Enlarge Bob Daemmerich

Hispanic Republicans of Texas (HRT). Left to right, Juan Hernandez, Sonia Medina and Jacob Monte.

Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson has hired a veteran Republican operative from Texas to handle outreach to the Latino community.

Johnson's campaign last Friday named Juan Hernandez as an adviser and chairman of Hispanics for Johnson Weld. A co-founder of the Hispanic Republicans of Texas and longtime adviser to presidential contenders, Hernandez is among the most influential Latino Republicans in Texas.

"Having a leader of Juan's stature to join our campaign is a huge boost, and I am proud to have both his support and his assistance," Johnson, the former New Mexico governor, said in a statement. "The choices in this election for Hispanics could not be clearer, and as a former Governor of the nation's most Hispanic state, I understand both the tremendous benefits immigrant bring to America — and the challenges they face."

Hernandez previously supported former Republican candidate Jeb Bush in the presidential race. In past election cycles, he has advised GOP White House hopefuls including George W. Bush in 2000 and John McCain in 2008.

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Dallas billionaire Andy Beal is taking on a new role of economic adviser to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Beal, founder of Beal Bank, is already a prominent supporter of Trump's campaign in Texas. He endorsed Trump in February and has since been involved in fundraising for his presidential effort.

Beal was one of 13 people the Trump campaign announced Friday as part of an Economic Advisory Council. Trump is set to deliver a speech on the economy Monday in Detroit.

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In other Trump news, he has added Fort Worth to a late August fundraising swing through Texas. He, along with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, will host a high-dollar fundraising luncheon in Cowtown on Aug. 23.

Trump also tapped two Austin policy experts this week to serve as economic advisers to his campaign.

Brooke Rollins and Kathleen Hartnett White, both of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, were named Thursday to Trump's Economic Advisory Council. Rollins is the president and CEO of the conservative think tank, while White is a distinguished senior fellow and director of the foundation's Armstrong Center for Energy and the Environment.

Rollins and White were among nine new economic advisers announced Thursday. Trump received some criticism for the initial 13 members he named to the council because none of them was a woman.

***** 

U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-San Antonio, has released the first TV ad of his re-election campaign. Titled “Getting Started,” the 30-second spot shows Hurd traveling across Texas’ 23rd congressional district and meeting with constituents as he touts his work in Congress.

“Two years ago, I promised to roll up my sleeves and go to work for you,” Hurd says. “Since you’ve entrusted me with that honor, we’ve worked to get better care for our veterans, stop terrorists at the border and combat cyber attacks from abroad."

“I constantly visit all 29 counties to hear your concerns and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished,” Hurd adds. “Now I promise you this: We’re just getting started.”

The commercial is part of a seven-figure ad buy through Election Day, according to Hurd’s campaign.

Hurd is in a rematch against the Democrat he unseated two years ago, Pete Gallego of Alpine. Gallego responded to the Hurd ad in a fundraising email Wednesday, telling supporters that despite his claims, Hurd “has broken his promise” to voters through his actions in Congress.

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A group of Texas Democrats has joined a congressional effort to pressure the Mexican government into addressing alleged human rights violations in that country.

U.S. Reps. Robert "Beto" O'Rourke, D-El Paso; Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston; Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth; and Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, signed on to an Aug. 9 letter from California Democrat Alan Lowenthal urging Secretary of State John Kerry to make “strengthening the rule of law and defending human rights” in Mexico a priority during continued bilateral talks between the two governments.

“Given the significant U.S. support for Mexico’s security forces, we remained troubled by the 27,000 unresolved cases of people who have disappeared in Mexico since 2007, and the slow pace reform in the military, law enforcement, and justice sectors,” Lowenthal wrote.

The letter cites three controversies since 2014 which the group says highlights Mexico’s shortcomings in its criminal justice system: the disappearance of 43 student protesters in the state of Guerrero in 2014, the killings of 22 Mexican citizens at the hands of Mexican soldiers, and the 2016 deaths in Oaxaca of eight protesters at the hands of Mexican Federal Police.

“We encourage the government to foster a dialogue with the teachers and to fully investigate how the protesters were killed in the clashes,” the letter states.

The correspondence also highlights portions of an Amnesty International report that accuses Mexico’s security forces of using sexual violence against women as a form of torture.

Representatives from the offices of U.S. Reps. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio; Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo; and Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, said they also support Lowenthal’s efforts.

Disclosure: The Texas Public Policy Foundation has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.

Enlarge Abby Livingston

Former state Sen. Wendy Davis getting ready for a television interview inside of the Wells Fargo Center, site of the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, on July 27, 2016.

Former state Sen. Wendy Davis has been hitting the trail for U.S. House candidates as Democrats aim to make a dent in the Republican majority this fall.

