Sign up for the We the Texans newsletter to receive twice-monthly updates on our year-long initiative dedicated to boosting civic engagement and chronicling how democracy is experienced in Texas.
In a surprise nail-biter, Texas Supreme Court Justice John Devine narrowly survived an unexpectedly heated GOP primary challenge that centered on questions about his judicial ethics.
Devine beat Second District Court of Appeals Brian Walker by 1 percentage point of the vote.
Three Supreme Court seats are open this year, but Devine was the only justice with a primary challenger. He will now face 281st District Judge Christine Vinh Weems in a November general election that could be equally heated — Democrats in the state have targeted the high court this year, hoping that backlash to rulings on abortion, the border and LGTBQ+ issues will mobilize enough voters to unseat incumbents on the all-Republican bench. And Devine, a former anti-abortion activist who has pushed back against gay rights, is likely to be a focal point of democrats’ strategy.
Advertisement
Devine entered the race with a clear edge, and with the backing of powerful conservative Christian groups and voters who’ve supported him for 30 years.
He has called church-state separation a “myth,” fought to have the Ten Commandments displayed in his Harris County district courtroom in the 1990s and, as a Tea Party-backed candidate for the Supreme Court in 2012, successfully campaigned on claims that he was arrested 37 times at abortion protests in the 1980s.
After initially dismissing the seriousness of Walker’s campaign, Devine faced a bruising final stretch of the primary in which his ethics took center stage. Walker, a 46-year-old Air Force veteran and one-term appeals court judge with little statewide name recognition, spent weeks blasting Devine for skipping half of oral arguments before the court to campaign this year. And he painted Devine as an unethical jurist who had used the bench to advance his ultraconservative religious views and political ambitions at the expense of his impartiality and the public’s confidence in the judiciary.
Walker reiterated those concerns on Wednesday morning.
“I’m very encouraged by the support I received and I pray that Judge Devine sees this as a referendum,” Walker told The Texas Tribune. “I hope he presses into his job all the more and strives to do it in a way that makes most Texans proud.”
Advertisement
Last month, The Texas Tribune published remarks from a September speech in which Devine railed against his fellow justices, saying they were “brainwashed” and cared more about abiding by legal processes than their “fidelity to the Constitution.” In the speech, he also claimed that the state’s all-GOP Court of Criminal Appeals was controlled by “RINOs” and “trans-Republicans.”
Weeks earlier, the Tribune also reported that Devine did not recuse himself when the court ruled in 2022 on a high-profile sex abuse lawsuit against his former colleagues, Southern Baptist leader Paul Pressler and his law partner Jared Woodfill. The plaintiff in the lawsuit was a former employee of Pressler and Woodfill’s firm who alleged that he was abused while working there — and at the same time as Devine. (Woodfill, who ran for a Houston seat in the Texas House with the backing of Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Republican leaders, lost handily to incumbent Rep. Lacey Hull on Tuesday).
Walker had banked on a surge of Election Day voters, hoping they’d be disenfranchised with Devine after a late flurry of concerns about his ethics. That strategy initially seemed to pan out: As vote tallies continued to trickle in through Wednesday morning, Walker slowly chipped away at Devine’s advantage from early and mail-in voting, and won by significant margins in major counties such as Dallas and Bexar. But it wasn’t enough to overcome Devine’s massive support in Harris County — his former home turf — where his 65% vote share neutralized Walker’s 51% advantage in all other counties combined.
Walker is a seventh-generation Texan who was first elected to the district court in 2020. He is a graduate of the University of Houston Law School and Dallas Theological Seminary, and previously served as the campaign manager for his father, Scott Walker, who was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2016.
The Court of Criminal Appeals and state Supreme Court are Texas’ two highest judicial bodies, with the latter handling civil matters. No Democrats serve on either body.
Advertisement
Devine’s win came as the Court of Criminal Appeals faced its own upheaval on Tuesday night, the product of a yearslong effort by Paxton and his allies to remove judges who had voted that his office could not unilaterally prosecute local voting crimes. All three of the incumbent justices were soundly defeated by Paxton-backed challengers.
Voting FAQ: 2024 primary
What happens after the Texas primary election?
If no candidate gets a majority of votes in a primary race, the top two vote-getters will head to a May 28 primary runoff election. Whoever wins the runoff will be their party’s nominee for that race in the Nov. 5 general election.
There is also a May 4 local election, and subsequent June 15 runoff, during which some local governments, such as cities, school districts and water districts, hold a general election for their elected offices or special elections to fill vacancies.
How are the runoffs and general election different?
In Texas, voters can only vote in one party’s primary and runoff or in a third party’s convention. During the November general election, voters can cast their ballot for any candidate, regardless of party affiliation. The candidate with the most votes wins, and there are no runoffs in state elections.
