Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

Got any questions about the candidates’ answers?

Texas

By Sue Owen
January 28, 2014

By W. Gardner Selby
January 28, 2014

The Republican candidates for lieutenant governor faced questions on border security, abortion, education and other key topics in Monday night’s debate hosted by KERA-TV, Channel 13 in Dallas.

Some of their answers touched on claims we’ve checked before:

What piqued your interest? Let us know at politifact@statesman.com, @PolitiFactTexas and facebook.com/politifact.texas.

Our Sources

See Truth-O-Meter articles.

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by W. Gardner Selby

Ken Paxton
stated on October 25, 2018 a TV ad:

Says Ken Paxton "shut down the world’s largest human trafficking marketplace."

By W. Gardner Selby • November 1, 2018

Donald Trump
stated on October 22, 2018 a rally for Republican candidates in Houston:

Says Beto O’Rourke "voted to shield MS-13 gang members from deportation."

By W. Gardner Selby • October 25, 2018

Beto O'Rourke
stated on October 16, 2018 a debate televised from San Antonio:

Says "only one other senator from either party over the last 25 years" has "a worse record on bipartisanship" than Ted Cruz.

By W. Gardner Selby • October 18, 2018

Alexander Strenger
stated on October 1, 2018 response cited in an interactive voter guide:

Says 60 percent of Austin’s "waterways are found to be contaminated with fecal matter and deemed unsafe to swim."

By W. Gardner Selby • October 16, 2018

Beto O'Rourke
stated on September 29, 2018 an Austin rally:

Says that in Texas, "you can be too gay to adopt" a foster child "who needs a loving home."

By W. Gardner Selby • October 4, 2018

Ted Cruz
stated on September 21, 2018 a debate at Southern Methodist University:

Says Beto O’Rourke described police as "modern-day Jim Crow."

By W. Gardner Selby • September 25, 2018

Beto O'Rourke
stated on September 21, 2018 a debate at Southern Methodist University:

Says he "did not try to leave the scene of the accident" that led to his arrest for driving while intoxicated.

By W. Gardner Selby • September 25, 2018

Texans Are
stated on September 12, 2018 a TV ad:

Says Beto O’Rourke voted "against body armor for Texas sheriffs patrolling the border."

By W. Gardner Selby • September 13, 2018

Ken Paxton
stated on August 26, 2018 an interview on Fox & Friends:

Says Texas has "had over 600,000 crimes committed by illegals since 2011. Over 1,200 homicides."

By W. Gardner Selby • September 7, 2018

Greg Abbott
stated on August 30, 2018 a TV ad:

Says Texas "high school graduation rates are at all-time highs."

By W. Gardner Selby • September 7, 2018

Ted Cruz
stated on September 4, 2018 a video:

Says Beto O’Rourke said he’s grateful that people are burning or desecrating the American flag.

By W. Gardner Selby • September 5, 2018

Ted Cruz
stated on August 28, 2018 an online video ad:

Says Beto O’Rourke "voted against" Hurricane Harvey "tax relief."

By W. Gardner Selby • August 29, 2018

M.J. Hegar
stated on August 21, 2018 an interview on Spectrum Cable's "Capital Tonight":

Says U.S. Rep. John Carter "hasn’t held a town hall in five years."

By W. Gardner Selby • August 29, 2018

Beto O'Rourke
stated on July 26, 2018 an ad in the Houston Defender:

Says "black Americans have 10 times less wealth than white Americans."

By W. Gardner Selby • August 23, 2018

Silvestre Reyes
stated on May 22, 2012 a TV ad:

Says Beto O’Rourke "has a criminal record that includes DWI and burglary arrests."

By W. Gardner Selby • August 22, 2018

Got any questions about the candidates’ answers?

Clear

TikTok posts
stated on una publicación en TikTok:

Estas imágenes no son de personas infectadas con el hantavirus, fueron sacadas de contexto

False

By Maria Briceño • May 13, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on on May 7, 2026 in remarks to reporters:

Trump is wrong: Gas prices have reached near record highs, not ‘come down very substantially’

False

May 11, 2026

Liz Krueger
stated on March 5, 2026 an op-ed:

Proposed data centers in New York state would use “approximately double the energy usage of all households in the state combined.”