A senior Capitol Hill Democratic aide who was not authorized to speak on the record first tipped off the Tribune of the effort, which a Davis spokesman confirmed.

House Democrats need to capture 30 seats to take back the gavel. It's a tall order that few seriously think is possible, even as Republican nominee Donald Trump's favorability ratings are cratering nationwide. But Democrats are expecting at this point to make gains, possibly in the ballpark of a dozen seats.

As for Davis, she's proven to be an effective motivator of pro-choice female activists and voters beyond the state. The Hillary Clinton campaign deployed her to campaign on the former secretary of state's behalf in over a dozen states over the course of this presidential campaign.

The Davis camp said this angle of campaigning came at the request of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the Democrats' House campaign political arm.

"In addition to being an official surrogate for Secretary Clinton, Wendy has been asked by the DCCC to campaign for Congressional candidates across the United States," said her spokesman Hector Nieto. He added that her interest was in stopping "the gridlock that has plagued Washington D.C. and become synonymous with the do-nothing Republican majority."

The surrogacy could pay off down the road for Davis. The former Forth Worth state senator relocated to Austin earlier this year. She recently told the Tribune that if redistricting or retirements created a local U.S. House seat, she would seriously consider a bid.

*****

The special prosecutors handling the securities fraud indictments against Attorney General Ken Paxton are urging the state's highest criminal court not to consider the case.

Paxton last week asked the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to throw out the charges against him, which allege he misled investors in private business dealing from before his time as attorney general. The appeal represents Paxton's last stand to get the case dismissed before it heads to trial.

In a filing Tuesday, the special prosecutors argued the court should not take up the case in what is known as "discretionary review." The prosecutors, Kent Schaffer and Brian Wice, released a statement separate from the filing.

"The Court of Criminal Appeals grants less than 4% of all petitions for discretionary review filed by criminal defendants," the statement said. "Our reply makes it clear that Mr. Paxton’s petition is not one of them."

A Collin County grand jury indicted Paxton more than a year ago on two first-degree felony charges and one third-degree felony charge. He has pleaded not guilty.

*****

A third candidate has entered the race for chairman of the Dallas County Republican Party. Longtime activist Davin Bernstein announced Tuesday he is running, branding himself as the only candidate who can unite the party.

"I have decided to join the race because we need someone who will represent ALL Republicans in Dallas County, and I do not see that candidate yet," Bernstein wrote in a letter to precinct chairs. "I value the insights and judgments of both declared candidates and consider them friends, but do not feel they can best unify and represent the entire DCRP in the tasks ahead."

Bernstein has served as a precinct chair, a Republican Club president and a county volunteer.

He is up against Elizabeth Bingham, the former vice chair of the party, and Phillip Huffines, a businessman who is the brother of state Sen. Don Huffines. They are vying to replace Mark Montgomery, who abruptly resigned last week.

Huffines on Thursday moved to put the kibosh on his rivals' chances, announcing he had pledges of support from "well over" the 96 precinct chairs required to win the contest for chairman at the party's Monday meeting. He named 61 of those backers in his announcement.

Enlarge

For this week’s nonscientific survey of insiders in government and politics, we asked about the down-ballot effect of Donald Trump in Texas.

Nearly half the respondents said the GOP presidential nominee would have "a measurable effect" on down-ballot races in Texas with another one-third of the insiders saying that Trump wouldn't have an impact on Texas races.

We then offered a handful of prominent Texas Republicans (and one prominent outside politician) and asked which of those was proving most adept at managing any Trump effect in the state.

The top response, though, was "none of the above," which was named by 28 percent of the insiders. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was the top choice otherwise, listed by 26 percent of the insiders. He was followed by U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan (19 percent), U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (16 percent) and Land Commissioner George P. Bush (6 percent).

We then pivoted to a couple of questions about Cruz, Trump's most prominent non-supporter in Texas. We began by asking if his convention speech, in which he pointedly did not endorse Trump, guarantees him a challenger in 2018 when he is up for re-election.

Nearly half the insiders thought Cruz would get a serious challenger in both the primary and general elections. Another 23 percent thought he'd get a serious challenge in just the party primary. A fifth of the insiders weren't convinced that Cruz is vulnerable, saying he wouldn't get a serious challenger at all.

If he were to get a primary challenger, though, 37 percent of the insiders thought the challenge would come from Austin Congressman Michael McCaul while 25 percent thought Patrick would enter the primary.

We collected comments along the way, and a full set of those is attached.

Enlarge Emily Albracht

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Is Donald Trump having a measurable effect on down-ballot races in Texas?

• "Answered 'yes,' but who the heck really knows? Haven't found any precedent for this bizarre election cycle."

• "Let's hope so. If the Ds can't make progress with Trump on the top of the opposite ticket, it'll be decades before they can control the state."

