Texas and California III

For next week, finish Miller

Will discuss any other topics you want

Experience survey on Monday: bring your devices

Tale of the Tape (percent D)

California 

                                    1992                2024

Assembly seats           57.5%              75.0%

Senate seats                 60.0%             75.0% 

US House seats           57.7%             82.7%

Texas

State House seats       61.3%                41.3%   

State Senate seats       58.1%               35.5%

US House seats          70.0%               30.0%

The Big Sort:

In 1976, Democrat Jimmy Carter narrowly carried Texas and Republican Gerald Ford narrowly carried California.

Precinct-level national maps

• 2024 (another map here)
• 2020
• 2016

Overall political party strength in Texas and California

What accounts for the shift?

• Change in demographics and economics
• Ideological sorting 

1994 in California and Texas:

Institutional Stuctures

• News deserts in California and Texas
• "The Lone Star  Constitution places many shackles on state government" (Miller 135).
• "Redeemer Constitution"
• Lieutenant Governor
• The controversial AG
• California Constitution -- the Progressive imprint
• Annual legislative salaries: 
• Texas: $7,200 California: $128,215 .