ Senate race Original
Ken Paxton and James Talarico are competing in Texas' high-profile U.S. Senate race. Brett Coomer and Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle While Ken Paxton was struggling through one of the worst stretches of his campaign for the U.S. Senate, Democrat James Talarico, through little fault of his own, gave the Republican nominee his first real chance to go on the offensive with a saleable message. Blame it on the flu. Talarico was scheduled to be in the Rio Grande Valley on Sept.
How Flock cameras became an unexpected issue in the 2026 midterms Original
An anti-Flock camera sign is posted below one on N. Munger Blvd in Dallas, July 29, 2026. The solar powered camera records license plates from passing vehicles. Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News Flock cameras have emerged as an unexpected campaign issue in the Texas midterms as privacy fears about the license plate readers have put law-enforcement-friendly Republicans on the defensive. Gov.
See the biggest donors backing Dan Patrick and Vikki Goodwin in the lieutenant governor race
Vikki Goodwin TOP 5 DONORS Donald Henley: $165,500 Henley, who grew up in Cass County near Texarkana, is a founding member of the Eagles and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. He has emerged as the No. 1 donor to Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor, agriculture commissioner and the Railroad Commission, and is a major force behind Lone Star Rising, a super PAC supporting state Rep. James Talarico’s bid for the U.S. Senate. Henley now lives in Virginia.
Can Trump help Paxton win Texas? Poll and leaked audio raise doubts
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Can Trump help Paxton win Texas? Poll and leaked audio raise doubts Original
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, greets President Donald Trump at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 2019. Jay Janner Just about every election cycle gives us an opportunity to recycle the old joke about the definition of a gaffe on the campaign trail: It's when a politician gets caught accidentally telling the truth.
Moderate or 'radical': What kind of senator would Democrat James Talarico be? Original
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Texas state Rep. James Talarico talks with people at a food drive at the Frederick Douglass Human Services and Justice Center, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press If James Talarico is elected to the U.S. Senate, don't expect him to take the lead in blocking President Donald Trump should a vacancy arise on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Texas Republicans have weathered blue waves before. Is 2026 different? Original
Voters exit the polls at St. Edward’s University in Austin Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman For the past 20 years, Republicans running statewide in Texas could wake up on Election Day reasonably confident they were going to return to bed that night in a happy mood.
Blumenthal, Lamont: Trump blocking energy grants to Connecticut for political reasons | The Day
Blumenthal, Lamont: Trump blocking energy grants to Connecticut for political reasons U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Gov. Ned Lamont complained Friday that the Trump administration has yet to release federal energy grants terminated a year ago on the basis of whether the recipients were in states won by Kamala Harris in 2024 and are represented by Democratic senators. “It’s illogical, illegal, intolerable — and that’s in effect what the court found.
Map: Donors from these zip codes are funding James Talarico and Ken Paxton
Talarico Paxton No data available For a complete view of the data, zoom into a ZIP code. Map: Phoebe Quinton • Source: Federal Election Commission
Map: Donors from these zip codes are funding James Talarico and Ken Paxton
Talarico Paxton No data available For a complete view of the data, zoom into a ZIP code. Map: Phoebe Quinton • Source: Federal Election Commission
Who will win Tarrant County, the last large, 'purple' holdout on Texas' political map? Original
Demonstrators raise signs and cheer as Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons speaks during a rally against President Donald Trump outside Dallas City Hall on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, in downtown Dallas. Elías Valverde II/The Dallas Morning News Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn listens as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, in Fort Worth.
A new documentary traces the changing role of women in Texas Republican politics
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A new documentary traces the changing role of women in Texas Republican politics Original
Former state Rep. Sarah Davis of Houston is among the political figures featured in "Life of the Party," which examines the role of women in Texas Republican politics. Courtesy photo Geanie Morrison, Sarah Davis and Mayra Flores each made their entrances to Republican electoral politics at pivotal points in the modern history of their party in Texas. Morrison's ascent to the Texas House in 1998 came the same year George W.
A new documentary traces the changing role of women in Texas Republican politics
Former state Rep. Sarah Davis of Houston is among the political figures featured in "Life of the Party," which examines the role of women in Texas Republican politics. Courtesy photo Geanie Morrison, Sarah Davis and Mayra Flores each made their entrances to Republican electoral politics at pivotal points in the modern history of their party in Texas. Morrison's ascent to the Texas House in 1998 came the same year George W.
AI deepfakes are reshaping Texas politics. Can voters tell what's real?
Politics and parody have gone hand in hand since the days of powdered wigs. Images from the 18th century show Thomas Jefferson depicted as a rooster-like creature and setting the still-new U.S. Constitution ablaze. Another shows Jefferson trying to bring George Washington's horse-drawn carriage to a halt, presumably to thwart whatever political initiative the nation's first president had in mind.
AI deepfakes are reshaping Texas politics. Can voters tell what’s real?
In the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton targeted Sen. John Cornyn with an AI-generated ad falsely showing the incumbent dancing with Democratic U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Screengrab of Ken Paxton campaign ad Politics and parody have gone hand in hand since the days of powdered wigs. Images from the 18th century show Thomas Jefferson depicted as a rooster-like creature and setting the still-new U.S. Constitution ablaze.
