Cal Jillson continues to approach the politics of the Lone Star State from historical, developmental, and analytical perspectives, while giving students the most even-handed, readable, and engaging description of Texas politics available today. Throughout the book students are encouraged to connect the origins and development of government and politics in Texas--from the Texas Constitution, to party competition, to the role and powers of the Governor--to its current day practice and the alternatives possible through change and reform. This text helps instructors prepare their students to master the origin and development of the Texas Constitution, the structure and powers of state and local government in Texas, how Texas fits into the U.S. federal system, as well as political participation, the electoral process, and public policy in Texas.

Pedagogical Features

• Each chapter opens with an engaging vignette and a series of focus questions to orient readers to the learning objectives at hand.








• Each chapter concludes with a chapter summary, a list of key terms, review questions, suggested readings, and web resources.








• Each chapter includes "Let's Compare" boxes to help students see how Texas sits alongside other states, "Pro & Con" boxes to bring conflicting political views into sharper focus, and "Texas Legend" boxes featuring important figures in Texas political history.








• Tables, figures, timelines, and photos throughout highlight the major ideas, issues, individuals, and institutions discussed.








• Key terms are bolded and defined in the text, listed at the end of the chapter, and included in a glossary at the end of the book

• Comprehensive assessment of the impact of Rick Perry’s unprecedented 14-year tenure as Governor of Texas








• Thorough consideration of the election of Sylvester Turner as Mayor of Houston and the national response to the police shootings in Dallas








• Coverage and analysis of the 2014 gubernatorial and state elections, the 2015 state legislative session, and the 2016 national elections as they affect Texas








• New boxes and narrative on current issues and laws, including:

• state-constitutional conventions, secession, and federalism








• voter identification








• abortion








• state budget, taxation and spending, and the 2016 Texas Supreme Court school funding decision








• the University of Texas battle between Wallace Hall, Jr. and William Powers, and its implications for gubernatorial power over directing and changing state institutions