Current Situation
| Year | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 57.19% 4,555,799 | 41.35% 3,294,440 |
| 2008 | 55.48% 4,467,748 | 43.72% 3,521,164 |
| 2004 | 61.09% 4,526,917 | 38.30% 2,832,704 |
| 2000 | 59.30% 3,799,639 | 38.11% 2,433,746 |
| 1996 | 48.80% 2,736,166 | 43.81% 2,459,683 |
| 1992 | 40.61% 2,496,071 | 37.11% 2,281,815 |
| 1988 | 56.01% 3,036,829 | 43.41% 2,352,748 |
| 1984 | 63.58% 3,433,428 | 36.18% 1,949,276 |
| 1980 | 55.30% 2,510,705 | 41.51% 1,881,148 |
| 1976 | 47.97% 1,953,300 | 50.08% 2,082,319 |
| 1972 | 66.20% 2,298,896 | 33.24% 1,154,291 |
| 1968 | 39.87% 1,227,844 | 41.14% 1,266,804 |
| 1964 | 36.49% 958,566 | 63.32% 1,666,185 |
| 1960 | 48.52% 1,121,130 | 50.25% 1,167,567 |
Republicans control all statewide Texas offices, both houses of the state legislature and have a majority in the Texas congressional delegation. This makes Texas one of the most Republican states in the U.S.
Despite overall Republican dominance, however, there remain some cities and regions with strong Democratic power. Austin, the state capital, is a Democratic stronghold and a center of progressive political activism. El Paso and the Rio Grande Valley also remain loyal to the Democratic Party. It should be noted though in the Rio Grande Valley during the 2004 Presidential Election that President George W. Bush carried Camron County, which went to Vice President Gore in 2000 Presidential Election prior. In addition, the mayors of most major Texas cities, though running in "nonpartisan" races, are affiliated with the Democratic Party. San Antonio tends to be moderate and swing between both parties, while Houston and Dallas are more conservative, though both currently have Democratic mayors. The suburbs of San Antonio, Dallas and Houston are heavily Republican. During the 2004 election, despite heavy losses in congressional races, the Texas Democrats made a net gain in the state legislature for the first time since 1974 (albeit only of a single seat).
During the 2006 election cycle, the Democrats scored major successes by winning six state House seats (five in the general election and one in an earlier special election), cutting the Republican majority in the House by half. They also gained two federal Congressional seats. The Democrats failed to win any statewide offices, however. 2008 saw further Democratic gains. Although the Republicans regained a congressional seat they had lost to the Democrats in 2006, the Democrats gained six state house seats (reducing the Republican majority there to a single seat) and one state senate seat.
The 2010 elections saw a reversal of this trend, with the Republicans taking a 101 to 49 supermajority in the State House. Republicans also captured 3 house seats, one central-Texas seat and two Hispanic-Majority seats in south Texas (one being the 23rd district lost in 2006).
Read more about this topic: Politics Of Texas
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