Reflections on Wright

Reflections on Wright is a collection of essays on Jim Wright from his early years through his retirement from the House of Representatives. Wright was one of the most influential members of Congress in the latter part of the twentieth century and had a major role in policies such as the interstate highway system and American policy in Central America. Foreclosed from moving to the Senate, Wright eventually sought to become Majority Leader and won in a hotly contested race against California’s Phil Burton. Both as Majority Leader and as Speaker, Wright proved himself an exceptionally strong leader. Indeed, Wright pushed his agenda so strongly that it led to grumbling among members of his caucus. With attacks on his ethics by Georgia Republican Newt Gingrich, attacks that heralded a new level of viciousness between the two parties in the House, Wright resigned and returned to Fort Worth. For most of the remainder of his life, he taught at Texas Christian University.

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 (14^th 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.