Could Texas turn blue? I think that to answer this question we first need to understand how it became a Republican state. In fact, Texas was completely dominated by the democrats between 1870 and 1970. However, in the late 1970 and early 1980, rural areas around major cities started growing tremendously. Also, there was an important influx of conservative people a little bit wealthy with a Republican tendency. Add to the fact that the number of conservative Democrats was reducing, and their incapacity to win primaries, the Democrat candidates (liberal) started losing major elections. These events led to the absolute domination of Republican at statewide election since 1994.
According to the evolution of Texas' population, I think that in the
Texas is currently dominated by the Republican culture with a popular belief in conservatism that has lasted for many years. Democratic and Liberal groups are also present in the Texas but play as the minorities. Although demographics through the years show that a change in the dominant party could very well be eminent, Texas remains a red state for the time being. Currently the population is estimated at 24.5 million and is dominantly Anglo with minorities including African American, and Hispanic. In the coming years though, it is estimated to change where as the Hispanic population will surpass become the new majority.
States’ rights, the fight for the unborn and their right to life, and resistance to gun legislation, tend to be some of the top issues for conservative Texas voters. The last time a Democrat carried the state of Texas was in 1976, when Jimmy Carter won the Presidential election. During the 2004 presidential election, then President and Republican candidate, George W. Bush, won with 61.09% against 38.30% votes for the Democratic candidate John Kerry. However, in the more recent Presidential elections that were held in 2008 and in 2012, the very popular Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, did not win the majority vote for Texas. Thus, looking at this information, it can be said that the state of Texas tends to lean more towards the Republican side.
After joining the US in 1845, Texas quickly adapted as a democratic state. Many people who came to live in Texas migrated from other Southern states, where democratic idealism had already been strongly established. As a quintessential Southern state, Texas would adhere to the Southern way of doing things. Campbell goes on to write, “Leadership by slaveholders meant that politics during the early statehood years operated within what should be called a southern consensus. No one could criticize slavery or slave-based agriculture and expect to receive support at the polls; indeed, to be accused of holding anti-slavery views was a political death sentence … The southern consensus in Texas played a key role in creating the state’s tradition
When you hear the words Texas Rising, what do you think of? Is it the Alamo, Mexicans, or is it the Texas Revolution? Well if you named one of these, then you are right. In the miniseries of Texas Rising, it is based on the Texas Revolution against Mexico and the Texas Rangers. It also tells the story of how the Texas Rangers were created.
Texas is also a very religious state and pro-gun state. Thus, a majority of the Texas vote would go to the Republicans. In addition,
In the United States, for the last four decades, from Richard Nixon to Ronald Reagan through the two Bush Presidencies, the Republican Party won the White House by amassing large margins among white voters (Lizza.) The state of Texas has been reliably Republican since the 1970s and there are various elements to Texas political culture that can be narrowed down to three essential ideological trends: economic liberalism, or faith in the free market economy, social conservatism, or favoring traditional values and moralism, and populism, or promoting the rights and worthiness of ordinary people (Texas Political Culture.) As a result, the dominant political mood in Texas favors low taxes, minimal government services, and policies that are
Political parties in America have been prevalent since the Federalist Party was founded by Alexander Hamilton, and the Democratic-Republican party was founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, in the 1790s ("Compare U.S. Political Parties"). These parties were developed from sharp differences in opinion. During this time period, there were opposing views on how the government should be organized (Flanders). In short, the Federalist Party wanted a strong federal government and the Democratic-Republican Party believed that states’ rights would be weakened in result of a strong federal government ("Compare U.S. Political Parties"). They also had differing views on how strict the Constitution should be, the economy and foreign policy. As the country grew, so did its pressing issues and citizen’s opinions on these issues. Consequently, the names of these political parties eventually changed to the Republican Party and the Democratic Party as more people began to band together to for their common belief ("Compare U.S. Political Parties").
