# Whither Blue Texas? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 6, 2026, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552 "2026-11-06T16:00:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/42 "2026-11-08T22:35:50Z")
I spent 1974 to 1977 in Austin while I was a graduate student at the University of Texas (and a few months afterward as I applied to another university). I saw the 2014 movie _Boyhood_ when It came out. One of my thoughts on seeing it was that it was finally a good presentation of what I mentally referred to as college-town Texas. Texas was never solely like Western movies or like conservative views of the state. There was always a lot of more-or-less liberal people and people who moved to Texas from other states and (yes, legally) from many other countries. What has just happened is that enough of the conservative voters got disgusted with Trump that they decided to either vote for Democrats or not vote at all. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2026, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/43 "2026-11-08T22:48:45Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > In part, because of what they represent: a certain mythology of manliness having to do with the frontier and wide-open spaces, where wind-toughened men carve a life for themselves out of the land, which was one of the subtexts of the election in general. 🙄 Give me a break. No one who grew up in Texas or lives here would say that with a straight face. Y’all tell yourselves whatever stories you need to. I love Talarico whatever he is wearing. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2026, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/44 "2026-11-08T22:54:41Z")
I can see that if you’re working on a ranch, that cowboy boots may be useful, given the presence of cow patties and horseshit. But for most people in Texas, they’re not really needed. That is why I called them silly. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2026, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/45 "2026-11-08T23:57:10Z")
Isn’t a cowboy boot just a dress shoe with a high top? It’s a flat leather sole with a heel and leather uppers. The boot part going up the ankle and calf is the only difference. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/46 "2026-11-09T00:14:20Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I can see that if you’re working on a ranch, that cowboy boots may be useful, given the presence of cow patties and horseshit. But for most people in Texas, they’re not really needed. That is why I called them silly. Nor are high heels, or expensive mens dress shoes, or $500 sneakers, etc etc. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/47 "2026-11-09T00:17:48Z")
That’s why I wear high-heeled dressy leather Air Jordan sneakers on the ranch. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/49 "2026-11-09T01:48:52Z")
**Moderating** ## Enough with boots and shoes. Remember replying to an off topic post is not being on topic. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/51 "2026-11-09T01:50:09Z")
Candidate quality definitely figured into the decapitation of GOP leadership in TX but it wasn’t just how great Talarico was compared to Paxton. Yes Paxton is despised across the state. Abbott has served past his expiration date but Dan Patrick’s loss is about more than the THC ban. He has been pushing his white Christian nationalist agenda for a long, long time. Back in his broadcasting days he was a big promotor of Rush Limbaugh and played an outsize role in getting RL widespread placement on the airwaves. Most Texans of a certain age know he is a nasty, dishonest, evil person. Bo French said the quiet part out loud during his run for the Railroad commission with his blatantly racist comments. And the turnout efforts in the Valley brought this house of cards crashing down. This result shows the decent people of Texas finally had enough with these crooked liars and racists and couldn’t look the other way any longer. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/52 "2026-11-09T02:36:45Z")
Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/53 "2026-11-09T03:24:24Z")
Yeah, except for Talarico and to a lesser extent Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic candidates for office won by default rather than much genuine enthusiasm for them personally. Nobody knows who Vikki Goodwin or Sarah Eckhardt are (to where I had to look up and correct how I had originally spelled both their names). This was not an endorsement of these candidates’ biographies or platforms – it was a reaction against their loathsome opponents. Which they should keep in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552/54 "2026-11-09T03:44:57Z")
Certainly it was a reaction against their opponents but since both have been in state government for at least 5 or 6 years I think it’s not really fair to say they were complete unknowns. I mean, someone elected them in the past. Eckhardt in fact comes from a well known political family in Texas. What I have read about them makes me believe they know what to do in their respective new roles. The fact this is a huge change for TX is something I’m sure they will keep in mind. 😁 Undoubtedly this is a new era in TX politics. The state Democratic Party has done great work building up from the grass roots. We will know more in 2028 about how much that success sticks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whither-blue-texas/1034552.md?page=2)