All About Texas is a magazine produced by Concordia University Austin that covers Texas and all of its special features. We share stories about the Lone Star State, from politics and culture, to historical landmarks, camping and fishing, hunting, exhibitions, fairs and cuisine.
From the start of our long journey as a publication in 1936, All About Texas has been committed to providing relevant, objective journalism that respects your values and captures the spirit of what it means to be a Texan. We are proud of our legacy and are looking forward to an exciting future.
During the antebellum years, rapid development brought prosperity and conflict to the frontier state. Cattle and cotton were major industries. After the Civil War, rapid population growth and diversification of the economy helped bolster the state. In the 20th Century, the state was a major center for high technology and aerospace industries. This included NASA's Johnson Space Center. The state is also home to some of the top research universities and colleges in the country, including M. D. Anderson Cancer Center as well as the University of Texas at Dallas.
According to political consultant Bill Miller in the 1970s, Texas began moving rightward. Miller says that Ronald Reagan won the Republican primaries in 1976 by a two-to-one margin. "That lit the conservatism fuse."
Just two years ago, Texas Republicans had a tough time in the national arena. Rick Perry got trounced in the Presidential primaries, and Senator Ted Cruz, who was favored to be the GOP nominee, was outhustled by Donald Trump.
In the Texas Legislature however, Democrats have begun to gain seats they had never expected. One, Senfronia Thompson, who represents the Houston district of Harris County, is now the Chair of a committee that oversees many important bills and has significant influence over how legislation is passed.
The Texas House, under the leadership of Speaker Joe Straus is an institution that values a tradition that gives key positions to members from the minority party. Unlike most other states, the Texas Senate and House both follow this practice. Straus, an Austin-based businessman elected to the House of Representatives in 2006, had a career as a financial advisor and insurance agent, including work with George H. W. Bush in 1988. In his first term, Straus focused on creating a workforce that Texas businesses needed by protecting public education, building roads, establishing top-tier universities and expanding job training. He is known as a strong negotiator, and a force that cannot be ignored. He has left his mark on a powerful, influential and fractious nation.