The Last Time Texas Voted Blue for President Might Surprise You

TEXAS -- In recent memory, Texas has been known as a 'red state' in many elections, including the Presidential election.

This is NOT a post about political views, y'all. Heaven knows there has been enough of that. And there's been enough polarization of people all across the country, and certainly here in East Texas.

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In the recent past, are candidates on whatever side using their rhetoric to cause more of a divide than we've seen in the recent past, or are the social media 'echo chambers' to blame? Is the mainstream media swaying people one way or the other?

Well, that could be the subject of another post entirely.

Is Texas Still a Solidly Red State?

But for our purposes here, given the intensity of the political climate lately, some Texans are trying to remember the last time the Lone Star State's electoral college votes went blue.

Why Some Thought Texas Could Become a Swing State

A story shared by KXAN back before the 2024 election had some wondering if Texas was on track to become more of a swing state, as in years past. The article stated:

"A poll released [...] by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University shows that while Pres. Joe Biden didn’t perform well in the Lone Star State, but Vice President Kamala Harris is more popular than expected."

Well, that question has been definitively answered at this point. Despite whatever perceived or real popularity the democratic candidate had in 2024, Texas definitely remained deeply red. So, when was the last time Texas voted blue in a Presidential election year?

The Last Time Texas Voted Blue for President

The last time Texas' electoral college votes helped elect a Democrat was in 1976, when Jimmy Carter was elected. At that time, Carter received 100K more votes than the incumbent, Republican Gerald Ford.

Jimmy Carter's Historic Texas Win

For younger Texans, that means the last Democratic presidential victory in Texas happened nearly half a century ago, which may be hard for some of us to fathom. Since then, Republican candidates have carried the state in every presidential election.

Could Texas Ever Turn Blue Again?

So while it would be a surprise and/or shock to see Texas turn blue in the foreseeable future, especially given the redistricting efforts currently being discussed, it has happened before.

Political analysts, of course, will continue to debate whether Texas could someday become more competitive, but for now, the state's voting history in presidential elections remains overwhelmingly Republican.

Why Every Election Still Matters

Whatever your political views, make sure you are registered to vote and make your voice heard in every election, at the local level, as well.

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