Politics
Much like the Oklahoma Panhandle, the region is very politically and socially conservative. It was one of the first regions of the state to break away from its Democratic roots, though Democrats continued to do well at the local level well into the 1980s. However, Republicans now dominate every level of government, holding nearly every elected post above the county level.
In the 2008 Presidential Election, John McCain received 78.82% of the vote, as compared with Barack Obama's 20.48% share of the vote. Other candidates received 0.70% of the total vote. However, most (62.2%) of Barack Obama's votes came from Potter and Randall Counties, near Amarillo, the only large city in the region, with the rest of the panhandle being even more strongly conservative. In Ochiltree County, John McCain received 91.97% of the vote.
Nearly all of the Panhandle is in Texas's 13th congressional district, represented by Republican Mac Thornberry. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+29, it is tied for the most Republican district in the nation. The counties of Castro, Deaf Smith, and Parmer are in the Texas's 19th congressional district, represented by Republican Randy Neugebauer.
Read more about this topic: Texas Panhandle
Famous quotes containing the word politics:
“All you can be sure about in a political-minded writer is that if his work should last you will have to skip the politics when you read it. Many of the so-called politically enlisted writers change their politics frequently.... Perhaps it can be respected as a form of the pursuit of happiness.”
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961)
“All politics takes place on a slippery slope. The most important four words in politics are “up to a point.””
—George F. Will (b. 1941)
“A baby changes your dinner party conversation from politics to poops.”
—Maurice Johnstone (20th century)