Six Scenarios for Thirty Days
Maybe it is just a cosmic coincidence that next Tuesday’s special legislative session begins shortly after the premiere of the final season of HBO’s popular medieval fantasy Game of Thrones.
R. G. Ratcliffe began working for Texas Monthly as a freelance writer in 2011 and joined the staff as a senior editor for politics in 2017. After retiring in 2019, he became one of the magazine’s writers-at-large. Drawing on 22 years of experience as a political and investigative reporter for the Houston Chronicle, Ratcliffe was on the Texas Monthly team that produced the Best and Worst Legislators list from 2015 to 2021. Ratcliffe covered seven presidential campaigns, as well as the classic gubernatorial races when Democrat Ann Richards defeated Republican cowboy businessman Clayton Williams, in 1990, and when she was defeated, four years later, in an election that put Republican George W. Bush on the path to the presidency. Ratcliffe was featured in the HBO documentary about Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign, Journeys With George. He also was a key source in the Bill Moyers documentary Capitol Crimes, about the political corruption of lobbyist Jack Abramoff and Republican House majority leader Tom DeLay. A native of Dallas, Ratcliffe earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism and in American history from the University of Missouri.
Maybe it is just a cosmic coincidence that next Tuesday’s special legislative session begins shortly after the premiere of the final season of HBO’s popular medieval fantasy Game of Thrones.
If you’re trying to knock off some last minute summer beach time before the special session begins, you might want some fairly light fare of Texas politics and history.
A victim of its own success, the Texas Republican Party is having an identity crisis.
It just wouldn’t be an odd-numbered year without a crazy legislative session—and our picks of the ten lawmakers who made us proud and the ten who made us pull our hair out.
On tree ordinances and other subversive things cities do.
Texas A&M at Qatar and the Middle East squabble.
Looking at the historical parallels between a Sam Houston scuffle and the recent incident with Poncho Nevárez and Matt Rinaldi.
The strengths and weaknesses shown in Abbott's call for a special session.
A federal court rules that a transgender boy should be able to use the bathroom he identifies with.
A timeline of the issue that clogged up the Legislative session.
House members mark Sine Die by threatening each other with violence.
Dan Patrick’s Scorched-Earth Potty Politics.
The House passes what could be called Patrick Lite.
Lieutenant governor threatens to force repeated special sessions unless his agenda is passed.
Cornyn backs out of the FBI director race.
Cornyn's main motivation for wanting to head the FBI? His political career hit a dead end soon.
HHSC inspector general resigns after Texas Monthly raises questions about his work on behalf of the Iraqi government.
Governor controls the spotlight as he signs a sanctuary city ban into law.
Nearly 700,000 Texans have ACA insurance in districts represented by Republicans who voted to eliminate it.
Democrats and Republicans are turning non-partisan elections partisan.
Five years after killing an anti-immigration bill, Texas businesses are now focused on bathrooms.
Castro’s decision leaves Beto O’Rourke as the lone Democrat in the U.S. Senate race.
For representatives Ana Hernandez and Gene Wu, Wednesday's immigration debate in the House was personal.
Conspiracy theories in the state didn’t just start with Alex Jones.
Hillary Clinton carried three congressional districts that reelected their GOP congressmen. Is that good news for Texas Democrats?
Results also has some early signs of possible trouble for Ted Cruz.
But the Texas Lyceum survey found Republicans back deportation.
Abbott seems to support the House solution to the bathroom debacle.
A Venezuelan loan default could give Putin a stake in Texas oil refining.
During fifteen hours of debate, the House rejected the tea party agenda.
Upper chamber’s version of the budget would slice $219 million from higher education.
An interview with the Democrat challenging Ted Cruz.
Is Texas ready for statewide candidate who wants to legalize marijuana?
The El Paso Democrat faces long odds against Ted Cruz.
Our favorite political reads of the week.
Congressman hints at major announcement Friday.
On Tuesday, social conservatives may try to attach the controversial measure to an oil-and-gas bill.
Our favorite political reads of the week.
But Governor Abbott erroneously claims the sheriff released the inmates out into the streets.
Paxton defends questioning Muslim prayer room on "Fox and Friends."
Our favorite political reads of the week.
What do you get when a Democratic congressman from El Paso goes on a road trip with a Republican from San Antonio? An internet sensation.
The bathroom bill is the latest issue to expose the split between social conservatives and business Republicans.
Our favorite political reads of the week.
Commerce secretary predicts a slow start, but any changes could affect Texas.
French oil company chairman says not to expect big investments.
University officials rushing to debunk ‘Infowars’ story.
On Tuesday we'll see bathrooms as a Christian issue in the Senate, while the House tries to reform school finance.
Our favorite political reads of the week.
Senator Huffines’s outburst to students shows the fervor of the debate.