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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Dallas. Written by Tasha Tsiaperas and Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi.

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Texas is a leader in high-dollar art sales

The art boom is a byproduct of Texas' growing population and more ultra-wealthy families moving in.

News

The art market is thriving in Texas, with an increasing number of transactions over $1 million, per a report by Bank of America and ArtTactic.Why it matters: The state&#x27;s art boom is a byproduct of its growing population and more ultra-wealthy families moving to the state, Bank of America Dallas president Jennifer Chandler tells Axios.

Texas job growth slowed in February

Job losses in February were reported in multiple sectors.

Business

Texas employment growth slowed sharply in February, per a new report from the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2026/04/15/insurance-premiums-dallas-fed" data-vars-content-id="1bc659b4-82d1-43c1-a09e-6ffe51e65cee" data-vars-headline="Texas job growth slowed in February" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2026/04/15/insurance-premiums-dallas-fed" target="_self">Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas</a>. Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Lower immigration" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2026/04/03/growth-slows-across-u-s" data-vars-content-id="1bc659b4-82d1-43c1-a09e-6ffe51e65cee" data-vars-headline="Texas job growth slowed in February" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2026/04/03/growth-slows-across-u-s" target="_self">Lower immigration</a> is constraining the state&#x27;s labor supply, while higher productivity is leading to less demand for labor.

Colin Allred and Julie Johnson are headed to a runoff in Democratic primary

They are running in the redrawn Dallas-area 33rd District.

Politics & Policy

Former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred and U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson are headed for a runoff in the Democratic primary for a redrawn North Texas seat.Why it matters: Democrats were left fighting for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="fewer congressional seats" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/12/04/supreme-court-rules-texas-gop-redistricting-map" data-vars-content-id="af388de6-91c5-4257-8f01-3d389344cd58" data-vars-headline="Colin Allred and Julie Johnson are headed to a runoff in Democratic primary" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/12/04/supreme-court-rules-texas-gop-redistricting-map" target="_self">fewer congressional seats</a> in Texas after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Texas to use an election map giving Republicans five more GOP-leaning seats.

More Democratic ballots cast than Republican in Texas primaries

Democratic voter enthusiasm during the primary could signal high Democratic turnout for the general election.

More Texas voters are turning out to cast ballots in the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Democratic primary" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/12/08/texas-primary-election-paxton-cornyn-crockett-talarico" data-vars-content-id="45746767-4792-49dc-9cdc-45eb29f873fd" data-vars-headline="More Democratic ballots cast than Republican in Texas primaries" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/12/08/texas-primary-election-paxton-cornyn-crockett-talarico" target="_self">Democratic primary</a> than the Republican primary during early voting.Why it matters: Primaries tend to attract the most dedicated voters. High Democratic turnout in March could signal greater Democratic turnout in the November midterm election.

Democrat flips Texas Senate seat in Tarrant County

Taylor Rehmet tallied more than 57% of the vote in the special election runoff, after being outspent 10 to 1.

Election

Democrat Taylor Rehmet flipped a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Texas Senate district in Tarrant County" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/06/tarrant-county-democrat-wants-to-flip-state-senate-seat" data-vars-content-id="13131ba1-5740-47b0-8183-e0f74d476156" data-vars-headline="Democrat flips Texas Senate seat in Tarrant County" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/11/06/tarrant-county-democrat-wants-to-flip-state-senate-seat" target="_self">Texas Senate district in Tarrant County</a> on Saturday, easily beating a President Trump-back Republican.Why it matters: The district, which covers most of Fort Worth and its conservative northern suburbs, has been reliably red for decades.

What we're watching in Texas in 2026

From elections to school vouchers, here are the stories we're watching in 2026.

Across Texas, we&#x27;re keeping our eye on several big stories this year.

Texans approve constitutional amendments for tax breaks, water investments

Several amendments will also reduce property taxes for some groups.

Texas voters on Tuesday approved all <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="17 constitutional amendments" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/10/14/texas-constitutional-amendments-election" data-vars-content-id="ea7dc259-9cb7-4ceb-ab80-c345c49fcbac" data-vars-headline="Texans approve constitutional amendments for tax breaks, water investments" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2025/10/14/texas-constitutional-amendments-election" target="_self">17 constitutional amendments</a> on the ballot addressing property taxes, the state&#x27;s water supply, dementia research and other issues.The big picture: The updates to the Texas Constitution range from enshrining <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="parental rights" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/04/26/texas-house-tentatively-oks-parental-consent-for-social-media" data-vars-content-id="ea7dc259-9cb7-4ceb-ab80-c345c49fcbac" data-vars-headline="Texans approve constitutional amendments for tax breaks, water investments" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2023/04/26/texas-house-tentatively-oks-parental-consent-for-social-media" target="_self">parental rights</a> to prohibiting capital gains and inheritance taxes.

