Topic: Ruy Teixeira

Ruy Teixeira (pronounced ROO-ey te-SHAH-ra) is an American political scientist and commentator who has written several books on various topics in political science and political strategy. Most recently, he co-wrote with John Judis The Emerging Democratic Majority (2002), a book arguing that Democrats in the United States are demographically destined to become a majority party in the early 21st century. He writes and edits the weblog The Democratic Strategist.

Ruy was born in Washington, D.C. on December 15, 1951. His parents were Marie Overmeyer Teixeira and Bernardo Teixeira. He has one older sibling, Diogo Teixeira, a businessman, and one younger half-brother, Bernardo de Albergaria, a marketing executive. Ruy's parents were divorced when he was quite young and he grew up strongly influenced by his mother who was an artist, painter, and teacher.

Ruy was tested to be quite bright when in junior high school. He skipped a grade and graduated from Bethesda Chevy Chase High School at the age of 16. After a year off, he attended Yale University for a year but left to participate in left-wing political activities. He eventually graduated from the University of Michigan in 1976 and moved on to the University of Wisconsin to obtain a Ph. D. in sociology in 1983.