Houston Blogs: Prof13
Dr. Murray has taught at the University of Houston since 1966 and is currently the Bob Lanier Professor of Political Policy in the UH Department of Political Science and Director of Surveying for the UH Center for Public Policy. His academic interests are in Houston and Texas politics, focusing on campaigns and elections, political parties and interest groups, and public opinion.
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The 2011-2012 Texas Redistricting Case: Part Two of a Series
Texans expected to nominate candidates for state and county offices, and make their presidential preferences known, on March 6th. Of course that is not going to happen. May 29th now seems the earliest date the postponed elections can be held....
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Primer on the 2011-2012 Redistricting Fight in Texas: Part 1 of a Series
Yesterday, a three-judge federal court in San Antonio rejected a redistricting deal Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott had negotiated with some of the plaintiffs suing to void the maps enacted by the Texas Legislature. The court told the parties to...
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The Last Days of the Perry Campaign: End Game in South Carolina
Premature obituaries are not uncommon in politics. The former Vice-President and 1960 Republican presidential nominee wrote his own after losing the 1962 California governor’s race; bitterly vowing to the press that they “would not have Nixon to kick around anymore”...
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The End Game: Rick Perry and Ron Paul in Iowa
Today, Politico, the online website has a story on Rick Perry’s Last Stand in Iowa. While the story has a few positives for our governor (Newt Gingrich’s bubble is bursting), the thrust of the piece is that Perry’s intensive retail...
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Rick Perry’s Last Stand: The Iowa Alamo
After last night’s debate in Washington D.C., the Republican race for the presidential nomination is finally beginning to gel. There has been only one constant over the last year: Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is a solid first-tier candidate and...
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Can Rick Perry Get Lucky in Vegas?
Governor Perry’s luck has run hot and cold since he got in the presidential race in early August. He was hot as a Texas pistol in August and early September, but his fortunes turned when he joined his fellow Republicans...
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Rick Perry’s Big Night: 10/11/11
Presidential nomination contests grind out over the course of a year or more – a political marathon unique to American politics. But along that long road, there are occasional moments when everything can change suddenly and irreversibly for a candidate...
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Rick Perry Surges Ahead in New Polls: Is America Ready for Another Texas Governor in the White House?
Today, two new surveys were released showing Governor Rick Perry with statistically significant leads over former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, with Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann trailing in third place, followed by Congressman Ron Paul of Surfside. What should one make of...
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Governor Perry On the Verge: The Prayer Meeting at Reliant Stadium
We can’t say that the eyes of the nation will be focused on Reliant Stadium tomorrow when Governor Perry’s prayer meeting kicks off, but we can say the eyes of political pundits will be closely following what happens in the...
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Rick Perry's moment of decision
Jay Root has a story in the Texas Tribune section of today’s New York Times examining Rick Perry’s years as a Democratic legislator in Austin in the 1980s. The story makes the point that Mr. Perry’s party switch in September...