General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsVoting snapshot in South Texas
After the first full week of Early Voting (before the Texas primary on March 4) the 2 largest counties in South Texas reported voting numbers:
Hidalgo County (most populous)
15,093 voted Dem
4,468 voted GOP
Cameron County (mine)
4,773 voted.Dem
2,962 voted GOP
Just a snapshot, but a good one.

Liberal In Texas
(14,894 posts)In my patch:
Dallas County
Democrat Votes: 27,438 (60.37%)
Republican Votes: 18,011 (39.63%)
But when you look at the whole state with all the rural magas:
Democrat
Feb 25: 257,197
Republican
Feb 25: 523,038
I'm voting tomorrow.
patphil
(7,401 posts)I bet there's a lot of cross-border commerce there. Family names are on each side of the river.
Deuxcents
(20,930 posts)Same in Arizona, New Mexico and California. Probably all over the west as generations lived there same as our Native Americans. They can try as the will..they will never erase the many heritages in this country long before the Europeans decided it was theirs for the taking.
RussBLib
(9,805 posts)If anyone ever totally "shut down the border" there would be real economic disruption and chaos. We employ huge numbers of Mexican Nationals here in the US, especially along the border. They often cross each day to work in the US as housekeepers, yard workers, construction, agriculture. You just cannot find enough Anglos to do all the jobs that need filling.
Here's an absurd case. Tino, a Mexican with a work permit (not an illegal), is a really superior tile man (tiles in showers, floors etc). He was pulled over for speeding recently by the police, the Border Patrol was notified and he was DEPORTED!! Now he cannot get back. (Gov. Abbott has given the Border Patrol authority to deport for practically any reason.) My contractor is powerless to get him back and is scrambling to find another tile guy to replace him.
Now the Border Patrol can deport any Mexican National for the slightest offense. This is total bullshit and a lot of American employers are up in arms about it. So the job we hired them for is suffering.
Mr.Bill
(24,906 posts)Only the Federal government has the authority to deport anyone, and the governor does not command the Border Patrol. They are a federal agency.
RussBLib
(9,805 posts)The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and is responsible for securing the borders of the United States.
Wikipedia
Nictuku
(4,034 posts)All Mixed Up
(597 posts)Had he won at the clip Hillary did in 2016, he would have won Texas. But he did 10-20 points worse in a lot of these counties than she did.
Take Hidalgo. Biden won it 58-41 over Trump in 2020. In 2016, Hillary won it 68-28.
It went from +40 to +17. That's a massive difference.
The breakdown in party based on these numbers is way closer to Hillary's totals in 2016 than Biden's four years ago.
Of course, it's only a fraction of who voted in the general.
RussBLib
(9,805 posts)...last election cycle. Propaganda, for sure, but a lot of Hispanics fell for it. The Dems are finally getting around to putting out their own Spanish ads.
LeftInTX
(32,284 posts)Democrats: 16026
Republicans: 20897
I guess it's what they perceive to be competitive races.
Democrats usually have higher
Abbott has got his tentacles in a local R House race.
We have some competitive Democratic races, but they aren't well publicized.
The last time Bexar County had higher R primary turnout was 2016.
Tree Lady
(12,222 posts)she is independent, went for Joe last time Haley this time. Was told at family video chat meeting last night when I tried to mention the ectopic pregnancy turned away in Texas, mom you only want to talk about negative things, say something positive.
My family only wants to talk fluff now.
LeftInTX
(32,284 posts)We don't have many competitive races on the Dem ballot.
Abbott is pushing Allison vs LaHood.
We have a few competitive Dem slots, but their races aren't well publicized.
The R Presidential is probably attracting them.
Let's face it, the Dems know that Biden is gonna win the primary.
Dems tend not to focus on down ballot races.
Sugarcoated
(8,132 posts)Tree Lady
(12,222 posts)Definitely not Trump so better for us if he stays in.
ananda
(31,218 posts)I thought Bexar was blue.
LeftInTX
(32,284 posts)So why bother?
dalton99a
(86,421 posts)
I was wondering what the political breakdown of Texas looked like. Not surprisingly, it appears that most of the big cities and the border are blue, and the rest of the state is 🩸 blood red.
lees1975
(6,238 posts)and eight of the ten most populous counties in the state, and 15 of the 20 most populous counties in the state are some shade of blue.
Democratic party turnout is the real issue in Texas. There are enough Democratic votes now to break even. It needs a combination of races in a presidential election year to get the vote out. And the fact of the matter is that there is a lot of suppression of minority votes in Texas, especially in those Rio Grande Valley counties and in West Texas, where hispanic voters are better than 60% democratic, and in some counties, Uvalde for example, are 70% of the population but only 35% of the registered voters. Beto O'Rourke made some inroads into those groups but I think there's enough minority voters there now for Democrats to make an effort, spend some money and flip the state, including grabbing off Cruz's senate seat.
RussBLib
(9,805 posts)...shall I say "too many lazy Dems?"
I would have thought that living in a fascist state represented by Ted Cruz would be enough to turn out Democratic voters in droves, but I guess not. It would be a national service to flip Texas blue. I honestly dont know how any sane person can live there.
ananda
(31,218 posts)Texas is just so lost, and it's just beyond me.
TakeItEasy
(40 posts)Thanks for that update.
pecosbob
(7,904 posts)back in the day.
Rstrstx
(1,580 posts)Usually the early vote breaks 2 or 3 to 1 for Dems in the primaries, Hidalgo looks particularly good thats a good sign. But you gotta realize most of these early voters are for local races, the Dems control the local machinery down here so its the de facto election for many of those offices. Still, its encouraging to see that there does not seem to be some sort of seismic party realignment going on, it looks like business as normal. The money Republicans have been dumping into the area doesnt seem to be changing a lot of minds but it does buy a lot of Myra Flores yard signs, well see in November.
Dont know whats up Bexar County, there could be a local race that is driving up Republican turnout.
Eliot Rosewater
(32,604 posts)Call me old fashioned but I dont see how that could happen and be acceptable under the US Constitution.
flying_wahini
(8,047 posts)This general area could change Texas if they would just get on board with us and stay there.
I was sick when Beto lost in this area so badly.
calimary
(85,175 posts)Hes certainly slimy enough to earn that nickname! Did you come up with that, flying_wahini?
Torchlight
(4,255 posts)Just enough of each in these regions to establish a sort of informal parity between the two parties, which also keeps a lid on the nastier outbursts and absurdist policies that tend to begin erupting when conservatives get absolute control of local and community boards. Every now and then (though not too often, mind you), I'm given the opportunity by neighbors or coworkers to put a human face on conservatives.