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As the midterm elections loom, many Texas Democrats are defecting to the GOP over the issue of immigration.

I’m going to talk about something that’s been on a lot of people’s minds lately- the midterm elections. Specifically, I want to focus on how the issue of immigration is affecting Texas Democrats. Because it seems like more and more democrats are defecting over to the GOP every day.

President Joe Biden took office and promised to overturn many of Donald Trump’s restrictive immigration policies. At the same time, residents living in Terrell County, which has a population of less than 1,000, started reporting a significant increase in the number of migrants coming through the rough terrain. This has had a disastrous impact on the community and now many democrats are seeing the damage first hand of Joe Biden’s policies.

Ranchers complained that large groups of migrants were entering through their border-adjacent land, cutting high fences, which risked setting their animals loose, damaging the water lines that supply their vast ranches in a semi-arid climate and making it harder for them to tend to their livestock.

The Texas Tribune Reports. In 2014, the percentage of registered voters casting ballots in the Republican primary in Terrell County was 12%. By 2022, that percentage had more than doubled — with 31% of the county’s registered voters casting ballots in the GOP primary compared to 10% in the Democratic primary. It was the first time in at least eight years that Republicans voting in the Terrell County primary outnumbered Democrats.

The shift in allegiance is being replicated on the Texas-Mexico border and is encouraging for Republicans who are campaigning on border security. Democrats who have long held sway in South Texas and border communities are also concerned. Despite claims from the White House that the border is secure and closed, Immigrants themselves are saying the exact opposite. 

Since 2014, Republican primary participation has grown steadily in 15 counties along the Texas-Mexico border. That year, 23,243 voters participated in a Republican primary, accounting for about 2% of voters.

Despite the fact that Democrats still outnumber Republicans in those counties, the trendline is moving in the opposite direction.

The Democratic Party chair in Maverick County, which is 95% Hispanic, acknowledges the Republican Party has grown rapidly in her area in recent years and is challenging established Democrats in her region.

There has also been a Republican push at the local level. Several years ago, the local GOP was almost nonexistent in places like Maverick County. Poll workers used to joke on Election Day about whether all Republicans had voted.

This year, Democrats aren’t laughing. With the help of Republican groups like Project Red Texas, which focuses on electing Republicans to local government, the Maverick County GOP’s candidates are well funded, putting up election signs at some of Eagle Pass’ most prominent intersections. With less than two months until Election Day, GOP candidates’ posters stand alone without any signs from their Democratic counterparts.

Democrats are quick to point out that Republican primary participation still lags behind their own, despite the GOP’s push in border areas. The 2022 GOP primary in Maverick County, for example, had only 624 voters.

As compared to 2014, 79 Republicans participated in the county’s Republican primaries, but less than 10% participated in the county’s Democratic primaries.

The border is wide open and Republicans are capitalizing on the failures of the Democrats. Border security is poised to be a top issue in upcoming elections and unless the Democrats acknowledge their failed policies, a red wave will be coming. 

Let’s continue this conversation, in the comments below.