Ross Ramsey

Ross Ramsey co-founded The Texas Tribune in 2009 and served as its executive editor until his retirement in 2022. He wrote 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.

Latest Contributions

Candidates Walk Fine Line Between Primary, General Elections

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 24, 2012

The problem with very partisan primary elections is that the winning candidates risk being too partisan for general election voters. Full Story

Credit: washingtonpost.com
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 22, 2012

Swartsell digs in Dallas’ garbage and finds green, M. Smith on a “ghost” candidate in El Paso, Hamilton on university responses to bomb threats, Grissom on soaring hepatitis costs in state prisons, Galbraith on the real causes of power outages, Batheja on Paul Sadler’s underdog race for U.S. Senate, Aguilar’s interview with a Houston Republican who is trying to solve the immigration problem, Aaronson reports on the biggest uninsured population in the U.S. and Dehn’s Weekend Insider peeks at Root’s new book on the Perry presidential campaign: The best of our best from Sept. 17 to 21, 2012. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
An Apple for Teacher — GOP Candidates Focus Pay Raises for Educators

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 21, 2012

More money for classrooms and less for administration and other school expenses is a staple of Texas politics. Now, with education on voters' minds, some Republican candidates are talking about higher pay for teachers. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
A Democrat Challenges Straus on Redistricting

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 21, 2012

If a federal court decides that the state intentionally discriminated when drawing its new political maps, is it more difficult for Texas lawyers to argue against Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act? And is it fuel for the constant struggle over the leadership of the Texas House? Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
Wainwright to Resign From Texas Supreme Court

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 19, 2012

Texas Supreme Court Justice Dale Wainwright is resigning at the end of the month to join an Austin law firm, the court announced Wednesday. Full Story
John Montford: The TT Interview

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 19, 2012

The former prosecutor, state lawmaker, Texas Tech chancellor and AT&T executive talks about his latest initiative to make casino gambling legal in Texas. Full Story

Credit: Justin Dehn
Weber's First Campaign Ad in General Election

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 18, 2012

Republican Randy Weber, a state representative from Pearland trying to make the leap to U.S. Congress in CD-14, unveiled his first commercial of the general election — a takeoff on the president's "You didn't build that" speech. Full Story
Inside Intelligence: About the General Election...

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 18, 2012

For this week's nonscientific survey of political and governmental insiders, we asked horse race questions about competitive races for the state's top criminal court, Congress and the state Senate. Full Story
Cruz, Sadler Agree to Second Debate in Dallas

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 17, 2012

U.S. Senate candidates Ted Cruz and Paul Sadler have agreed to a second Dallas debate, this one hosted by KERA and set for Oct. 19. Full Story
Gallego Starts TV in CD-23 With a Family Bio

By Ross Ramsey Sept. 17, 2012

Democrat Pete Gallego of Alpine is starting his television campaign this week with an initial $100,000 buy in that San Antonio to El Paso district, his campaign said. His first ad is a bio spot that talks about his family. Full Story