A lot of people don’t realize how rigged Texas is, or how recent it’s redness is.
The Governor prior to Bush was a Democratic woman. Bush got elected off his name, then got the Presidency. In the Republican bump from that the Republicans got a majority in the Texas legislature for the first time since Reconstruction in 2003, which they used to massively gerrymander the state.
Prior to 2004, the majority of Texas reps.to Congress had never been Republican. Following the 2003 redistricting, it was over 2:1 Republican. They’ve locked down voting districts and attacked voting rights ever since to maintain their majority, while courting out-of-state conservatives to move to Texas and driving progressives away.
The reality is the Republicans got full control of the state government in a single legitimate election in 2002 and have spent the last 2 decades rigging the system to ensure they never lose that power.
A lot of people don’t realize how rigged Texas is, or how recent it’s redness is.
The Governor prior to Bush was a Democratic woman. Bush got elected off his name, then got the Presidency. In the Republican bump from that the Republicans got a majority in the Texas legislature for the first time since Reconstruction in 2003, which they used to massively gerrymander the state.
Prior to 2004, the majority of Texas reps.to Congress had never been Republican. Following the 2003 redistricting, it was over 2:1 Republican. They’ve locked down voting districts and attacked voting rights ever since to maintain their majority, while courting out-of-state conservatives to move to Texas and driving progressives away.
The reality is the Republicans got full control of the state government in a single legitimate election in 2002 and have spent the last 2 decades rigging the system to ensure they never lose that power.
This was pretty much the Koch brothers’ playbook. Building from grassroots up.
The blue print for what’s come after across the country.