“Testing for Silicosis Comes Under Scrutiny in Congress”: The New York Times contains this article today.

“Willett narrowly leading Smith; Incumbent was appointed to state Supreme Court by the governor”: This article appears today in The Houston Chronicle.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports today that “Justice holds onto slim lead in election.”

And The Austin American-Statesman reports that “Holcomb, Keel moving toward runoff; Presiding Judge Keller also takes lead on Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.”

“Bush withdraws court nominee; With Judge James Payne under an ethics cloud, the White House has ‘honored’ Payne’s ‘request’ to bow out from a top federal bench.” Today at Salon.com, Will Evans provides this report. Evans’s earlier Salon.com writings about this nominee, which can be accessed via this earlier post, were by all indications the cause of the nomination’s withdrawal.

And in other coverage, The Oklahoman reports today that “Appeals court nominee’s name withdrawn.”

“In This Subway Series, NYU Law Vies With Columbia”: This article appears today in The New York Sun.