Texas is the only state in the country where you can vote twice in the same election and not have to worry about going to jail.
- Bill Clinton
After decades of political irrelevance because of it’s reliably Republican predilection, it’s been interesting to watch events in my old stomping grounds. Texas, for the first time in…well, I’m not quite sure how long is a pivotal battleground- for Democrats. Yeah…whodathunkit?? We’re talking about one of the most populous states in the nation, and one that doesn’t have a single Democrat in a statewide elected office. Yet Democrats having been crawling all over Texas as if the state actually matters…because this time around, it does.
There was a time- 30 and 40 years ago- when Texas was a Democratic bastion, though no one could EVER have accused Texas Democrats (outside of Austin, at least) of being Liberal in persuasion. In those days, the line between Conservative Democrats and Liberal/Moderate Republicans was blurry if it existed at all. Unfortunately, Texas Democrats became progressively more out of touch and corrupt, and Republicans seized upon the opportunity to seize the moral high ground. They haven’t looked back since.
One of the truly fun things about the Texas Republican Party is that it’s completely in thrall to Far Right, uber-religious, self-righteous Christian wackjobs. Having infested state politics at every level, it’s made for some truly entertaining shenanigans over the years…like the debate over school books and the science curriculum. Were the Texas GOP to have it’s way, public schools would be extensions of churches, and children would be indoctrinated in taught creationisim in what would amount to extended Sunday School. You won’t hear any of these stories in the run-up to Tuesday, of course, which is really too bad. The Mainstream Media is missing a huge opportunity, because politics in Texas is nothing if not a comedy gold mine. What else can you expect from the state that gave us Tom DeLay, Governor Goodhair, AND Our Glorious and Benevolent Leader © ?
Like the great big kid in the back of the classroom who has gotten used to being overlooked, Texas has not had a chance to make a difference in the presidential primaries for decades. This year, suddenly, we’re hot stuff. Our primary on March 4th is going to mean something — maybe everything — in the Democratic race.
And in a campaign where voters are already defying some of the old demographic breakdowns, Texas promises to give the pundits and campaign planners a run for their money….
What I find truly interesting about the Texas Primary/Caucus is that, given the way that Texas apportions delgates, the Greater Houston area is responsible for about a quarter of the state’s delegate total. This would, I suppose explain why Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have been spending so much time in Houston, which suddenly can rightfully regard itself as being pivotal in the Democratic nomination process.
After Tuesday, Texas may well go back to being ignored by both Democrats and Republicans. Being among the reddest of red states, Texas is about as likely to go Democratic in November as I am likely to be elected Queen of England. Neither party is going to want to dump a lot of money into a state in which the results are a foregone conclusion. For now, though, Texas is reveling in the attention being lavished upon it by campaigns and the national media.
Enjoy it while you can, y’all; it’s not going to last much longer.