What's on the May 3 ballot in Dallas-Fort Worth

Voters will cast ballots for city council, school board and bond proposals.

Election day is Saturday, and city council and school board positions are up for grabs across North Texas.Why it matters: Local elections determine who makes decisions about taxes, schools, land use, roads, parks and libraries.

Dallas voters decriminalize marijuana, approve 2 controversial propositions

Voters approved an amendment to the City Charter that makes misdemeanor marijuana possession the lowest police enforcement priority.

Dallas voters approved an amendment to the City Charter that would essentially decriminalize marijuana, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="preliminary voting results" data-vars-click-url="https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/TX/Dallas/122494/web.345435/#/summary" data-vars-content-id="ca1623fc-3a41-4d2f-ad72-770baa4a83ac" data-vars-headline="Dallas voters decriminalize marijuana, approve 2 controversial propositions" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/TX/Dallas/122494/web.345435/#/summary" target="_blank">preliminary voting results</a>.<ul><li>They appeared set to approve two community-supported propositions that would vastly increase the police force and allow residents to sue city officials.</li></ul>

Dallas-Fort Worth elections: Trump, Cruz win

Voters also approved amendments to the city charter.

Texas made their decisions in the presidential election and beyond, sending <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="former President Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="ae000582-078e-4a1c-8f43-0816821c209c" data-vars-headline="Dallas-Fort Worth elections: Trump, Cruz win" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">former President Trump</a> <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="to the White House" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/11/05/election-map-2024-presidential-results-harris-trump" data-vars-content-id="ae000582-078e-4a1c-8f43-0816821c209c" data-vars-headline="Dallas-Fort Worth elections: Trump, Cruz win" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/11/05/election-map-2024-presidential-results-harris-trump" target="_self">to the White House</a> and reelecting U.S. Sen Ted Cruz, according to the Associated Press.Why it matters: Texas had been viewed as an opportunity for Democrats to expand the playing field and be in a position to steal Republican Senate seats, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="as Axios&#x27; Hans Nichols and Stephen Neukam reported" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/25/senate-democrats-florida-rick-scott-mucarsel-powell" data-vars-content-id="ae000582-078e-4a1c-8f43-0816821c209c" data-vars-headline="Dallas-Fort Worth elections: Trump, Cruz win" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/09/25/senate-democrats-florida-rick-scott-mucarsel-powell" target="_self">as Axios&#x27; Hans Nichols and Stephen Neukam reported</a> — but those hopes did not work out for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Vice President Harris" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/kamala-harris-us-election-2024" data-vars-content-id="ae000582-078e-4a1c-8f43-0816821c209c" data-vars-headline="Dallas-Fort Worth elections: Trump, Cruz win" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/kamala-harris-us-election-2024" target="_self">Vice President Harris</a> or Colin Allred.

Tarrant County judge advances conservative viewpoints

Tim O'Hare's rise in one of the country's largest counties exemplifies what happens when far-right Republicans make it to top positions in local government.

Tarrant County&#x27;s top official once created a political action committee to promote conservative city and school board candidates in Southlake.Why it matters: Tim O&#x27;Hare&#x27;s rise in one of the country&#x27;s largest counties exemplifies what happens when far-right Republicans make it to top positions in local government, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the Texas Tribune and ProPublica report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/11/texas-tarrant-county-tim-ohare-far-right/" data-vars-content-id="240880cd-9931-4820-9197-81a8376b8cfc" data-vars-headline="Tarrant County judge advances conservative viewpoints" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/11/texas-tarrant-county-tim-ohare-far-right/" target="_blank">the Texas Tribune and ProPublica report</a>.

Dallas' voting stickers designed by high schoolers

The Dallas County Elections Department held a contest for the new sticker design.

Dallas voters are getting artsy stickers this election instead of generic &quot;I voted&quot; ones.Why it matters: Cities across the U.S. have debuted new sticker designs that represent their own identities and the privilege of being able to vote.

Election 🗳️

Texas primaries test GOP redistricting strategy

Colin Allred and Julie Johnson are headed to a runoff in Democratic primary

More Democratic ballots cast than Republican in Texas primaries

Democrat flips Texas Senate seat in Tarrant County

What we're watching in Texas in 2026