Texas GOP bets on hard right turn amid changing demographics

[dalton99a]

https://apnews.com/article/health-texas-coronavirus-pandemic-race-and-ethnicity-gun-politics-7fc96749dd93d45ff0f2f9bab1fd7b40

Texas GOP bets on hard right turn amid changing demographics
By WILL WEISSERT and PAUL J. WEBER


Texas Gov Greg Abbott and State Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, shake hands after Abbott signed Senate Bill 1, also known as the election integrity bill, into law in Tyler, Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. The sweeping bill signed Tuesday by the two-term Republican governor further tightens Texas’ strict voting laws. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

...

Far from tiptoeing toward the middle to appease the Democratic-leaning Texans driving population growth, the party is embracing its base and vowing to use a new round of redistricting to ensure things stay that way through 2030 — becoming a national model for staying on the offensive no matter how political winds may eventually shift.

Abbott, who is up for reelection next year and often mentioned as a possible 2024 presidential contender, signed voting legislation Tuesday that empowers partisan poll watchers and prohibits a host of measures that made casting ballots easier in heavily Democratic cities amid the coronavirus pandemic. Republicans argue that the new rules boost election security and charged ahead to pass them, even as Democratic state lawmakers fled the state for weeks to block them.

The voting law was nearly overshadowed by national debate over another new Texas law — the nation’s toughest set of abortion restrictions. By banning the procedure in most instances and leaving no exceptions for cases of rape and incest, the state has mounted perhaps the strongest threat yet to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing a woman’s right to an abortion.

Another new law allows virtually any Texan age 21 and older to carry guns without licenses. Other legislation banned schools from teaching about institutional racism and limited the state’s own cities from making decisions on police funding, environmental budgeting and mask mandates.

[Demovictory9]

1. Where is Beto?

Where is Beto

[Effete Snob]

2. Unemployed

What is he supposed to do?

[Elessar Zappa]

6. He might have a chance to unseat Abbot

when the time comes. Maybe not but he’s our best shot, imo.

[riversedge]

3. ...and limited the state's own cities from making decisions on police funding, environmental budgeti

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

4. The Texas GOP is now "The Stupid Party".

[Skittles]

5. now?

they have been fucking morons for DECADES