Politics of Texas
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For approximately 100 years, from the end of Reconstruction until the 1970s, the Democratic Party was dominant in Texas Politics. However, since the 1970s the Republican Party has grown more prominent within the state, and is now the state's dominant political party. This trend mirrors a national political realignment that has seen the once solidly Democratic South become increasingly dominated by Republicans.
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[edit] Early Democratic Dominance
From 1848 until Richard M. Nixon's victory in 1972, Texas voted for the Democratic candidate for president in every election except 1928, 1952, and 1956 (it did not vote in 1864 and 1868 due to the Civil War and reconstruction).[1] In the post Civil War era, the Republican Party had hardly any influence in the entire South, including Texas politics. Some of the most important American political figures of the 20th Century, such as President Lyndon B. Johnson, Vice-President John Nance Garner, Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn and Senator Ralph Yarborough were Texas Democrats. However, the Texas Democrats were rarely united, being divided into conservative and moderate factions that vied with one another for power.
[edit] 1960 to 1990 - Increasing Republican Strength
The rebirth of the Republican Party in Texas could be traced back to 1952, when Democratic Governor Allan Shivers clashed with the Truman Administration over the claim on the Tidelands, which subsequently led to his work in helping Dwight D. Eisenhower carry the state. Beginning in the 1960s, Republican strength increased in Texas. Nationally, Democrats became increasingly liberal and Republicans became increasingly conservative. Starting with the Dixiecrat movement in the 1950s and 1960s conservative Southern Democrats began to leave the party and join the Republicans. This trend continued through the 1990s. For example, current Texas Governor Republican Rick Perry became a Republican in 1990.
John Tower's 1961 election to the U.S. Senate made him the first statewide GOP officeholder since Reconstruction. Governor Bill Clements and Senator Phil Gramm (also a former Democrat) followed. Republicans became increasingly dominant in national elections in Texas. The Republican nominee won the state's electoral votes in presidential election in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s except 1976.
[edit] Redistricting Disputes and the 1990s
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Despite increasing Republican strength in national elections, after the 1990 census, Texas Democrats still controlled both houses of the State Legislature and most statewide offices. As a result, they were able to direct the redistricting process. They drew what some Republicans have charged was the most effective partisan gerrymander in the country. Although Congressional Texas Democrats only received an average of 40 percent of the votes received by Congressional Texas Republicans, Democrats consistently had a majority in the state delegation.
In 1994, popular Democratic Governor Ann Richards lost her bid for re-election against Republican George W. Bush. In 1998, Bush won re-election in a landslide victory, with Republicans sweeping to victory in all the statewide races.
After the 2000 census, Republicans sought to re-draw the district lines to support a GOP majority in the congressional delegation, while Democrats desired to retain a plan similar to the existing lines. The two parties reached an impasse in the Texas Legislature, where Republicans controlled the Senate and Democrats controlled the House. With the Legislature unable to reach a compromise, the matter was settled by a panel of federal court judges, who ruled in favor of a district map that largely retained the status quo.
However, the Republicans dominated the Legislative Redistricting Board, which draws the lines for the state legislative districts, by a majority of four to one. The Republicans on this board used their voting strength to adopt a map for the state Senate that was even more favorable to the Republicans and a map for the state House of Representatives that would help to overturn the Democratic majority in that house.
In 2002, Texas Republicans gained control of the Texas House of Representatives for the first time since Reconstruction; investigations into possible illegal campaign fundraising by the Republicans are ongoing and lead to the 2005 indictment of Rep. Tom DeLay. The newly elected Republican legislature engaged in an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting plan. Democrats said that the redistricting was blatantly partisan, while Republicans argued that it was a much-needed correction of the partisan lines drawn after the 1990 census. The result was a gain of six seats by the Republicans, finally overturning the Democratic majority in Texas's delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2004 election. In December 2005, the US Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal that challenged the legality of this redistricting plan.
[edit] Situation as of 2007
As of 2007, Republicans control all statewide Texas offices, both houses of the state legislature and have a majority in the Texas congressional delegation. The state has continued its Republican voting trend in presidential elections. This makes Texas one of the most Republican states in the Union. Two of the most influential Republicans in the nation, President George W. Bush and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, are Texas Republicans.
Despite overall Republican dominance, however, there remain some cities and regions with strong Democratic power. The capital city, Austin, is a Democratic stronghold and a center of progressive political activism. The city of El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley, both with heavy Hispanic populations, also remain loyal to the Democratic Party. In addition, the mayors of most major Texas cities, though running in "nonpartisan" races, are associated with Democratic party viewpoints. Cities like Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio narrowly voted for Democrats despite their suburbs being solidly Republican. During the 2004 election, despite heavy losses in congressional races, the Texas Democrats made a net gain in the state legislature for the first time since 1974 (albeit only of a single seat).
During the 2006 election cycle, the Democrats scored major successes by winning six House seats (five in the general election and one in an earlier special election), cutting the Republican majority in the House by half. The Democrats failed to win any statewide offices, however.
Another notable exception to Republican dominance of the state is the Travis County District Attorney, Ronnie Earle, a Democrat elected by the people of Austin who has served since 1978. The position of Travis County DA is uniquely so-empowered by the Texas Constitution to prosecute violations of Texas election law. This is exceptional, as most states grant this authority to a statewide elected position such as Attorney General.
[edit] Capital punishment
Texas has a reputation for strict "law and order" sentencing. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, of the 21 counties in the United States where more than a fifth of residents are prison inmates, 10 are in Texas. Texas leads the nation in executions, with 359 executions from 1976 to 2006. The second-highest ranking state is Virginia, with 94. A 2002 Houston Chronicle poll of Texans found that when asked "Do you support the death penalty?" 69.1% responded that they did, 21.9% did not support and 9.1% were not sure or gave no answer.
- See also: Capital punishment in Texas
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