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Ross Ramsey

Ross Ramsey’s staff photo

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

  • Sorting It All Out

    By Ross Ramsey

    The governor's race is just what you expected: Republican Rick Perry and Democrat Bill White. Perry starts with the power of incumbency and the state's 16-year-old preference for Republicans over Democrats in statewide office. White starts with the advantage of non-incumbency — don't snort at that — and the ability to run a more serious and well-financed campaign than anyone in his party has run in some time. Five independents have signed up, and the Libertarians will choose their candidate in June. Full Story 

  • 2010: Sibley, Standing By

    By Ross Ramsey

    Former state Sen. David Sibley, R-Waco, is talking to people about getting back into the Legislature when Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, gets out. But he's not out yet, and there are two exits. Full Story 

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  • TribBlog: Texas Unemployment Rises

    By Ross Ramsey

    More than 1 million Texans were unemployed in January, according to new numbers from the Texas Workforce Commission. Unemployment in the state hit 8.6 percent in January, up from 8 percent the month before and 6.8 percent in January 2009. The comparable national rate was 10.6 percent. Full Story 

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  • Starting Over

    By Ross Ramsey

    The real gift to Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday wasn't the win over Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Debra Medina in the GOP primary, which was foretold in the polls. It was the quick win. A runoff would have gobbled six weeks and something like $10 million and might have left the winner bruised on the way into a battle with Democrat Bill White, who easily bested six others in his party's primary. So how does November look from here? Full Story 

    BIll White, Rick Perry at their Primary 2010 reception speeches.
    Credit: Callie Richmond, Caleb Bryant MIller

  • SD-22: Averitt, In Spite of Himself

    By Ross Ramsey

    Waco state Sen. Kip Averitt, who doesn't want to serve another term and didn't lift a finger or spend a dime to win the Republican primary, is nevertheless leading in incomplete returns. His challenger, Darren Yancy of Burleson, was lagging by almost two-to-one with well over half of the precincts counted. Full Story 

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  • HD-11: Hopson Takes It

    By Ross Ramsey

    Chuck Hopson is leading two challengers in a very closely watched Republican primary in HD-11. In early returns, Hopson was over the critical 50 percent mark, with Allan Cain and Michael Banks tied somewhere behind. Full Story 

    Photo of Chuck Hopson
    Credit: chuckhopson.com