Dave Mann

Dave Mann has been with the Observer since 2003. Before that, he worked as a reporter in Fort Worth and Washington, D.C. He was born and raised in Philadelphia. He thinks border collies are the world’s greatest dogs, and believes in the nourishing powers of pickup basketball.

State of Texas: The Road to 500 ExecutionsMay 17, 2013
Texas will soon execute its 500th person since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Full Story
State of Texas: Who Pays How Much In TaxesApr 18, 2013
Texas' tax system is one of the most regressive in the country, meaning it falls especially hard on the poor. Full Story
Oops: The Top 10 Perry GaffesFeb 02, 2012
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State of Texas: The Road to 500 ExecutionsMay 17, 2013
Texas will soon execute its 500th person since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Full Story
Hot List: Day 127 of the LegislatureMay 14, 2013
The Lead: The Legislature went after mucus yesterday. That would be Michael Quinn Sullivan (often referred to as MQS—or mucus) who leads the tea [...] Full Story
Observer Story Wins SPJ AwardApr 24, 2013
When Texas Observer staff writer Emily DePrang first met Josh Gravens in early 2012, his life was in shambles. The 25-year-old husband and father [...] Full Story
State of Texas: Who Pays How Much In TaxesApr 18, 2013
Texas' tax system is one of the most regressive in the country, meaning it falls especially hard on the poor. Full Story
The Arson Files: Ed Graf Wins New TrialMar 28, 2013
Texas’ highest criminal court on Wednesday overturned the arson conviction of Ed Graf who’s served nearly 25 years of a life sentence for a [...] Full Story

The Medicaid Withdrawal MythNov 09, 2010
This story was co-written by Dave Mann & Abby Rapoport. After The Texas Tribune reported Sunday that Texas legislators were considering withdrawing from Medicaid, [...] Full Story
A Disastrous Night for Congressional DemocratsNov 03, 2010
Update (12:02 a.m.): The news keeps getting worse for Democrats. Ciro Rodriguez and Solomon Ortiz have now both lost their seats in Congress. Add those [...] Full Story
Can Texas’ Democratic Congressmen Hang on?Nov 02, 2010
This is the day Republicans have waited four years for—the day they can reclaim control of the U.S. House of Representatives. The GOP needs [...] Full Story
The Cul-de-sac BattlegroundOct 19, 2010
This story was co-written by Dave Mann & Forrest Wilder. Irving, Texas, still looks like a classic suburb in some ways. There are plenty [...] Full Story
The Race of His LifeSep 28, 2010
Chet Edwards should have been voted from office years ago. For most of his two decades in Congress, the Waco Democrat has represented a [...] Full Story