Gary Scharrer details how the 83rd Session of the Texas Legislature has changed. He points out how the changes in the past 25 years. The principle change has been the decrease of Anglo Democrats.
- In 1988 there were 83 Anglo Democrats, now there are 10.
- Only 3 of the 181 total members of the legislature are Hispanic Republicans.
- In 1988 56 Democrats were elected to represent rural areas, now there is only one.
- In 1988, 12 Anglo Democrats represented the Houston area, now only one does. John Whitmire.
Whitmire argues that the state has grown more urban, but the legislature is still dominated by agrarian interests. He anticipates that further increases in urban - and minority - population will lead to changes in state policies. Obama won 5 of the 6 largest counties in the state.
The reduction in Anglo Democrats was intentional. In an effort to make the Democratic Party weaker, Anglo Democrats were targeted for defeat, or weakened by redistricting. Doing so however may have solidified Hispanic support for the party however. Democrats are hoping that since demographics show the Latino population continues to grow, this suggests a bright future for the party. This assumes Republicans will not be able to increase its support among Latinos. That will be the party's challenge.
