Democrats see change in Texas as a long-term process

Significance Colin Allred, the Democratic Senate nominee, has raised more money than the previous challenger to Cruz did six years ago. Republicans' margin of victory in the presidential vote in Texas has shrunk markedly since 2012, driven by demographic change. For the Democrats, capturing Texas would be nationally significant. Impacts If the Democrats won Texas and held California in a presidential election, the salience of the current 'battleground' states would reduce. To attract support for a presidential candidate, especially from Hispanic voters, Democrats would need more conservative cultural positions. If Texas were to become a ‘battleground’ state, campaign costs would rise sharply, as it contains two of the top ten US media markets.