In order to fully grasp how Texas’ Republican Party has progressed throughout the years, one must also have an understanding of the history of the state. The first thirteen colonies of the United States were under British control, a circumstance that Texas was not a part of. Even though many other countries tried to control Texas, they were not able to do so for long periods of time, due in part, to the independent nature of the people throughout the state. Because of the constant threats Texans faced, such as invading armies from foreign countries, the struggles of living out west, amongst many others, the people became incredibly independent, freedom loving, and extremely hard working. At the start of Texas’ history Texans did all of the
Texas, through hardship war and political disagreements, was finally established as a state in 1845; but the question after finally acquiring statehood was to be how would the judges be selected. Ever since 1876, it has been an issue on whether judicial selection, the appointment or election of state judges, are even beneficial. Judges are selected through partisan elections or nonpartisan elections through which these elections are determined by financial funds, credibility, and political or non-political party views.
Texas has changed in various ways over the course of history. Not only has it changed politically, it has changed culturally, demographically, and more. The transition of Texas from a Democratic primary state to a Republican primary state happened in the 1970s with the elections of a Republican governor and senator. In this paper, I will further discuss the transition of Texas from a Democratic to a Republican state, and share my opinions on how I believe Texas government could stay a majority Republican state.
Lowering the voting age for Primary Elections to 17 as long as they turn 18 by the November Elections has been an idea discussed in Texas lately. If this were to happen, however, it would mean to alter the Texas Constitution, a change that can be proposed by the Texas State Legislature. Nonetheless whether this is accomplished or not, is exclusively up to Texas voters.
Texas, nicknamed “The Lone star State”, has always been very unique compared to any other state in the United States of America. Texas have a sense of great pride in where they come from. Texans hold their heads a just a little higher than anyone else. Texas is the second largest state in the U.S., Texans have their own pledge of allegiance to the state flag, and is the only state whose flag is permitted to fly as high as the American flag. So, why is it that Texans take so much pride in their own state? Texans take great pride in their state because at one point before Texas was a state belonging to the United States, it was its own country. This is how Texas got its name as the “Lone star” State. In nineteenth century, Texas fought many battles against Mexico and its leader Santa Anna, to gain Independence from the country. After many hostel wars and lives lost, Texas made a break through at the Battle of San Jacinto and conquered the Mexican government in the year 1836, becoming the new Republic of Texas. It then remained Independent for almost ten years. Our Independence and history of secession runs through our veins. The topic is a reoccurring one when it comes to politics. In recent years, there have been talks if Texas should secede from the United States again like they did in 1836. According to a poll in 2009, it showed that “50% Republicans, 40% Independents, and 15% Democrats believed that Texas should stand as an independent nation.” “338157 Texans have already
The state is made up of different sectors all in existence and intertwined each other. The constitution serves many functions in the operations of the government and the life of the people governed. The document houses the rules of the land and the conditions governing the way the various sectors of the economy react and act in a mutual status. The constitution is the key to the viable existence of the people of Texas providing the fundamental rules and laws for the inception and operations of legal laws (Brown et al., 2014). Likewise, the constitution outlines the underlying breakdown of the way the individual powers and limits to the powers in place exist.
It is widely believed that the strongest state level Republican Party is found in the state of Texas. The Republican Party of Texas has control of the senate, the state house of representatives and the state’s education board . Without a doubt, Texas is the strongest Republican state in the nation. Republicans now have majorities in 107 Texas counties that contain nearly two-thirds of the state’s population. Texas own George W. Bush was the 43rd President of the United States. Things haven’t always been so great for Texas Republicans. For over one hundred years, the Republican Party was not a viable force in Texas politics. We were the second party in a one-party state. During that time, the GOP failed to win a single
I do not believe Texas with its changing demographics and social climate will be on the brink of another switch in party dominance anytime soon as immigration, guns and education are major factors. The demographics of Texas deal with the rising growth of the minority population throughout the years. In my opinion, I think minorities make up roughly half of Texas’s overall population. According to utexas.edu, “[a]s the reality of demographic changes set in during the late 1990s, part of what defined many Republicans as moderates was an emphasis in both rhetoric and policy toward increasing the party's appeal to Latinos and other ethnic and racial minorities”. Although the Democratic Party is known for receiving votes from minorities, the Republican