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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.
If all registered voters in Texas — or even most of them — actually voted, a new poll on this year's U.S. Senate race would be a lot more interesting. As is, it's just a look at what might happen in an election held today, if 15.2 million Texans turned out to vote. Full Story
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The November general elections are still ahead, but they won't by themselves determine all of the important spots in the Texas Legislature. Watch the empty chairs — they can be almost as important as the occupied ones. Full Story
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It's not enough to know that a political seat will be empty — you need to know when it will be empty. That's often up to the current officeholders, and the timing that works for them doesn't always match what works for others. Full Story
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Read some of the former first lady's most memorable sayings, or share your own. Full Story
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Bush was the second American who was both the wife and mother of presidents. She did practically everything in politics short of running herself. Full Story
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With Speaker Joe Straus leaving the Texas House and Speaker Paul Ryan leaving the U.S. House, things are going to change in government. But most of us don't get a say in their replacements. Full Story
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Kids and parents and teachers have spent the week struggling through another round of standardized testing in Texas public schools. Voters hate it, so politicians hate it. But the test results are a key ingredient of the state's education policy. Full Story
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With its vote to deny the Log Cabin Republicans a booth at the GOP state convention, the State Republican Executive Committee might be drawing a line with the younger voters it hopes to attract. Full Story
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Democrats in Texas and the U.S. could have a really good election year and still not win enough seats to win a majority in the U.S. House. It's not the voters — it's the maps. Full Story
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If Texas oil and gas and self-driving cars don't command voters' attention, what will? Andrew White, a Democrat running for governor, is trying to find out. Full Story
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