Are we any closer to knowing when Texans will head to the polls for primary elections? Not really. Last week, the federal judges in San Antonio gave the parties until February 6th to come up with agreed to maps. Negotiations are ongoing but conventional wisdom says that an agreement is unlikely. We may know more in the next few days or next week.
Republican Scott O’Grady of Collin County has suspended his campaign for the Texas Senate District 8 seat being given up by Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano). That leaves Rep. Ken Paxton (R-McKinney) as the front runner in that race. O’Grady has been mentioned as a possible contender for Paxton’s current Texas House seat, District 70, in the Frisco-Allen-McKinney area.
According to statistics from the Texas Education Agency, there are more students in elementary school classrooms. The number of classrooms in Texas exceeding the state’s class size limit of 22 students has now jumped to 8,243. In all, 286 school districts have requested waivers that allow them to put more than 22 students in elementary classes. Larger classes have been authorized at roughly 36 percent of the elementary schools in Texas.
Liz Geise of Austin was named administrator of the Texas Governor’s Mansion. Geise, who will be responsible for the operation, use and maintenance of the mansion and its grounds, has more than 10 years of management experience in state government.