Texas Politics & Government: Ideas and Institutions

The 86 th Texas Legislature created a commission to study the partisan election of judges in Texas. The specific charge to the commission: The study must consider the fairness, effectiveness, and desirability of selecting a judicial officer through partisan elections; the fairness, effectiveness, and desirability of judicial selection methods proposed or adopted by other states; the relative merits of alternative methods for selecting a judicial officer. The TCJS is required to submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the governor and the legislature no later than December 31, 2020. The commission held its first meeting on January 9, 2020. During that meeting, the chair—David Beck—introduced the members and formed three subcommittees—Appointments and Confirmations Committee, Citizens Panels and Judicial Qualifications Committee, and Elections Committee. The fifteen members of the Commission, who were appointed by the Governor (4 members), Lieutenant Governo...

With a New Year, there are always resolutions: commitments to do something differently or something new. This is my resolution: It's time for state and local politics in Texas to be elevated in terms of analysis. That is not to say that there are not credible and conscientious analyses of Texas politics now. They can be found, but scholarship on Texas politics is not readily. So, if you're an academic or political activist who loves to investigate and analyze politics, then join my quest to elevate state and local politics in Texas. For me, an academic is anyone who studies politics as a science, seeks answers to interesting political questions, and loves to write and exchange ideas. I count my students among that group. I have read enough thoughtful and well-organized student papers to know that to be true. You can email me at shaag78749@gmail.com with your idea of what issue you wish to address and a little about your background and sources of information about politics....