AI deepfakes are reshaping Texas politics. Can voters tell what’s real?
In the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton targeted Sen. John Cornyn with an AI-generated ad falsely showing the incumbent dancing with Democratic U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Screengrab of Ken Paxton campaign ad Politics and parody have gone hand in hand since the days of powdered wigs.
James Talarico walks back past opposition to transgender sports ban
Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico expressed opposition Wednesday to allowing transgender athletes from participating in girls sports, an apparent departure from an earlier vote in the Texas Legislature on a bill to prohibit such participation.
James Talarico walks back past opposition to transgender sports ban
Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico expressed opposition Wednesday to allowing transgender athletes from participating in girls sports, an apparent departure from an earlier vote in the Texas Legislature on a bill to prohibit such participation.
James Talarico walks back past opposition to transgender sports ban
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Texas state Rep. James Talarico speaks at a food drive at the Frederick Douglass Human Services and Justice Center, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Dallas. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico expressed opposition Wednesday to allowing transgender athletes from participating in girls sports, an apparent departure from an earlier vote in the Texas Legislature on a bill to prohibit such participation.
James Talarico walks back past opposition to transgender sports ban Original
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Texas state Rep. James Talarico speaks at a food drive at the Frederick Douglass Human Services and Justice Center, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Dallas. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico expressed opposition Wednesday to allowing transgender athletes from participating in girls sports, an apparent departure from an earlier vote in the Texas Legislature on a bill to prohibit such participation.
Ken Paxton whistleblower endorses James Talarico for U.S. Senate
Whistleblower David Maxwell stands in the Senate Chamber gallery before the verdict is announced on day 10 of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial at the Texas Capitol on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Austin, Texas.
Ken Paxton whistleblower endorses James Talarico for U.S. Senate Original
Whistleblower David Maxwell stands in the Senate Chamber gallery before the verdict is announced on day 10 of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial at the Texas Capitol on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Austin, Texas.
Labor Day used to start campaign season. Now it's the homestretch.
For much of modern American history, Labor Day in an even-numbered year marked the unofficial start of campaign season ahead of the elections held in early November. The thinking was that most voters put politics aside during the summer so they could enjoy family road trips, backyard barbecues and big-league baseball on broadcast television. Labor Day marked the end of all that frivolity.
Labor Day used to start campaign season. Now it’s the homestretch.
For much of modern American history, Labor Day in an even-numbered year marked the unofficial start of campaign season ahead of the elections held in early November. The thinking was that most voters put politics aside during the summer so they could enjoy family road trips, backyard barbecues and big-league baseball on broadcast television. Labor Day marked the end of all that frivolity.
Labor Day used to start campaign season. Now it’s the homestretch.
Ken Paxton and James Talarico are competing in Texas' high-profile U.S. Senate race. Brett Coomer and Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle For much of modern American history, Labor Day in an even-numbered year marked the unofficial start of campaign season ahead of the elections held in early November. The thinking was that most voters put politics aside during the summer so they could enjoy family road trips, backyard barbecues and big-league baseball on broadcast television.
James Talarico launches Black voter engagement team as questions linger over $25M pledge Original
Democratic U.S. Congressional candidate James Talarico addresses supporters at Kingdom Builders Center in Houston on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
Texas Republicans thought they had redrawn five seats into GOP hands. Not so fast.
File this one under "What a difference a year makes." Gov. Greg Abbott signed the mid-decade congressional redistricting bill on Aug. 29, 2025, with a celebratory video describing how Republicans in the Legislature, acting at the urging of President Donald Trump, had all but crammed the plan down the throats of Texas Democrats. Those same Democrats tried to kill the bill by breaking quorum in the state House.
Texas Republicans redrew five seats. A year later, here’s what’s happening
Texas Orders 3% Budget-Request Cuts: What It Could Mean for HBCUs and Black Communities AUSTIN, Texas — Texas’ next state budget fight is already taking shape, and the decisions being made before lawmakers return to the Capitol could …
Why James Talarico is asking a court to unseal a deposition from Ken Paxton
The campaign of Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico asked a state court in Colin County on Wednesday to unseal a years-old two-part deposition given by Attorney General Ken Paxton as part of litigation over a business dispute involving Paxton's associates. The court filing asks that testimony by Paxton, now the Texas attorney general, be made public because it could elicit information that might be of importance to voters in the Senate race.
Can Democrat James Talarico unlock Republicans' grip on the veterans' vote?
For war veterans like Le Roy Torres, expressions of gratitude from political leaders are appreciated. But gratefulness alone is not enough. "I hear 'Thank you for your service' pretty much everywhere I go, and it's great to hear," said Torres, who was deployed to Iraq with his Army Reserve unit in 2007 and returned home with debilitating breathing disorders after inhaling the toxic exhaust from burn pits. "But it's the follow-through that we need.
Texas' U.S. Senate race is old vs. young. Why that could hurt Talarico.
As he sought to perfect his messaging ahead of entering the race for the U.S. Senate in the summer of 2025, Democrat James Talarico began road-testing a line that still finds its way into nearly every stump speech and cable news appearance more than one year later. "The biggest divide in our politics is not left vs. right," Talarico has told audiences from Amarillo to Edinburg, "it's top vs.
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