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Matt Stiles

Matt Stiles’s staff photo

Matt Stiles covered government and politics for the Tribune, with a focus on data journalism, from 2009 to 2011. He oversaw and developed the Tribune’s library of web applications and interactive graphics. Previously, he was a government reporter at the Houston Chronicle. While there, he won the newspaper’s Jesse Award for service journalism and beat reporting and was its reporter of the year in 2007. Before joining the Chronicle, Stiles worked as a reporter for nearly four years at The Dallas Morning News.

Past Contributions

  • Data App: Regents Who Give

    By Matt Stiles and Brian Thevenot

    Over the past decade, the men and women chosen by Rick Perry to serve as regents of the state's universities have given his campaigns a total of at least $5.8 million, according to a Texas Tribune analysis. Full Story 

    How much does it cost to be a regent?
    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman

  • Interactive: Gov. Perry's Regent Donors

    By Matt Stiles

    Texas governors in both political parties over the years have appointed university regents who also were generous political donors. Gov. Rick Perry, who took office in December 2000, is no different. More than half the people he's selected to lead the state's public universities have contributed to his political campaigns — some more generously than others. Use this interactive table to explore those donations. Full Story 

  • Interactive: Compare Gubernatorial Schedules

    By Matt Stiles

    Texas Gov. Rick Perry challenged reporters this summer to “find anyone who can outwork” him. According to the public records, the governors of three other large states appear to be putting in a lot more time — at least according to public schedules. Documents obtained through open-records requests show that governors in California, New York and Florida each maintain far more detailed public descriptions of their time. Full Story 

  • Interactive: July 15 Cash Totals

    By Matt Stiles

    With the fall political campaigns heating up, candidates and committees last month filed reports with the Texas Ethics Commission listing the total amount of cash they have to spend. Use this table to sort through those records, or select the links to download them in raw data or portable document format. Full Story 

  • Accounts Playable

    By Ross Ramsey and Matt Stiles

    The 2,694 political committees and campaigns that filed mid-year reports with the Texas Ethics Commission together held $167 million in their accounts, but only 274 of them had more than $100,000 on hand. Our interactive chart tells you who or what they are and how much they've banked. Full Story 

    The 2,694 political committees and campaigns that filed mid-year reports with the Texas Ethics Commission together held $167 million in their accounts, and the numbers offer a glimpse at what's competitive and what's not
    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • Face the Donation

    By Matt Stiles

    Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White is again attacking his Republican opponent, Gov. Rick Perry, for accepting contributions from political appointees — but the former Houston mayor is no stranger to the practice, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of campaign and city records. White has raised nearly $2 million over his years in public life from the people he appointeed to boards and commissions. Full Story 

  • Interactive: Where Did Hutchison's Donors Go?

    By Matt Stiles

    Many contributors to U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's unsuccessful campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination now are backing other candidates. Most remained loyal to party, collectively donating at least $1 million to fellow Republican Rick Perry, the incumbent who soundly defeated Hutchison. But others decided to back Perry's general-election opponent, Democratic former Houston mayor Bill White, who has collected at least $675,000 from the senator's backers. Use the tabs below to view Hutchison's top donors — and see which candidate, if any, they decided to support. Full Story 

  • Interactive: Kay's Cash

    By Ross Ramsey and Matt Stiles

    When U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison lost the Republican primary for governor, her supporters became political orphans. But many of them have landed with either Rick Perry or Bill White. A Texas Tribune data mash-up shows that more than $1 million has flowed to Perry from Hutchison supporters since March, while at least $600,000 has gone to White. Full Story 

    Numerous contributors who supported U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's unsuccessful campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in March are now backing other candidates.
    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman