Analysis: Ken Paxton’s attractive troubles
The 2022 political season is just starting, but there are already three Republicans with statewide experience running for attorney general — including the incumbent. Full Story
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Ross Ramsey
Executive Editor
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Ross Ramsey is executive editor and co-founder of The Texas Tribune, the only member-supported, digital-first, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. He writes regular columns on politics, government and public policy. Before joining the Tribune, he was editor and co-owner of Texas Weekly. He did a 28-month stint in government with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Before that, he reported for the Houston Chronicle, the Dallas Times Herald, as a Dallas-based freelancer for regional and national magazines and newspapers, and for radio stations in Denton and Dallas.
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 27, 2021.]()
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Analysis: The Texas electric grid and the improvements that didn’t come
Texas lawmakers passed major bills in response to the winter storm power outages that killed hundreds of Texans in February. But there’s still a lot to do. Full Story
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Analysis: Regulating dangerous practices in the Texas Legislature
Lawmakers consider some things so safe that regulations can be loosened, while other matters get a tighter regulatory scheme. Consider guns and voting. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks with lawmakers on the house floor during the legislative session on Sunday, May 23, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: An end to a weird legislative session, and the beginning of an uncertain political cycle
A session transformed by COVID-19 protocols is giving way to a political cycle already disrupted by the pandemic’s effects on state government. Full Story
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![State Rep. Keith Bell, R-Forney, on the house floor on March 2, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: A conservative Texas legislative session, with more — maybe — to come
Some conservative lawmakers are worried right now about bills falling to end-of-session deadlines, but several top Republican priorities have either crossed the finish line or are very close. Full Story
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![The House will hear dozens of bills and hundreds of amendments on the house floor on April 22, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas lawmakers might get a second life for dying bills
As the end of the regular session approaches, Texas lawmakers — and some of their bills — are running out of time. But there's a special session coming later this year, and maybe — just maybe — another chance for dead legislation. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to the Senate at the Capitol on Jan. 12, 2021.]()
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Analysis: Greg Abbott wants Texas to be normal again
The governor is turning the dial to "normal," in more ways than one, dissolving pandemic restrictions and minding issues of interest to Republican primary voters. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott holds a press conference in Dallas on unaccompanied minors crossing the southern border on March 17, 2021.]()
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Analysis: Texas legislators have a long way to go and a short time to get there
Texas lawmakers are entering the last two weeks of this legislative session, with some of their biggest promises unfilled. Don’t fret: They do a lot of their work only when deadlines loom. Full Story
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Analysis: Judge legislators by what gets their attention — and their neglect
As the Texas Legislature rolls into its final two weeks, it's fair to credit members with what they've done. But pay attention to what they ignored. Full Story
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Analysis: Republican Texas legislators, like the governor, take a right turn
The Legislature still has plenty of big issues to address in its last month: electric outages, the budget and policing. At the same time, the Republican majority has its eye on issues that are dear to the conservative base: abortion, guns and elections. Full Story
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![State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, flanked by Republican colleagues, answers questions regarding SB 7, a voting rights bi…]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Analysis: Texas voters signal a turn to normal, in more ways than one
Texas voters are returning to normal pre-pandemic activities, and to their customary civic and political concerns, too. The changes are evident in the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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TribCast, special edition: Our pollsters on how Texans feel about guns, police, and the pandemic
In this edition of the TribCast, Ross talks to pollsters Joshua Blank, James Henson and Daron Shaw about the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll and what voters are thinking about guns, policing, voting law and the pandemic. Full Story
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![Handguns and rifles for sale at McBride’s Gun’s in Central Austin on April 20, 2021.]()
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Joe Biden as popular as top Republican officeholders in Texas, UT/TT Poll finds
Texas voters have a strong preference for politicians from their own parties, but overall, the president is as popular here as the governor or either of the state's U.S. senators. Full Story
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![President-elect Joe Biden during a briefing where he delivered remarks on the United States' response to the COVID-19 outbre…]()
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Texas voters are as concerned about border security as about the pandemic, UT/TT Poll finds
Reflecting both the crisis on the border and continued improvement in key pandemic measurements and increasing numbers of vaccinations, Texas voters' top concerns have shifted to the state's border with Mexico. Full Story
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![Unaccompanied migrant boys during the one hour they get for exercise at the CBP migrant processing center in El Paso on Marc…]()
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UT/TT poll: Majority of Texans oppose permitless carry, would ban police chokeholds and taxpayer-funded lobbying
On some of the major issues facing the Texas Legislature — police behavior, expanding Medicaid or allowing unlicensed carry of handguns — voters and lawmakers aren't always in sync. Full Story
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![The Senate Floor on Jan. 13, 2021.]()
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Texans remain concerned about pandemic, but they’re returning to normal, UT/TT Poll finds
Texas voters haven’t thrown caution to the wind. However, they’re staying away from large groups, “avoiding other people as much as possible,” and are wearing masks when in close contact with people outside their households. Full Story
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![People sit as they're monitored for symptoms after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine at the Delco Activity Center on March 13…]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Texas voters sharply divided on the fairness of elections and what to do about it, UT/TT Poll finds
The findings are echoed in the halls of the Texas Legislature, where lawmakers are wrestling with proposed restrictions to the state’s voting laws amid unsubstantiated questions about voter fraud and the integrity of the process. Full Story
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![Early voting at the Acres Homes Multi-Service Center in Houston on Oct. 26, 2014.]()
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February’s storm and outages united voters wanting state action, UT/TT Poll finds
Having lived through a statewide winter freeze and electricity outages in February, a substantial majority of Texas voters said electric facilities should be weatherized, and most said government funds should pay for it. Full Story
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![A car moves through a neighborhood in West Austin that is without power on Feb 18, 2021.]()
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Analysis: Redistricting is boring, and that’s why it’s hazardous to voters
Most voters don’t pay a lot of attention to the redrawing of political maps every 10 years. That’s just the way legislators like it. Full Story
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![The sun sets behind the U.S. Capitol dome in Washington, D.C., on midterm election day, Nov. 6, 2018.]()
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Analysis: A different way to look at Texans’ differences — by looking at similarities
A new look at Texas attitudes and preferences aims to find a way out of our politically polarized public square. Full Story
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![Crowds march through Austin in celebration of Martin Luther King Day on Jan. 20, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
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