A much larger than usual turnout by Democrats in the Texas primaries on Tuesday shocked the GOP and gave Democrats hope in their bid to flip the deep red state with a blue wave during the 2018 midterm elections.
And this November, history may be made. Texas is poised to send their first Latina, or first two, to congress.
The strong Democratic voter turnout, and the fact Texas actually seated a Democratic candidate in every 2018 midterm race points to a major change in the Lone Star state and maybe around the country. Voters and especially grassroots movements poise themselves to flip congress and several governorships from red to blue in November.
Many pundits cite anger over President Donald Trump’s policies and the actions of a Republican led congress for the high Democratic turnout. The DNC hopes that dissatisfaction leads to election night victories.
Texans and political observers from around the world noted the presence of women both on the ballot and at the polls.
The role of women in the Texas primaries and the 2018 midterm elections gained a boost, first in Alabama where women of color led the charge to elect Senator Doug Jones and now with the women of Texas.
But the GOP responded to Tuesday's turnout with a vow to keep Texas red. Incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz largely ignored the primary, assured of his victory, and focused his efforts on November with attack ads aimed at his likely, and eventual, Democratic challenger, Beto O'Rourke. But most of Senator Cruz's attacks aimed at O'Rourke missed the mark.
