Erica Grieder

Erica Grieder is a senior Editor at Texas Monthly. From 2007 to 2012, she covered Texas as the southwest correspondent for the Economist, to which she still contributes. Her writing has also appeared in the New York Times, the Spectator, the Atlantic, Foreign Policy, and the New Republic. Her first book, Big, Hot, Cheap and Right, was published in April 2013 by Public Affairs Books. She lives in Austin.
334 Articles
Decision Day, 2016
Texans, it’s time to vote.
The Potential for a Purple Texas
A look at the post-Trump landscape in state politics.
The Once and Future King County
How the reddest county is contemplating the orangest candidate.
The Election Is Not Rigged
And Donald Trump’s struggles in Texas are the proof.
The Blessings of a Tough Budget Outlook
The Eighty-fifth Legislature will not have a surplus to squabble over.
NAFTA Was a Bipartisan Effort
Both George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton deserve credit for the trade deal.
The Night Trump Unraveled
Midway through the first presidential debate, the Republican nominee’s performance started to deteriorate.
Showdown at Eight O’Clock
A primer on tonight’s first Clinton-Trump debate.
Ted Cruz Caves
Why he will come to regret his endorsement of Donald Trump’s presidential bid.
This One’s on Us, Sid
Ag commissioner Sid Miller won’t face charges for spending taxpayer dollars on out-of-state trips.
Trumpeting Trade
With protectionism sweeping the nation, let’s recall why NAFTA has been so good for Texas.
Can This Man Secure the Border?
Manuel Padilla, the Border Patrol’s new sector chief in the Rio Grande Valley, promises to stem the influx of people and drugs into Texas. That may sound fanciful, but consider this: he did it in Arizona.
Where Texans Agree
A new poll provides some reassuring insights during a deplorable week.
A Time for Soapboxing
America is grappling with an epidemic of moralizing.
The Surprisingly Sunny Prospects for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Thanks to Donald Trump, we now know that “amnesty” is acceptable to most Republicans.
Breaking Down Trump’s Border Wall
The candidate’s signature policy proposal remains shrouded in mystery.
Is Donald Trump Turning Texas Purple?
A new poll shows the Republican nominee leading by just six points.
George P. Bush Faces the Trump Dilemma
Should Republicans support their party’s presidential nominee?
The Integrity of Our Elections
Why Republicans should stop fear-mongering about voter fraud.
Rick Perry and Black Lives Matter
Last week, the former governor weighed in on the movement in an unexpected way.
We Survived the 2016 Presidential Primaries
It’s been a long, dark night of the soul, but sunrise is approaching.
Is Russia Influencing Trump’s Thoughts on Energy?
What the Republican presidential candidate’s comments about oil and natural gas say about geopolitics.
Onward to Philadelphia
Some thoughts on the Democrats as their national convention opens.
Texans Confront Ted Cruz
Will the senator face consequences back home for his stand against Trump?
Ted Cruz’s Act of Defiance
The Texas senator undercut his own party’s nominee in perhaps the most public way possible.
Day Three: The Crackdown Culminates
The GOP’s nomination of Donald Trump looks like a Pyrrhic victory for him and the party.
Day Two: The Crackdown Continues in Cleveland
Who are you going to believe, America: Donald Trump or your lying eyes?
The Crackdown Begins in Cleveland
The GOP’s first goal at this year’s national convention is shoring up support for its own nominee.
On to Cleveland
What to expect from the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Dallas’s Demand for Decency
The city has responded to tragedy with a show of unity for the nation to emulate.
Lessons In Greatness
On Tim Duncan's retirement from the San Antonio Spurs.
A Tragedy in Dallas
After five police officers lost their lives, Dan Patrick reacts in precisely the wrong way.
The Looming Budget Battle
Fair warning, legislators: the General Appropriations bill isn’t a guidance memo.
SCOTUS vs. Texas
Three takeaways from a trio of Texas-related rulings.
Meanwhile, Back With the Democrats
How the other political party in Texas should capitalize on Donald Trump.
The Great Divide
After this disorienting election season, what path is left for Texas conservatives? Who is leading the party? And what on earth to make of Donald Trump? A few insights from the state Republican convention.
Dispatch From Dallas
Let’s take a moment to consider the bigger picture for Republicans—and Texans.
The Conservative Case for Hillary Clinton
Six ways the Democratic nominee is better for Republicans than Donald Trump
Greg Abbott’s Trump Problem
The governor of Texas is publicly supporting a presidential candidate he knows to be a fraud.
Hillary Clinton Plans to Play
The presumptive Democratic nominee wants to mess with Texas.
Ted Cruz Chooses
It's highly unlikely that the Texas senator will endorse Trump.
The GOP at a Crossroads
Texas Republicans are having a strange weekend in Dallas.
Spurs of the Moment
They are successful, visionary, and humble. If only we could say the same for our presidential candidates.
A Time for Choosing
Will Texas Republicans side with Trump or conservative principles?
How To Turn Texas Blue (No, Really)
Fear not, Republicans, it’s better than the state turning orange.
The Morning After In America
The GOP is seriously nominating Donald Trump for president.
American Politics Goes Down the Toilet
Inside the great 2016 panic over who uses which bathroom.
The Debate over Ridesharing
A look at the controversial efforts to regulate Uber and Lyft.
Cruz Chooses a Running Mate
The Texas senator intends to ask Carly Fiorina to join him on the ticket.