Texas Republicans: It’s About Power, Yes—but Also Their Radical Agenda

In red states, Republicans gerrymander state legislatures to ensure massive majorities that then pass abortion bans, tax cuts for the rich, school vouchers, and other policies that polls show the majority of voters don’t want. When advocacy groups work around the legislatures and get popular ideas such as paid sick leave passed via ballot initiative, Republican legislators and GOP governors often ignore or override those initiatives.

In Washington right now, Republicans currently control the House and the Senate. But instead of pushing his agenda through Congress, Trump is laying off federal workers, cutting university funding, and making countless other moves via aggressive and perhaps unconstitutional uses of executive power. Trump then bets (usually correctly) that the unelected, unaccountable Supreme Court will legitimize his actions. This strategy ignores the public, which would likely balk if Congress tried to dismantle the Department of Education, as Trump has done on his own.

Republicans could have tried to pass bills in Congress this year that helped them win the midterms. Instead, they insisted on pushing through a deeply unpopular domestic policy bill that cut taxes for the rich and health care for the poor. So to ensure victory in the midterms, they want to redraw district lines in Texas and potentially other states.