What deadlines do I need to know to participate in the May local election?
Election Day for the local election is May 4. You must register or update your voter registration by April 4 to participate. Applications to vote by mail must be received by the early voting clerk in your county — not postmarked — by April 23. Early voting is scheduled for April 22-30.
(For any local runoffs on June 15, the last day to register or update your voter registration is May 16. Applications to vote by mail must be received by the early voting clerk in your county — not postmarked — by June 4. Early voting is scheduled for June 3-11.)
What deadlines do I need to know to participate in the May primary runoffs?
Election Day for the primary runoffs is May 28. You must register or update your voter registration by April 29 to participate. Applications to vote by mail must be received by the early voting clerk in your county — not postmarked — by May 17. Early voting is scheduled for May 20-24.
What deadlines do I need to know to participate in the November general election?
Election Day for the general election is Nov. 5. You must register or update your voter registration by Oct. 7 to participate. Applications to vote by mail must be received by the early voting clerk in your county — not postmarked — by Oct. 25. Early voting is scheduled for Oct. 21 to Nov. 1.
Why does Texas have so many elections?
Yes, we noticed, too. Texas is one of just eight states that require primary candidates to win more than 50% of the vote before advancing to the general election. This adds runoff elections to the state’s election calendar. The long ballots Texas voters face, which include partisan elections for judges, stem from the state’s historic mistrust of government and desire to let Texans have a say at every level of government.
Read more
Supported by
Advertisement
We can’t wait to welcome you to downtown Austin Sept. 5-7 for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival! Join us at Texas’ breakout politics and policy event as we dig into the 2024 elections, state and national politics, the state of democracy, and so much more. When tickets go on sale this spring, Tribune members will save big. Donate to join or renew today.
Eleven Texas Longhorns heard their names called in the 2024 NFL Draft, a school record for the program in just the third season under the tenure of head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Three of those 11 picks, defensive tackle Byron Murphy, nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat, and runningback Jonathon Brooks, were the first of their respective positions to be taken, a testament to the development of all three and the work put in by former defensive line and current running back coaches Bo Davis and Tashard Choice.
Though the 2025 NFL Draft is over 300 days away, it’s never too early for fans, and experts, to speculate over how the draft can play out. With the talent returning to the 2024 Longhorns, how many players truly have a shot at being the first of their position off the board?
Jan 1, 2024; New Orleans, LA, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Jaydon Blue (23) celebrates with / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
This first tier denotes players with a good chance of being the first in their position group drafted.
Advertisement
Quarterback Quinn Ewers
The most notable name on this list, Ewers has very little competition in a much less loaded QB class compared to the year prior, where six quarterbacks were taken in the first 12 picks. There is no player of the caliber of USC’s Caleb Williams in this year’s class, with early projections putting Ewers in tiers alongside Georgia’s Carson Beck and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders at the top.
Though Ewers has had an up-and-down career filled with injuries and errors with the deep ball, he is still second in odds to win the Heisman, only trailing Beck according to FanDuel Sportsbook. A Heisman trophy and a top-four finish for the Longhorns could help Ewers become the first gunslinger taken off the board.
Tackle Kelvin Banks
Tackle was another stacked position in this past year’s draft, and the talent is only getting better in college football. Banks’ pedigree is the highest of any Longhorn entering the draft, having started at left tackle since he stepped foot on campus as a freshman in 2022. Banks has competition with the likes of Will Campbell and Emory Jones of LSU, but with his athletic prowess and experience at the most important position on the line, it’s easy to see Banks becoming not only the first tackle off the board but a top-five pick in the draft.
Advertisement
Nickle/Star Jahdae Barron
Barron made the surprise announcement when he returned for his fifth year in Austin this offseason, but the Longhorn faithful are more than happy to return their jack-of-all-trades defensive back. Barron plays the ‘Star’ role in the Pete Kwiatkowski defense, lining up in front of slot wide receivers and helping in the run game. Barron registered 11.5 tackles for loss just a year ago, and in a position not often pursued by NFL teams early in the draft, Barron could sneak his way to the top of the position group, just as Michigan’s Mike Sainristil did in 2024 after winning a national championship.
Kicker Bert Auburn
Auburn was quietly one of the best kickers in college football in 2023, scoring the second most points of any player in the nation, only behind Michigan running back Blake Corum, and nailing the most field goals on the year with 29. Though his accuracy has room for improvement, he could easily be among the top-tier of kickers in the nation yet again. With two years of elite kicking at the University of Texas, it’s likely an NFL team will take a chance on him in the later rounds of the 2025 draft.
Players in this tier likely won’t be at the top of their position, but a breakout year could boost their draft stock.