• "Hard to say at this point in the summer. Without polling data, you can't say one way or another whether Trump is having an effect. Aside from Hurd-Gallego, I don't think anyone is polling right now. And in that race, I don't think Trump is having the negative effect Pete and the DCCC had hoped for."

• "Yes. He's helping to separate the men from the boys. The men are ready to saddle up and get on board. The boys are wringing their hands trying to figure out why their candidate didn't win the primary."

• "Too early to tell. I recommend asking the question again in late September."

Enlarge Emily Albracht

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Who among these Republicans is managing the Trump effect best?

• "Patrick has stuck with the issues — pushing Texas priorities like border and choice. Others are distracted by the personality problems."

• "Cruz is going to look like a Profile in Courage."

• "Dan Patrick is working the situation with his usual finesse. George P. gets an honorable mention for stepping up and making the difficult call, breaking from the family and endorsing."

• "Patrick is, as usual, the one to watch."

• "I think Ted Cruz looks smart for not endorsing someone that Republicans are running away from."

Enlarge Emily Albracht

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Does Cruz draw a serious challenger next cycle because of his convention speech?

• "Much depends upon what happens over the next 18 months or so regarding the primary. There will likely also be a 'serious' candidate in the general, who still will have no prayer."

• "Define serious? The better question is, can someone emerge who is conservative (we're still in Texas) but will be effective in a meaningful, positive way? I think the answer is yes. Money can't be the metric of seriousness — after all, anyone remember the dollar advantage Dewhurst had over TC?"

• "Depends is the only right answer now. If Trump gets swamped, Cruz won't be much hurt. If Trump runs close and wins or loses, Cruz will have problems."

• "When diehard grassroots question Cruz in public and don't care about repercussions, he left his flank open."

• "Ironically, his convention speech will be the example of the only time that Ted Cruz behaved like the adult in the room."

Enlarge Emily Albracht

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At this point, which Republican is most likely to challenge Cruz?

• "Don't know that McCaul jumps in, but he has all the tools to move up the food chain. He is a superb member of the House, and would make a terrific Senator — or President, for that matter. I'm a fan."

• "George P. Bush"

• "A businessman or woman outsider with no political experience."

• "Lowry Mays"

• "Shakes out after November — Patrick, Abbott, the list could grow. Anyone who runs better get their big boy pants on and get ready to rumble. Team Cruz will do anything, use anything and say anything to keep that seat."

Our thanks to this week's participants: Gene Acuna, Clyde Alexander, Jay Arnold, Charles Bailey, Dave Beckwith, Amy Beneski, Andrew Biar, Allen Blakemore, Tom Blanton, Chris Britton, Raif Calvert, Lydia Camarillo, Kerry Cammack, Elna Christopher, Kevin Cooper, Randy Cubriel, Beth Cubriel, Curtis Culwell, Denise Davis, Glenn Deshields, Tom Duffy, David Dunn, Jack Erskine, Gay Erwin, Tom Forbes, Bruce Gibson, Kinnan Golemon, Daniel Gonzalez, Clint Hackney, Wayne Hamilton, Bill Hammond, Kathy Hutto, Deborah Ingersoll, Mark Jones, Robert Kepple, Richard Khouri, Tom Kleinworth, Sandy Kress, Pete Laney, Dick Lavine, James LeBas, Luke Legate, Myra Leo, Ruben Longoria, Matt Mackowiak, Jason McElvaney, Steve Minick, Bee Moorhead, Mike Moses, Todd Olsen, Gardner Pate, Robert Peeler, Jerry Philips, Wayne Pierce, Richard Pineda, Allen Place, Gary Polland, Jay Pritchard, Ted Melina Raab, Patrick Reinhart, Chuck Rice, Carl Richie, A.J. Rodriguez, Grant Ruckel, Barbara Schlief, Stan Schlueter, Robert Scott, Steve Scurlock, Ben Sebree, Jason Skaggs, Ed Small, Larry Soward, Dennis Speight, Sherry Sylvester, Sara Tays, Trey Trainor, Corbin Van Arsdale, David White, Darren Whitehurst, Michael Williams, Peck Young, Angelo Zottarelli.

Enlarge Todd Wiseman

Tuesday, Aug. 16

• State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, fundraiser; Westgate Building, 1122 Colorado St., Suite 2001, Austin (4:30-6:30 p.m.)
• Kleberg County GOP fundraiser, with special guests state Reps. J.M. Lozano, R-Kingsville, and Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi; Kleberg Bank Community Room, 100 E. Kleberg St., Kingsville (6 p.m.)

Wednesday, Aug. 17

• "Failures of Imagination" book talk and signing with U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin; Texas Public Policy Foundation, 901 Congress Ave, Austin (11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.)
  

Monday, Aug. 22

• Sunset Advisory Commission meeting; Capitol Extension, Room E1.030, 1400 Congress Ave. Austin (9 a.m.)

