Staff Reports
The notion that Texas might tip blue has become one of the Democrats’ favorite fairy tales, akin to the search for Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. With whispers of a blue wave sweeping through the Lone Star State, the reality remains: Republicans continue to reign supreme in Texas, winning every major election for years. Take Wendy Davis, for instance. In 2014, she was the great hope of the Democrats, riding her pro-abortion filibuster fame into a gubernatorial race that ended in a resounding thud. Barely breaking 40 percent of the vote, she showcased just how out of touch the Democrats were with Texas voters. Now, with Kamala Harris emerging as their new poster child, it seems they haven’t learned a thing.
Recent coverage, like that from Newsweek, suggests that Harris might somehow crack the Texas nut. The article prompted Tom Bevan, co-founder of RealClearPolitics, to react in disbelief at the absurdity of it all. According to some political professors, even if Kamala makes the rounds and raises some funds, there’s zero evidence that her presence is going to change the outcome for the Democrats. In fact, one professor bluntly stated that Texas would not be in play—at all. That tends to be the outcome when the candidate in question is directly linked to the record-breaking surge in illegal immigration that has plagued the state.
Here's What Caused RealClearPolitics' Co-Founder's Jaw to Drop When He Saw This Headline About Harris https://t.co/EgV69lhKqs
— K. B. Eric Riddle (@ridd10473) August 15, 2024
Experts weigh in further, indicating that while Harris might enjoy a temporary bounce, it’s unclear how that translates to real victories in Texas. The state has endured endless predictions from Democrats since 2006 that a purple wave was just around the corner. News flash: the wave has yet to arrive, and in 2022, Republicans like Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton stomped their opponents with double-digit victories. Yet, demoralizing as it is for Democrats, they seem destined to believe that their fairytale ending is just one election cycle away.
Cynics might even argue that Harris will be utilized more for her fundraising potential than any actual hope of swaying Texan voters. Mark Jones, yet another political science academic, suggests that while she may create a competitive environment, it won’t come close to what Biden achieved in 2020. Given that Biden’s numbers weren’t exactly impressive, that’s a grim outlook for the Democrats.
As the political season heats up, the prospect of Kamala Harris being “slaughtered” in Texas by Trump and his GOP cohorts is looking ever more likely. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania looms as another battlefield where Republicans have struggled to find footing. The Keystone State has been a source of endless heartache for the GOP, only delivering victories in 1988 and 2016. Democrats seem to have a firm hold there, and it was about to turn solid red until Joe Biden’s abrupt departure from the political scene. The Republican strategy in Texas may be more straightforward, while Pennsylvania continues to torment their dreams of dominance.
