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This is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, February 14, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Cruz and Cornyn Split on Ukraine Spending Package

• Over the objection of conservative members, the United States Senate passed a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. As Brandon Waltens reports, Texas' John Cornyn joined most of the chamber's Democrats and 21 other Republicans in voting to pass the package. Ted Cruz and the majority of Republicans opposed the measure.
      
• Cruz expressed concern that the measure included no funding for border security along the U.S. southern border, which has been a sticking point for the House.
      
• Cornyn said that while he would rather have supported a package with border security appropriations, the legislation represents “a renewal of essential American leadership.”
       
• Cornyn and the other Republicans voting "yes" drew swift condemnation from conservatives around Texas and the country.
       
• “Unsurprisingly, America Last RINO John Cornyn has once again joined hands with the Biden administration to fund and prioritize foreign wars over the national security crisis at the southern border.” – Attorney General Ken Paxton

Policy Group Announces 2025 Agenda

• As preparations for the 2025 legislative session begin, the Texas Public Policy Foundation has announced its priorities. Those include ending taxpayer-funded lobbying, expanding school choice, securing the Texas-Mexico border, and several additional policy issues for the next two years. Sydnie Henry has the details.
       
• The 89th Legislative Session will begin January 14, 2025.
      
• “Texas serves as a model and a beacon for the rest of the country to maximize individual liberty, promote a vibrant and growing economy, and ensure safe and secure communities,” said TPPF CEO Greg Sindelar.

Dallas Council to Weigh Adding $1.25 Billion Bond on May Ballot

• Dallas voters might be asked to approve more local debt, depending on a decision by the city council later this week. Erin Anderson has details on what is being included in the overall package.
      
• If all the projects in the $1.25 billion debt proposal are placed on the ballot and approved, they could cost city property taxpayers $1.76 billion.
       
• Originally, council members considered putting the bond propositions on the ballot in November, but at their last meeting, the council tentatively approved moving up the vote. Under state law, propositions for the May 4 ballot must be set by February 16.

Armenta Joins Race to Lead Texas GOP

• Houston businessman Ben Armenta has announced his candidacy for the chairmanship of the Republican Party of Texas. He ran for Land Commissioner in the 2022 GOP primary, placing last in the eight-person open-seat race. 
      
• Incumbent Matt Rinaldi has not announced his own re-election plans, but the party's vice-chair—Dana Myers of Houston—has announced her own candidacy for the top job.
      
• In announcing his 2024 bid for the GOP chair, Armenta said closing the primaries would be his top priority, followed by fundraising and holding elected officials accountable.

PROFILE: Rogers and Olcott in HD60

• Heading into the GOP primary, a co-founder of the Parker County Conservatives is looking to unseat the current state representative for House District 60. As Emily Medeiros reports, this is a rematch from 2022, when Glenn Rogers beat Mike Olcott by just 300 votes.
       
• In the 2023 legislative session, Rogers voted to impeach Attorney General Paxton and oppose most of the GOP's legislative agenda. Notably, he was one of two dozen Republicans to help Democrats kill Gov. Greg Abbott's school choice initiative. Among his top donors are House Speaker Dade Phelan and the Houston lobby group Texans for Lawsuit Reform. Rogers was listed as a member of the "Dirty Dozen" in the 2023 documentary The Texas Heist.
      
• Olcott has the backing of Sen. Ted Cruz, as well as Abbott, Paxton, and a wide range of local and statewide grassroots organizations.
       
• “Voters are fed up with an open border and skyrocketing property taxes. I will work to deliver real results, not campaign rhetoric.” – Mike Olcott

Fiscal Watchdog Group Announces 2024 Endorsements

• Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has released its list of candidate endorsements for the primary election, focusing on the most “fiscally responsible candidates.” Amelia McKenzie has the story.

     
• In all, the group has issued 16 endorsements.

Quote-Unquote

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

– Charles M. Schulz​

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