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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

  • Back to Basics

    By Ross Ramsey

    As be begins his second decade as governor, Rick Perry's plan is to deal with the basics: to make sure the state is on a smooth economic path, to pass a balanced state budget, to coax the federal government into loosening its purse strings and tightening its security on the Mexican border. Full Story 

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    Credit: Justin Dehn

  • Inside Intelligence: Capitol Security Is...

    By Ross Ramsey

    For this week's installment of our nonscientific survey of political and policy insiders on issues of the moment, we asked about the bunker mentality at the Capitol: whether the level of security is too lax, over the top or just right, whether concealed handgun licenses ought to be the only "fast pass" through security lines and which state officials should have a security detail. Full Story 

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  • Gimme Shelter

    By Ross Ramsey

    Gov. Rick Perry’s focus on sanctuary cities — cities that don't allow their police officers to enforce federal immigration laws — could offer him safe passage through the contentious immigration debate. But it will be tricky. Full Story 

    House Speaker Joe Straus, Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst
    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • Oh, Kay!

    By Ross Ramsey

    Kay Bailey Hutchison pulled the trigger, announcing in a letter to her supporters that she won't seek reelection in 2012. Full Story 

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Ross Ramsey

    The Trib staff on the opening of the Texas legislative session, Hu on what actually happened on day one, C. Miller's time-lapse photo essay, M. Smith on public school kids in the criminal justice system, Stiles and Chang interactively map legislative offices, Grissom interviews the chronicler of drug war killings in Juárez, yours truly on security at the Capitol, Galbraith on efforts by industrial plants to duck the battle between state and federal environmental regulators, Ramshaw on 25-year-olds cut out of federally mandated state health insurance, E. Smith's news-making interview with House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts and our guide to some of the people who might — and might not — run for Kay Bailey Hutchison's seat in the U.S. Senate: The best of our best from January 10 to 15, 2011. Full Story 

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  • Capitol Insecurity

    By Ross Ramsey

    When Andrew Cuomo took office as governor of New York earlier this month, he ordered the removal of the security barricades limiting access to his state’s Capitol. “This Capitol has become a physical metaphor for the isolation and alienation of our people,” he said in his inauguration speech. He could easily have been talking about Texas. Full Story 

    Capitol visitors pass through metal detectors.
    Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller