Texas
Opinion: Sorry haters, Texas isn’t turning blue in this election – or anytime soon
Polls show Republican Sen. Ted Cruz ahead by 4 to 5 percentage points. But political observers with experience in Texas think the race isn’t as close as portrayed.
Donald Trump: Ted Cruz is ‘tough as nails’
Former president Donald Trump offered his endorsement to Republican incumbent Ted Cruz in his Senate race against Colin Allred.
Fox – 4 News
Something about Texas makes Democrats believe it will turn blue every election, despite so much evidence to the contrary.
Maybe Texas is the object of progressives’ fantasies and frustrations because of all the heavy-hitting Republicans with oil money, the presence of so much old-fashioned cowboy masculinity and its booming economy, which is the eighth largest in the world.
Texas is so conservative that if the state were to turn blue someday, it would be a massive indicator that America is veering significantly leftward.
Sorry, liberals. It will not happen this year. And likely not any time soon.
Texas isn’t just a red state, it’s a beacon of conservative values. It’s that way because that’s how those of us who call Texas home want it to be. We live in a place that reflects our views, and our views are reflected where we live − a symbiotic circle with liberty at its core.
Trying to turn Texas blue is a futile exercise for Democrats. But it doesn’t seem to keep them from trying anyway.
Ted Cruz is cruising toward victory in Texas Senate race
Take the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Ted Cruz and Dallas Democratic Rep. Colin Allred.
Texas-based publications and national news outlets have been quick to observe how tight the Allred vs. Cruz Senate race has appeared to be in this election cycle.
I wrote about it in September, and it was tighter then than I expected.
Allred boasts some great qualities: He’s personable and has worked hard to look like a moderate Democrat in a red state. (That’s the only way he could get elected in Texas.)
It’s a formula that’s been tried before, as anyone who has observed the failed political career of Beto O’Rourke knows.
With a few years on the El Paso City Council and then in the U.S. House of Representative under his belt, O’Rourke, known in Texas simply as “Beto,” ran for the Senate against Cruz in 2018 and lost by about 2.6 percentage points. Undeterred, he ran again against Gov. Greg Abbott in 2022 and lost handily, by more than 10 points.
Texas Democrats hope Allred can do what O’Rourke could not do: Finally secure a Senate seat to represent liberals, the majority of whom reside in the Lone Star state’s urban areas.
But a Democrat hasn’t won statewide office in Texas in 30 years. That’s back when Bill Clinton was still in the White House and movie fans flocked to Blockbuster (look it up, Gen Z) on Friday nights.
For Democrats, O’Rourke’s losses were mystifying. He was charismatic and enthusiastically backed by Hollywood and the national media. But he ultimately failed for the same reason Allred will likely fail.
Allred, like O’Rourke, just doesn’t represent the views of most Texans.
Cruz better represents Texans
Allred has presented himself as a bipartisan moderate to gain traction in Texas, but it’s a ruse. He’s more aligned with the progressive views of Vice President Kamala Harris than it appears at first glance.
While in Congress, Allred has shown himself to be a typical liberal who votes for measures that increase government spending and expand its reach into our lives, like the Inflation Reduction Act and the $2 trillion Build Back Better Act.
Cruz may not come across as likable as Allred or O’Rourke. He can be both nerdy and brash. He reminds me of that kid in class who tells the teacher she forgot to assign homework.
Cruz seems the most human when other conservatives interview him, an understandable trait given the media’s obvious scorn. But that also means many people don’t see a side of him that’s relatable and relaxed.
Cruz is an easy target for the mainstream media to skewer, as is often the case with conservative politicians. But none of that means he has done a poor job or has failed to represent his constituents. At 45%, his approval rating is 5 points higher than his disapproval rating heading into Tuesday.
Cruz favors policies that lower taxes for Texas residents, improve local businesses and boost military contracts for Texas companies.
Even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which endorsed Allred in his 2020 and 2022 House races, now endorses Cruz.
Polls show Cruz ahead by 4 to 5 percentage points. But political observers with experience in Texas say the race isn’t as close as portrayed.
Brendan Steinhauser, an Austin-based political consultant, told me: ” I think he is going to overperform the polling, and beat Colin Allred by a wider margin than many people expect.”
Texas is the American dream
I interviewed Gov. Abbott a few weeks ago and asked him about the Cruz vs. Allred race and if Texas is turning blue after all. He chalked up Allred’s initial momentum to his head start running advertising campaigns well before Cruz.
“So there is a political and ideological shift in the state of Texas, but it’s different than what people think,” Abbott said. “Republicans in Texas are picking up larger swaths of the Hispanic vote. We’re converting people to the Republican side that historically has been Democrat.”
For a lot of Texans, our state is the epitome of the American dream: Here, we live life on our own terms, and liberty is the pursuit with happiness the result.
It’s not just Texas’ natural beauty and resources that make it incredible. It’s also the conservative ideas reflected in our state and local governments that allow its best attributes to shine. It’s not perfect, of course, and the lawmakers here aren’t without flaws. Even so, the emphasis on freedom comes from core conservative principles.
That’s why it will not turn blue any time soon.
Texas isn’t great in spite of its conservatism, but because of it.
Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.
Texas
Austin weather: Slight risk for severe storms in Central Texas
AUSTIN, Texas – Rainy, stormy and cooler times are ahead and all the ingredients are coming together for the best chances of rain we have seen in the last two months.
A cold front along with a potent upper low will collide with the warmth and moisture to turn on the spotty light rain during the day and heavy rain and storms tonight.
There is a marginal to slight risk of severe storms and localized flooding.
