Texas Politics Today, Enhanced,
19th Edition

Universal Learning Path Features THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
LEARNING PATH FEATURE: WHY SHOULD I CARE?
Immediately engage students with new Why Should I Care? activities. These features connect the upcoming chapter to an authentic, real-world scenario designed to pique engagement and emphasize relevance. Use these activities to ensure students read material before class and to trigger lively in-class discussion.
LEARNING PATH FEATURE: CHAPTER-LEVEL EBOOK.
Immediately engage students with a dynamic eBook that brings the value, concepts and applications of the printed text to life. Students open an active learning experience as each chapter provides opportunities to interact with content using the approach that's best for the individual learner.
LEARNING PATH FEATURE: LEARN ITS MULTIMEDIA SUPPORT.
Easily add the excitement of multimedia instruction to your course to supplement textbook learning. MindTap's Learn Its offer small sections of instruction that highlights the most important concepts in each chapter. Learn Its reinforce the text's instruction and even approach concepts in a different way to promote student choice and autonomy with personalized learning. You can assign Learn Its to ensure that students have read and understand key concepts before class.
LEARNING PATH FEATURE: APPLICATION-DRIVEN CHAPTER ASSIGNMENTS.
Assign MindTap's carefully designed, practically focused chapter homework to ensure your students know how to apply what they have learned.
LEARNING PATH FEATURE: CLASS-TESTED CHAPTER QUIZZES.
Use MindTap's carefully curated chapter quizzes to assess student performance and immediately identify class-wide learning needs.
LEARNING PATH FEATURE: FOCUSED CHAPTER MINI CASES.
Build skills in real-world data analysis and hone your students' critical thinking with brief, yet power-packed, mini cases for each chapter.

Prologue: Texas's Political Roots.
1. Texas Political Culture and Diversity.
2. Texas in the Federal System.
3. The Texas Constitution in Perspective.
4. Voting and Elections.
5. Political Parties.
6. Interest Groups.
7. The Legislature.
8. The Executive.
9. The Judiciary.
10. Law, Due Process, and Criminal Justice Policy.
11. Local Government.
12. Public Policy in Texas.

• Mark Jones

  Mark P. Jones, Ph.D., is the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy's Fellow in Political Science, the Joseph D. Jamail Chair in Latin American Studies and a professor in the political science department at Rice University. He is also a senior research fellow at the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs. His articles have appeared in publications such as the American Journal of Political Science, the Journal of Politics, Legislative Studies Quarterly, Texas Monthly, The Hill and the Texas Tribune. Jones is among the most quoted commentators on Texas politics in state and national media, and his research on the Texas Legislature and on public opinion and elections in Texas is widely cited by media outlets and political campaigns. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University and his doctoral degree from the University of Michigan.

• Ernest Crain

  Ernest Crain did his graduate work at the University of Texas at Austin, spent 35 years teaching Texas government at San Antonio College and now lives in Montgomery County, Texas. He has co-authored Understanding Texas Politics; Politics in Texas: An Introduction to Texas Politics; The Challenge of Texas Politics: Text with Readings and American Government; and Politics Today: Texas Edition. His special areas of interest include party competition, comparative state politics and Texas public policy.

• Morhea Lynn Davis

  M. Lynn Davis is a professor of government at El Paso Community College, where she has served as Blackboard trainer and mentor, faculty senator, government discipline coordinator and on numerous faculty committees. A grant writer and a very active community volunteer, she has consulted for and participated in many political campaigns. Her published articles range in topics from the current political environment to the viability of primaries and caucuses in today's election processes. Davis has a Master of Arts from the University of Texas at El Paso, majoring in both organizational behavior and political science.

• Christopher Wlezein

  Christopher Wlezien, Ph.D., is Hogg Professor of Government at the University of Texas at Austin. After receiving his doctorate from the University of Iowa in 1989, he taught at Oxford University, the University of Houston and Temple University. Over the years, Wlezien has published widely on elections, public opinion and public policy. His books include Degrees of Democracy, The Timeline of Presidential Elections, and Who Gets Represented? In addition to founding a journal, he has served on numerous editorial boards, established different institutes, advised governments and other organizations, held visiting positions at many universities around the world, received various research grants and won a number of awards for his research and teaching.

• Elizabeth N. Flores

  Elizabeth N. Flores is a senior professor of political science at Del Mar College. She teaches courses on national government, Texas government and Mexican-American politics. She also serves as program coordinator for the Mexican-American Studies Program. Her honors include the 2014 League of United Latin American Citizens Council Educator of the Year Award, the 2013 Del Mar College Dr. Aileen Creighton Award for Teaching Excellence, and a 1998 Excellence Award from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development. Flores earned a Master of Arts in political science at the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts in political science (magna cum laude) at St. Mary's University.

• Unique to the enhanced edition is coverage of the results of the 2023 legislative session, deep analysis of group rights, and recent developments in affirmative action.

• Links to brief videos that illustrate enduring principles in Texas government connect students to current events and help them visualize the political process as it is discussed in each chapter.

• This edition features the latest on social issues including crime, marijuana, LGBT rights and abortion access.

• This edition has recent changes in state election law, enhanced coverage of election integrity, and results of the 2022 elections.

• There is coverage of new legislative districts and expanded coverage of gerrymandering.

• This edition includes fresh analysis of the growing power of the governor’s office and state border policy.

• The text has expanded coverage of judicial campaigns and elections, bail procedures and criminal justice reforms.

• The text includes thoroughly revised explanation of municipal elections and annexation.

• There is broad discussion of the increasing politicization of public education, the parental rights movement, critical race theory and the culture wars in education.

• Each chapter ends with new "Think Critically and Get Active" projects that support hands-on and purpose-driven activities, political involvement and personal introspection. Pedagogy links to targeted objectives throughout the chapter equip students with a cohesive learning experience. An annotated list of websites and social media sites provides additional resources to help students increase their personal political involvement and reflect on their place in the political system.

• Each chapter opens with numbered learning objectives that are repeated in major sections throughout to help students focus their reading, track their progress and maximize their study time. Now organized by learning objectives, end-of-chapter bulleted summaries and review questions further drive home important concepts. In addition, key terms are defined within the margins to ensure thorough student understanding as they progress through each chapter.

• Carefully written video, photo, figure and table captions succinctly summarize the major takeaway messages. A critical analysis question following each caption helps students apply chapter concepts to real-world issues. In addition, process-oriented charts walk readers step-by-step through political processes. Popular "How Does Texas Compare?" features put Texas policies and institutions into perspective by comparing them with the other 50 states. All-new discussions highlight women in the Legislature, ease of voting, lobby regulation and the revolving door, legislative districting and alternatives to gerrymandering, capital punishment, and college affordability among the 50 states.

• Visually distinct and thoroughly updated, "Insiders" boxes give readers insight into the role of campaign contributors and lobbyists who influence politics and policy behind the scenes. New to this edition are features that highlight campaign contributions to the speaker, the governor's appointment of donors to state office, and the role of municipal contractors in funding campaigns for city offices.

• The expanding role and increasing influence of social and digital media in Texas politics is thoroughly discussed and illustrated throughout.

• Each chapter includes links to brief videos that help students identify key points, visualize how major political institutions operate in practice, connect with current events and controversies, and engage with critical thinking questions about the political process.

Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

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