Editor’s Letter: Introducing Our March/April 2026 Issue

7 hours ago 24

Texas Observer reader,

And so comes primary season. That time of year when Texas Democratic voters gather to, through a process about as reliable as the reading of grackle entrails, divine which among various long-shot candidates has the greatest chance of breaking the GOP’s death grip on our still-worth-saving state.

That same time of year when those same voters issue prayers that Republicans will finally nominate someone too unhinged even for Texas to elect—though perhaps those prayers would be better spent wishing for the GOP to send its own lesser evils on to November.

Over at the Observer website, we’ll do our best to parse these low-turnout affairs that unfortunately remain the elections of consequence in this state.

Meanwhile, you—the savvy print reader who hasn’t let Elon Musk et al. sap all of your life’s limited attention—will be in for a treat with this magazine. In addition to our typical investigative fare, in this case covering privatized military housing and the Trumpian federal judiciary, we also have a feature that’s a bit unusual for us: an impassioned defense of a particular reptile. Lest you think we’ve taken a frivolous turn, I believe you’ll find that this story actually has quite a strong, well, bite. It takes to task not only certain profitable Texas traditions but also our blinkered way of viewing nonhuman life in this state and far beyond.

You’ll find as well a beautiful reflection on belonging and exclusion from April Maria Ortiz, one of a few new contributing editors added to our masthead this issue, and, bittersweetly, a final magazine piece from our McHam investigative reporting fellow, Francesca D’Annunzio.

After two years with the Observer, Francesca has taken an exciting new opportunity in journalism, the exact type of gig we love to see one of our fellows move on to. However, her enthusiasm, dedication, indignation, and black cat Luna will all be sorely missed here at Observer HQ.

Solidarity,