James W. Riddlesperger, Jr. (B.A., M.A., North Texas State University; Ph.D., University of Missouri-Columbia) is a professor of Political Science at Texas Christian University. A native of Denton, Texas, he has taught at TCU since 1982. He is co-author of Texas Politics (14th edition, Cengage, 2022), Lone Star Leaders (2011, TCU Press), and The Austin-Boston Connection (2009, Texas A&M Press). He co-edited Reflections on Rayburn (2018, TCU Press) and The Wright Stuff (2013, TCU Press). He has been named the winner of the Chancellor’s Award for Creative Teaching and Research, as well as Honors Professor of the year at TCU.
Anthony Champagne is Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is the winner of numerous teaching awards and has written extensively on judicial selection in Texas, Texas politics, and leadership in the House of Representatives. His writing includes books on the relationship between Texas and Boston in the leadership of the House, the home style of Speaker Sam Rayburn, the career of Speaker Nicholas Longworth, along with shorter articles on John Nance Garner and Jim Wright.
