Rate My Professor Anthony Champagne

Dr. Anthony Champagne is a Professor Emeritus of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences and Professor of Political Science at The University of Texas at Dallas, where he has taught since 1979. He previously served as Associate Professor at Rutgers University-Livingston College from 1977 to 1979. Champagne earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Illinois in 1973, M.A. from the same institution in 1971, and B.A. from Millsaps College in 1969. At UT Dallas, his career includes advancement to full Professor in 1985, Acting Dean from 1986 to 1987, Director of the Pre-Law Program in Undergraduate Education, Interim Director in 1983, and participant at the University of North Carolina in 1984. He held the Judicial Fellow position at the Federal Judicial Center from 1990 to 1991 and served as Consultant for the National Center for State Courts from 2003 to 2004.

His research interests encompass judicial politics, Congressional history, Texas politics, and public law. Champagne authored books including Congressman Sam Rayburn, Sam Rayburn: A Bio-bibliography, and Judicial Politics in Texas: Partisanship, Money, and Politics in State Courts. Key publications feature Lone Star Leaders: Power and Personality in the Texas Congress (co-authored with James W. Riddlesperger Jr., Texas Christian University Press), "Interest Groups and Judicial Elections" (2000), "The Selection and Retention of Judges in Texas" (1986), "Judicial Reform in Texas" (1988), "An Empirical Examination of the Use of Expert Witnesses in American Courts" (1990), "Television Ads in Judicial Campaigns" (2001), and "The Cycle of Judicial Elections: Texas as a Case Study" (2001). He has received the University of Texas System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award (2009), Chancellor's Council Outstanding Teaching Award (1997-98), AMOCO Most Outstanding Teacher Awards (1979-80, 1981-82), School of Social Sciences Student Choice Awards (1996-97, 2000-2001), Tom C. Clark Judicial Fellowship (1990-1991), Polykarp Kusch Lecturer (1985), Andrew Cecil Lecturer (1988), and National Science Foundation Trainee (1969-1973). Champagne serves on the Sam Rayburn Library Advisory Council since 1986.