Texas turning blue?

[lpetrich]

Texas faces turbulent political moment | TheHill

The Republicans have been dominant in that state for the last quarter century, but that is changing. Last year, Beto O'Rourke barely lost a Senate race to longtime Texas Republican Ted Cruz.

Now, the mounting tensions of racially motivated rhetoric, a polarizing president and Republican infighting have rocked Texas’s political leadership to its core. And the state may soon face a tipping point brought on by shifting coalitions of voters who want change, in Austin and Washington.

Reps. Kenny Marchant, Pete Olson, Will Hurd, and Mike Conaway, all Republicans, are all retiring.

The nation’s attention has been focused on Texas this week because of the killings of 22 people by a long shooter who attacked a Walmart in El Paso. The shootings were even more disturbing for a manifesto allegedly written by the accused shooter that described an “invasion” of immigrants.

So far, newcomers to Texas from blue states — states with stricter gun control laws, a stronger social safety net and a looser approach to immigrants — have been bigger change agents in the state than Hispanics, a large number of whom have tended to stay home on Election Day.

Such arrivals have taken their politics with them in other states, like Oregon, Nevada, and Colorado.

In 1994, California Governor Pete Wilson pushed an anti-immigrant law that was very controversial, and that provoked a lot of Hispanics to start voting. However, that has yet to happen to Texas.

 

[Half-Life]

Let's hope Texas doesn't turn blue. I've heard Texans talking and they say the scariest thing they hear is when people say, "Hi, I just moved here from California." With an invasion of California leftists moving to Texas, sadly, it might happen.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Let's hope Texas doesn't turn blue. I've heard Texans talking and they say the scariest thing they hear is when people say, "Hi, I just moved here from California." With an invasion of California leftists moving to Texas, sadly, it might happen.

That'd be so sick!

 

[AirPoh]

Let's hope Texas doesn't turn blue. I've heard Texans talking and they say the scariest thing they hear is when people say, "Hi, I just moved here from California." With an invasion of California leftists moving to Texas, sadly, it might happen.

You'll be fine.

The only thing I knew how to do
Was to keep on keepin' on
Like a bird that flew
Tangled up in blue

 

[Derec]

Giving Democrats an electoral advantage is the real reason Democrats support mass migration of hispanics.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Giving Democrats an electoral advantage is the real reason Democrats support mass migration of hispanics.

Yup, a mass migration of heavily conservative Christians has long since been known as a dependable block for Democrats.

 

[Derec]

Yup, a mass migration of heavily conservative Christians has long since been known as a dependable block for Democrats.

They vote Democratic though. I agree that it is a shortsighted strategy. These mass migrants from the 3rd world tend to be very conservative ideologically on social issues, even if they are aligned with Democrats electorally. Especially since they are represent not the cross section of their societies, but the poorest, least educated parts of it.
But it's not much different with Democrats and blacks. 92% or so vote Democratic, but many blacks are very conservative on social issues. To the point that they swung the balance for Prop 8 in California. That is why Democrats campaign in homophobic churches.
Why are Democrats campaigning at a church where the pastor compared gays to child molesters?
Guess the race of the pastor!

 

[repoman]

Giving Democrats an electoral advantage is the real reason Democrats support mass migration of hispanics.

Yup, a mass migration of heavily conservative Christians has long since been known as a dependable block for Democrats.

Latin Americans are Catholic with some legacy of leftist liberation theology.

The Anglos here and other whites via osmosis have the legacy of the loony Great Awakenings still rattling around in their politics that biases them to the Republican spiel.

 

[Derec]

Catholic with some legacy of leftist liberation theology.

That's a good point. AOC and her minions will not be able to implement socialism in the US without replacing the electorate with a more compliant one.

Needless to say, the Ossi (meaning citizen of former communist East Germany) Angela Merkel took Brecht's words without irony and made it the cornerstone of her immigration policy.

 

[RVonse]

Given current trends, I think it is inevitable that not only Texas but the entire country turns blue. But before lliberals begin their enlightened celebration, they might actually consider whether they really want a 1 party dictatorship. Even if it is a benevolent dictatorship.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Let's hope Texas doesn't turn blue. I've heard Texans talking and they say the scariest thing they hear is when people say, "Hi, I just moved here from California." With an invasion of California leftists moving to Texas, sadly, it might happen.

If that’s the scariest thing they hear, why do they all think they need so many guns?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Given current trends, I think it is inevitable that not only Texas but the entire country turns blue. But before lliberals begin their enlightened celebration, they might actually consider whether they really want a 1 party dictatorship. Even if it is a benevolent dictatorship.

Or ... the GOP could look into becoming a viable alternative?

Never mind me. I’m acting all crazy.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Given current trends, I think it is inevitable that not only Texas but the entire country turns blue. But before lliberals begin their enlightened celebration, they might actually consider whether they really want a 1 party dictatorship. Even if it is a benevolent dictatorship.

That's not going to happen. If the whole country goes Democrat then we will see another party arise (or perhaps the Democrats split.)

 

[Derec]

That's not going to happen. If the whole country goes Democrat then we will see another party arise

Socialist Party of America. And if they ever win, then we will get a one party dictatorship.

 

[Ford]

Don't you mean "Texas turning back to blue?"

