Political Parties in Texas

This chapter describes the organization, activities, and effectiveness of political parties in Texas. It also describes the structure of political parties in Texas, the history of party competition in the state, the rules governing ballot access and redistricting, and the likely balance of power between Democrats and Republicans. The Democratic and Republican Parties in Texas spring to life for elections and then fade into the political background between elections. Turnout always falls in non-presidential election years, though the 2010 Texas primaries posted the highest off-year primary election turnout in twenty years. The Libertarian Party was founded in Texas in 1971 and stands for maximizing individual autonomy and minimizing the size and cost of government. The major parties, Democrats and Republicans, dominate the politics of all fifty states, including Texas. Texas was a Democratic state before it was a state. Most white settlers entered Texas from the American South.