Democrats’ terrible week in South Texas
It was a terrible week for South Texas Democrats.
What they are saying:
POLITICO: Hispanic women emerge as big winners in Texas GOP primary
“For those of us looking for hopeful signs that 2020 was an isolated incident in terms of the drop-off in Latino support for Democrats, we just didn’t get that hopeful sign in these primary results,” said Tom Bonier, CEO of TargetSmart, a Democratic data firm. “This is evidence that there’s more of a challenge there.”
Houston Chronicle: Progressive Texas Democrats are having a moment — but a red wave is coming
“Still, progressives across the state will face an uphill battle in November, a midterm election that’s already widely expected to favor Republicans. Democrats gained little ground in Texas two years ago despite a flood of national money and resources.”
The Washington Post: Seven Big Takeaways From The Texas Primary
“The GOP keeps gaining Hispanic votes. That’s true in South Texas, anyway. Years of Republican organizing in the counties between San Antonio and the U.S.-Mexico border paid off on Tuesday, with the party setting a turnout record in 35 counties, most of them majority-Hispanic.”
POLITICO: ‘Corruption’ or ‘socialism’: GOP takes aim at South Texas either way
“For sure it’s going to be competitive if she’s the nominee,” Rep. Filemón Vela (D-Texas) said of Cisneros. “And then, frankly, I mean, because of the investigation it will be competitive for him too.”
Cook Political Report: Texas Primary Fallout: Democrats On Edge In TX-28 And The Rio Grande Valley
“For decades, Democrats have held an iron grip on three seats in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley. But in 2022, it’s emerging as a central flashpoint in the battle for the House. Thanks to new maps, Republicans are already favorites to pick up the open 15th CD in the McAllen area. And now that the brawl between Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and progressive Jessica Cisneros is headed to overtime, Republicans’ odds there are better than ever.”
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: Notes on the State of Politics: March 2, 2022
“TX-28 to Toss-up…Looming over all of this is a Republican trend among Latino voters that manifested itself in South Texas in 2020: Biden’s showing was way down from nearly 20-point victories in the district by Hillary Clinton in 2016 and O’Rourke in his 2018 Senate campaign, per figures from Dave’s Redistricting App.”
The Washington Post: Republicans Celebrate In Texas, As Democrats Gird For November
“It’s very hard to look at the pattern of turnout yesterday, and what a lot of these races looked like, and conclude Democrats are on the march in any serious way,” James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin, said Wednesday. “They are still clawing at the rock face trying not to fall backward.”
USA TODAY: ‘Texas is a battleground’: Latino voters torn between GOP and Democrats ahead of midterm elections
“For decades, Latinos along the border were expected to vote reliably for Democratic candidates. But that trend has shifted in recent years. Latinos in South Texas, who identify with conservative issues such as border security and the anti-abortion movement and were buoyed by the candidacy of former President Donald Trump, surprised many in 2020 by surging to the polls during the presidential election.”
THE HILL: Five Takeaways From The Texas Primaries
“The victories point to the GOP’s growing strength with Hispanic voters. Republicans made gains in South Texas in the 2020 presidential election due in large part to support from Hispanic men and women. Republicans in and out of Texas have since worked to recruit and message to Hispanic women.”
New York Times: How Immigration Politics Drives Some Hispanic Voters to the G.O.P. in Texas
“So far I see no action,” Mr. Gonzalez said (Rep. Vicente Gonzalez). “I’ve had to rely on myself, not on the national party coming down here to save us, so in that respect, it’s sad.”