Tuesday, Aug. 23

• Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump fundraising luncheon with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus; Fort Worth (11 a.m.)
• Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump fundraiser; Austin (6 p.m.)
• Nueces County Democratic Party's A Night of Appreciation with special guest former state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte; Holiday Inn Marina, 707 N. Shoreline Blvd., Corpus Christi (6 p.m.)

Thursday, Aug. 25

• Williamson County Democratic Party awards dinner, with special guests former state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte and former Gov. Mark White; Fern Bluff MUD Community Center, 7320 Wyoming Springs Drive, Round Rock (7-9:30 p.m.)
  

***We are taking a quick one-week hiatus for Summer Break. We will not publish Aug. 19, but will be back the following Friday.***

Former Bush adviser William Inboden said Donald Trump has shown no interest in “learning the responsible behavior of a statesman” and warned that the GOP standard-bearer would risk the country’s national security and diplomatic relations abroad.

Congressional ethics investigators have decided to take a further look at U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Austin, over a legislative amendment he pushed that allegedly benefited his car dealership.

Jeff Wood was outside in a pickup when his partner killed a Kerrville convenience store clerk in 1996, but he was sentenced to death under Texas' felony murder statute, commonly known as the law of parties.

A federal judge on Wednesday approved a plan that says it won't be mandatory for Texans to present photo identification in order to vote in the November general election.

A group led by an anti-abortion advocate appears to be one of the largest recipients of state funding from the “Healthy Texas Women” program, which lawmakers recently created to help women find health care services paid for by the state.

Ted Cruz, seeking to reconnect with Texans after a brutal presidential race, told business leaders in San Antonio on Wednesday that the United States needs a "return to common sense."

The University of Houston has been burned before when it comes to the politics of college sports realignment. This time, its supporters are lobbying the state's top politicians for some help winning an invitation to the Big 12.

Attorney General Ken Paxton telling county clerks they do not have to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples is not a sign of "professional misconduct," according to the State Bar of Texas.

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine Tuesday in Austin denounced Republican rival Donald Trump for comments perceived as a threat against Hillary Clinton.

In a rebuke of a private firm’s plans to build a bullet train between Houston and Dallas, local officials in rural southeastern Texas moved Tuesday to restrict high-speed rail development in their corner part of the state.

The Texas Attorney General's Office and University of Texas at Austin administrators on Monday asked a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit by three UT-Austin professors that seeks to block implementation of the state's new campus carry law.

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Houston have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.

Gov. Greg Abbott has named Robert E. “Bobby” Bell of Edna, Jackson County's district attorney, the judge of the 267th Judicial District Court. The judicial district covers Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Refugio and Victoria counties. He was appointed to a term running through the November election.

Abbott named Laurie Woloszyn of Longview to serve on the Sabine River Authority Board of Directors for a term to expire July 6, 2021. She is the county auditor for Gregg County.

Abbott named Clifton “Cliff” Bickerstaff of Amarillo to the Board for Lease of Texas Parks and Wildlife Lands. The organization leases TPW property. Bickerstaff, executive vice president of Amarillo National Bank, will serve a term to expire Sept. 1, 2017.

Abbott named Mark Bronson of Fort Worth the presiding officer of the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners. He appointed Bronson and two other doctors — Nicholas “Nick” Baucum of Corpus Christi and Gus Ramirez of Tyler — to terms on the board that expire Feb. 1, 2021.

Steven Albright has been named the new budget director for the governor’s office.He served previously as deputy policy director and succeeds Ky Ash, who is joining the Austin office of K&L Gates LLP where he will work in the firm’s public policy and law practice.

Walter V. Wendler, chancellor emeritus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is set to become president of West Texas A&M University. Regents for the A&M system named him the sole finalist for the job late last week.

David Edmonson, the deputy chief of staff to retiring state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, will leave the Texas Senate next week. He’s leaving for Austin Tech, a new nonprofit where he will serve as executive director.

Consulting firm Allyn Media has hired Shawn Williams away from the Dallas Police Department where he handled community engagement and media relations for the past three years. Before that, he worked in the mayor’s office where he was a deputy chief of staff.

Consulting firm The Blocker Group has added Greg Macksood to its roster. He was most recently at Chesapeake Energy where he had the title of senior director of government relations.

The Texas Public Policy Foundation has named former pediatric cardiologist Deane Waldman to be the new director of its Center for Health Care Policy. The free market think tank noted that Waldman practiced for 37 years and “reluctantly retired” when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act in 2012.

Robert Potts, president and CEO of the Dixon Water Foundation, has joined the board of the Texas Agricultural Land Trust.

Disclosure: Amarillo National Bank, K&L Gates, Texas A&M University and the Texas Public Policy Foundation have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.