Advertisement
Wide Receiver Isaiah Bond
The former Crimson Tide wideout was the top transfer receiver in the 2024 portal season, and Texas couldn’t have asked for a better replacement for Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell, both of whom were drafted in the first two rounds of the draft. This upcoming wide receiver class features many talented receivers, such as Bilitnekoff favorite Luther Burden III and Arizona star Tetairoa McMillan, so Bond would have to do a lot to become the first name called from the receiver position. Though unlikely, Bond and Ewers could end up being the top QB-WR duo in the nation and see a rise similar to Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers of LSU last year, both of whom were drafted second in their position group.
The entire interior offensive line
Next season’s interior offensive lineman class does not project to be a strong point in the draft, with PFF’s big board including just one guard and zero centers in their top 50 rankings. An argument can be made for any of Hayden Conner, DJ Campbell, or Jake Majors to be the first interior offensive lineman off the board. Conner and especially Majors bring major experience to the position, and DJ Campbell is an unbelievable athlete that teams could fall in love with at the combine.
These players are extremely unlikely to be the first player off the board at their position, but could still be fringe Day 1 or Day 2 picks.
Advertisement
Defensive Tackle Alfred Collins
Collins has never truly played up to the five-star rating he earned in the 2020 recruiting class, registering just 6.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in four career seasons. In a wide-open defensive line room, Collins could break out, and with good athleticism and recruiting pedigree, he could shoot up draft boards. Unfortunately for Collins, Michigan’s Mason Graham, and Kentucky’s Deone Walker are already seen as top 10 players in the class, making it nearly impossible for Collins to become the number one option at the position
Edge Ethan Burke
Burke shares a similar fate to that of Collins, as Tennessee’s James Pearce is PFF’s No. 1 player in the 2025 class. Burke is in a crowded edge room that features five players who could be starters on the average Power 4 team, but Burke’s ability and athleticism are hard to miss. Burke notched nine TFLs as a true sophomore and stands at 6’6, 254 pounds. With prototypical NFL size for the position and a likely elite combine performance ahead of him, Burke could become a first-rounder, but probably not the No. 1 edge rusher taken.
Footage has emerged showing Texas National Guard troops firing pepper spray at a group of migrants who had been attempting to breach the U.S.-Mexico border using wire cutters on Monday.
In the footage published by Reuters, a small group of migrants can be seen trying to break through a razor wire fence, including one using wire cutters. They disperse as National Guard soldiers arrive on the other side of the fence and fire pepper spray.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Advertisement
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
If you have hail damage, make sure you document everything, even picking up hailstones and taking pictures of those can be part of your claim.
TEXAS – The possibility of hail was a concern for some residents during Monday’s storms. Many Central Texas communities have been hit hard during the past week.
Advertisement
If you have hail damage, make sure you document everything, even picking up hailstones and taking pictures of those can be part of your claim.
“If they’re that ping pong ball size or bigger, then there’s most likely damage. If you’re getting damage on the hood and the roof of your car, then most likely it’s a good idea to also get your roof inspected on your home,” Rich Johnson, director of communications and public affairs at the Insurance Council of Texas said.
Advertisement
Austin weather: Large hail hits Central TX
FOX 7 Austin reporter Lauren Rangel storm chased the Central Texas area
After you call your insurance company, they will send an adjuster out to assess the damage.
If you want a second opinion, call a contractor. Many of them offer free estimates.
Advertisement
“It’s just another way to document it. Especially up on your roof, where you don’t want to be going. They have the equipment and the skills to take pictures and document what’s going on up on your roof,” Johnson said.
The adjuster will write up an estimate for the insurance company.
Advertisement
The Texas Department of Insurance says you can make temporary repairs like covering broken windows, but don’t make permanent repairs until an adjuster sees the damage.
Save any receipts and save proof you paid the deductible on the claim.
“It’s all based on your insurance contract. You’ll have the deductible, which is the cost out of pocket. The cost of repairs will need to exceed your deductible,” Johnson said.
Advertisement
Hail damages roofs in Taylor
People across central Texas are cleaning up damage from Thursday’s storms. In Taylor, large hail damaged roofs and the sides of homes.
There are also some things you can do before the next storm rolls around.
Advertisement
“If you have decking or a shed, or the side, the outside of your home, go ahead and document it before anything happens,” Johnson said. “If you have to store a car outside, and you can’t get it inside, if you have moving blankets or any kind of padded material that might be able to attach to your hood, it might save you that headache down the road of having to file a claim.”
How long the entire process takes depends on the company and how many claims are being made. Johnson says the adjuster can usually come out within a week to ten days.
Advertisement
For information from the Insurance Council of Texas, click here.
For more from the Texas Department of Insurance, click here.