When I lived and worked there (in El Paso, and yes, this was a tough weekend) Ann Richards was governor. Democrats weren't an endangered species in the legislature. Yes, the state was on balance deeply conservative in places like Houston and rural areas, but Austin, El Paso, and a few other places were more liberal. We also had the brilliant Molly Ivins. I recall when W. Bush was elected governor we were like "wait...isn't he the dumb one?"

There was also at the time a pretty strong independent streak. The ad slogan back then was "Texas, It's Like a Whole Other Country" and that was true. Right/left or blue/red rules simply didn't apply, and people took a certain amount of pride in defying expectations. One of the things that's stuck out for me over these last few days, talking to my friends from the 915 is this sense of educating people about what the community stands for in the wake of this horrible event. Maybe I'm biased, but I haven't seen anything remotely like the way El Paso has been galvanized by this shooting. It's not about Republican vs Democrat. It's about a resilient community that will not be intimidated by hate.

 

[Worldtraveller]

The ICE crackdown just prior to trump's arrival probably will help it swing back red! (NOT)

 

[cycomiko]

Let's hope Texas doesn't turn blue. I've heard Texans talking and they say the scariest thing they hear is when people say, "Hi, I just moved here from California." With an invasion of California leftists moving to Texas, sadly, it might happen.

The big cities in Texas have always been mostly blue and Austin has always been a "leftist hippy" town. That's why us "leftists" who grew up in other parts of Texas went to school there. It's also just a fun city to live in so I can see why people want to move there.

 

[southernhybrid]

Let's hope Texas doesn't turn blue. I've heard Texans talking and they say the scariest thing they hear is when people say, "Hi, I just moved here from California." With an invasion of California leftists moving to Texas, sadly, it might happen.

The big cities in Texas have always been mostly blue and Austin has always been a "leftist hippy" town. That's why us "leftists" who grew up in other parts of Texas went to school there. It's also just a fun city to live in so I can see why people want to move there.

Actually, San Antonio is bluer than Austin, and it's a much larger city. I lived there in the 70s and loved it. I looked up the members of Congress in Austin compared to San Antonio, last year. San Antonio actually had more Democrats in Congress, so don't discount that.

When I lived in Texas, it was blue, so it's very possible that it will turn blue again. When I first moved to Georgia, 25 years ago, it was controlled by Democrats. Georgia is on the verge of turning blue, especially if Stacy Abrams is successful in her fight against voter suppression. Plus, we also have a problem with voter apathy. Hopefully that will change before the next election. It also depends on how far left the candidate is perceived.

Of course, the urban areas have always been far more liberal than the rural areas in both Texas and Georgia. North Carolina and South Carolina were also blue when I lived there, so we had good public health programs and pretty decent schools. Those two states could go blue again if people go out and vote. If liberals want to change the country, they need to emigrate to the beautiful south!

Bwahahahahahaha Half Life! Be afraid. Be very afraid. The liberals are taking over Texas!

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

On Texas returning blue, quite possible. Something many people missed about the 2018 election. More young voters, Generation X, Millenials, Generation Z voted than Baby Boomers and Greatest generation voters, those over 65. The younger generations are not friendly towards the GOP. In 2016, older voters went for the GOP over the Democrats by a 14% margin. In 2018, that shrank to 4%. The GOP has been relying on these older voters to keep them in power. And of course, women voters are abandoning the GOP in droves. A recent poll showed registered women voters, voting democratic and leaning democratic at 60%, bad news for the GOP. Men are almost equally divided, 51% voting or leaning GOP, 49% Democratic.

The efforts of the GOP to ban abortion, hobble availability of birth control, destroying Planned Parenthood et al, will mobilized women voters with a vengeance. Treatment of children and adults in ICE facilities is not going to be forgiven. We have the makings of a perfect political storm.

 

[cycomiko]

Actually, San Antonio is bluer than Austin, and it's a much larger city. I lived there in the 70s and loved it. I looked up the members of Congress in Austin compared to San Antonio, last year. San Antonio actually had more Democrats in Congress, so don't discount that.

When I lived in Texas, it was blue, so it's very possible that it will turn blue again. When I first moved to Georgia, 25 years ago, it was controlled by Democrats. Georgia is on the verge of turning blue, especially if Stacy Abrams is successful in her fight against voter suppression. Plus, we also have a problem with voter apathy. Hopefully that will change before the next election. It also depends on how far left the candidate is perceived.

Of course, the urban areas have always been far more liberal than the rural areas in both Texas and Georgia. North Carolina and South Carolina were also blue when I lived there, so we had good public health programs and pretty decent schools. Those two states could go blue again if people go out and vote. If liberals want to change the country, they need to emigrate to the beautiful south!

Bwahahahahahaha Half Life! Be afraid. Be very afraid. The liberals are taking over Texas!

I love San Antonio. I'm a bit young to remember Texas being fully blue but I'm old enough to remember Texas not being dominated by republicans (I miss Ann Richards). Was born in Port Arthur in 79 and grew up in Houston before going to college in Austin. I was in ATX when W was governor and don't recall the politics being so crazy and nonsensical. Texas and Georgia are certainly turning more purple if not fully blue and I think that's a trend nationwide as people move back into cities and away from suburbs. My parents and sister live in Bentonville, Arkansas which has always been the "liberal" part of AR but even there you now meet people from CA or WA or NY. Half Life isn't even safe in Arkansas!!