Mostly False

By Conor Amendola, Ryan Lombardi • May 7, 2026

X posts
stated on May 6, 2026 a social media post:

“California only has ‘enough’ oil and gas supply to meet demand for the next six weeks.”

False

By Louis Jacobson • May 7, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on May 4, 2026 a White House event:

“Consumer confidence is way up."

False

By Louis Jacobson • May 6, 2026

Sam Sutton
stated on March 11, 2026 a rally:

From January 2025 to January 2026, “hate crimes in New York City increased by 152%”

Mostly True

By Emma Gavazzi • May 5, 2026

Fentrice Driskell
stated on April 29, 2026 an interview:

“Under federal law, you cannot engage in partisan gerrymandering.”

False

By Samantha Putterman • May 1, 2026

Instagram posts
stated on April 26, 2026 una publicación en Instagram:

Imagen muestra que “950 inmigrantes derrumbaron el muro fronterizo entre México y Estados Unidos intentando ingresar a Estados Unidos” en abril 2026.

False

By Maria Briceño • April 30, 2026

Bernie Sanders
stated on April 22, 2026 a Senate committee hearing:

“As a result of the 'Big Beautiful Bill' 15 million Americans have been thrown off the healthcare that they need."

Mostly False

By Amy Sherman • April 30, 2026

Tim Scott
stated on April 26, 2026 an X post:

“Secret Service remains unpaid” during the partial government shutdown.

False

By Louis Jacobson • April 29, 2026

Pine Tree Results PAC
stated on April 26, 2026 an ad:

“Graham Platner blames Maine’s women for getting raped because he says they get f----- up drunk"

Half-True

By Amy Sherman • April 29, 2026

Social Media
stated on April 26, 2026 social media posts:

Video shows “unedited raw security footage” of the shooter at the April 25 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

False

By Maria Briceño • April 29, 2026

Donald Trump
stated on April 23, 2026 remarks at the White House:

“We are right now producing more oil than Saudi Arabia and Russia combined.”

Mostly True

By Louis Jacobson • April 29, 2026

Ron DeSantis
stated on April 27, 2026 an interview with Fox News Digital:

Since the 2020 census, Florida has "moved from a Democrat majority to a 1.5 million Republican advantage."

Half-True

By Louis Jacobson, Samantha Putterman • April 29, 2026

Social Media
stated on April 26, 2026 publicaciones en redes sociales:

“Tras el atentado a Trump”, en la cena de corresponsales de la Casa Blanca el 25 de abril, “Irán lanza un mensaje fuerte: ‘no le crean nada, miente’”.

False

By Maria Briceño • April 28, 2026

Jay Collins
stated on April 20, 2026 a campaign document:

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds voted "against three pay raises for military service members, including the largest pay raise for the military in 22 years."

Mostly False

By Samantha Putterman • April 23, 2026

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on April 22, 2026 testimony to the Senate Finance Committee:

"There's two ways of calculating percentage" decreases. “If you have a $600 drug and you reduce it to $10, that's a 600% reduction."

Pants on Fire!

By Louis Jacobson • April 23, 2026

Joe Rogan
stated on April 18, 2026 comments at the Oval Office:

“With one dose of ibogaine, more than 80% of people are free of (opioid) addiction. With two doses, it's more than 90%.”

Mostly False

By Grace Abels • April 22, 2026

X posts
stated on April 21, 2026 an X post:

“Newly released FOIA door logs show that former President Joe Biden didn't enter the Oval Office once after the 2024 election.”

Pants on Fire!

By Maria Briceño • April 22, 2026

Chris Wright
stated on April 19, 2026 an interview on CNN's "State of the Union":

Solar and wind have not reached “3% of global energy.”

Half-True

By Louis Jacobson • April 22, 2026

Load More