The Texas Tribune describes how the newly elected members of Congress from Texas are acclimating to their new positions and points out that polarization begins early:
In Austin this week, new legislators-elect were doing the same thing their Washington counterparts were doing. The freshmen were getting their offices, getting oriented, hiring for the session, finding furniture, getting ready for the show.
Here’s a difference: some tables in the room where the Texas legislators met had Republicans at them — and Democrats.
Washington is a different culture, with firmly drawn partisan lines. One new lawmaker tells a story of getting in line for security passes this week and finding that photographs were being taken of Democrats in one line and Republicans in the other.
The tribes are strong in Austin, too, but not like that.