After the front pushes through, the weather will be wonderful for Election Day with sunny, cooler and drier conditions. Then here comes the next Pacific low to bring back the clouds and rain by the end of the week.
Buckle up, the weather pattern is turning very active all of a sudden.
Most of the rain and storms will happen tonight. The Storm Prediction Center has upgraded us to a SLIGHT risk of severe storms. This means isolated severe storms are possible generating moderate sized hail and damaging winds.
Two rounds of storms are possible:
- First round: 3 – 5pm (isolated coverage)
- Second round: 6pm – 12am (numerous coverage)
Threats will be quarter sized hail, wind gusts of 50 – 60mph and there will be a low tornado risk.
The highest risk for hail will be along I-35 corridor and the highest risk of damaging winds from Austin to La Grange.
Rain totals are expected to be about .5 to 1″ with isolated spots possibly getting 1-2″.
Minor flooding with low-water crossings possible.
Texas
Where can I watch the College Football Playoff rankings for Texas A&M football?
Mike Elko refutes reports that comments directed at Jimbo Fisher
Texas A&M coach Mike Elko’s postgame comments caught fire on social media. But Elko says they weren’t about Jimbo Fisher or any other coach.
Texas A&M football may have lost on Saturday to South Carolina, but they’re still in the running for one of the 12 spots in the College Football Playoff.
The Aggies are one of five teams in the Southeastern Conference with one conference loss. LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Texas also have one loss, opening the teams to some very complex tiebreaking scenarios.
This Tuesday, the CFP selection committee will release its first edition of the weekly rankings and the first projection of the playoff. Texas A&M is currently ranked 10th in the AP Poll and 11th in the US LBM Coaches Poll, but their recent loss should send them a ways down the standings.
Texas A&M running back Le’Veon Moss suffered an injury to his right leg in the first quarter versus South Carolina, pushing Amari Daniels into the starting role. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko says that Marcel Reed is the “starter now” after the game versus South Carolina, but the redshirt freshman committed multiple turnovers against the Gamecocks.
Texas A&M still has to face New Mexico State, Auburn and Texas. Even with the upcoming projections, there are a lot of different ways this could all play out.
Here’s everything you need to know about the CFP rankings reveal:
How to watch College Football Playoff rankings show
The College Football Playoff rankings show will air on ESPN, with the broadcast starting at 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Fans can also stream the show on Fubo, which is offering a free trial.
College Football Playoff rankings release date
The first rankings will be announced on Nov. 5 A new rankings will be released every Tuesday through Dec. 5.
What time is CFP rankings?
The broadcast will start at 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday.
Texas A&M football CFP rankings projection
Coming into Week 10, ESPN’s CFP Playoff predictor had Texas A&M with a 47% chance to make the playoff, but it hasn’t updated with the recent loss. Those odds fall to less than 40% after the defeat, per pregame projections.
If the Aggies win out and make the SEC title game, ESPN has them as the third-seed with a first-round bye, facing either sixth-seed Georgia or 11th-seed Tennessee.
Losing the title game would give Texas A&M a 67% chance to make the playoff as the 12th-seed. They would face fifth-seed Notre Dame in the first round. If the Aggies lose to the Longhorns in their final game of the season, their odds drop to 13%.
How many teams in College Football Playoff 2024?
There will be 12 participating teams in the College Football Playoff bracket. The teams will consist of the five conference champions ranked highest by the CFP selection committee, and the next seven highest-ranked teams.
How does College Football Playoff format work?
The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and receive a first-round bye. The fifth conference champion will be seeded where it was ranked or at No. 12 if it is outside the top 12 in the CFP rankings. Non-conference champions ranked in the top four will be seeded beginning at No. 5.
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Texas
Texas sees record early voting numbers as poll workers protect the integrity of the process
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — Millions of Texans will head to the polls on Tuesday, but almost half of all registered voters in the Lone Star state have already cast their ballots.
After a much-criticized election in 2022, Harris County eliminated the election administrator position and returned the authority to the county clerk, Teneshia Hudspeth. She said they are well prepared for Tuesday’s vote.
“It is going to be interesting. It is an important time in our country,” poll worker Garfield Teixeira said.
Teixeria has served on the front lines in more ways than one.
First, she served in the army for 22 years, but now, she’s on the front lines of democracy.
“We’re like Santa’s helpers. We’re like elves,” Teixeira said.
To Teixeira, a polling center is one of Santa’s many workshops.
She’s been helping out in Brazoria County during early voting.
“Friday, we had a lot of first-time voters. We welcomed them, and we tell them we should have a bell. Like, when you buy a car, to ring, to acknowledge them,” Teixeira said.
So far, 8.9 million Texans have voted early, including in-person and mail-in ballots. That’s about 47% of the 18.6 million registered voters.
It is less than the vote percentage in 2020, about 57%, but due to the pandemic, we had an extra week of early voting.
“The turnout has been tremendous,” Teixeira said.
Scrutiny of the election process has grown more intense, increasing the pressure on poll workers to perform flawlessly.
“I always pull up my information and refresh myself because… from one election to another. That is a big span of time,” Shaikil Grisham, who worked as a poll worker before moving to Texas, said.
Election monitors are tools used by the Department of Justice to keep an eye on any violations.
On Friday, top Texas election officials informed the DOJ that election monitors are not allowed in Texas polling places.
The agency had originally announced plans to dispatch machines to eight Texas counties.
The Texas secretary of state will send monitors to Harris County. The County welcomes those monitors as it has in previous elections.
For updates on this story, follow Alex Bozarjian on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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