Skip to main content

5 things to know about the Texas runoff elections

By WTOP Staff

PAUL J. WEBER
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A tea party leader claimed the Republican nomination for the powerful Texas office of lieutenant governor in primary election runoffs Tuesday night, signaling a further push to the right in the nation’s largest conservative state. Here are five things to know in the Republican and Democratic runoffs in Texas:

___

TEA PARTY TAKEOVER

The tea party still rules Texas. In an otherwise humbling election year for tea party challengers across the U.S., conservative insurgents in the Lone Star State keep winning like it’s 2012. None were bigger than fiery conservative talk radio host Dan Patrick, the tea party caucus founder in the Texas Legislature, ousting longtime Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in a symbolic signal of GOP restlessness. It wasn’t a total sweep for anti-establishment Republicans, but they won enough key races to put Texas on track to veer even further right on abortion, gun rights and spending come 2015.

___

DEWHURST’S DEMISE

Just two years ago, Dewhurst seemed a lock to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Now Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s sidekick for the past 12 years is being shoved out the door after a second loss to an outspent tea party underdog in as many years. Spending about $20 million of his own fortune against Ted Cruz in 2012 and another $5 million against Patrick this time around couldn’t buy Dewhurst a perception among Texas GOP voters as anything but a mainstream Republican who’s grown too entrenched.

___

DEMOCRATS DODGE DILEMMA

Wendy Davis’ high-profile run for governor has made this an unusually visible election year for Texas Democrats, and they averted embarrassment by not nominating a U.S. Senate candidate who wants to impeach President Barack Obama. Kesha Rogers, who’s allied with frequent presidential candidate and conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche, lost to Dallas dental mogul David Alameel after forcing a surprising runoff in March. The Texas Democratic Party urged voters to reject Rogers and nominate Alameel to be its heavy underdog to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in November.

___

91-YEAR-OLD CONGRESSMAN OUSTED

The oldest-ever member of the U.S. House has failed in his bid for one more term. Congressman Ralph Hall, 91, lost the first runoff of his 34-year congressional career to a challenger half his age. Former U.S. Attorney John Ratcliffe, 48, won the Republican nomination for Hall’s sprawling district that stretches from suburban Dallas to the Texas-Louisiana border. Hall wanted an 18th term that he promised would have been his last, but Ratcliffe pulled away behind support from top tea party groups.

___

PERRY NON GRATA

Rick Perry was out of sight and out of mind in his last Republican primary as Texas governor. He only endorsed in one major race — Texas agriculture commissioner, one of his old jobs — and his name was seldom uttered on the campaign trail by GOP candidates up and down the ballot. If that sounds like Texas Republicans are looking to the future after 14 years under Perry, the feeling is mutual: Perry is still weighing another presidential run in 2016.

___

Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweber

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote