Blue Staters flee to Austin Due to Blue State Policies (Houston: 2014, unemployment)

[Nacho_Friend]

Bring blue state policies with them.

TaxProf Blog

"Texas had the highest net domestic migration in the 2013 to 2014 period, with 229,300. Florida was ranked second in net domestic migration, with 114,400 — which was nearly 4 times as large as third ranking South Carolina (30,100). Colorado followed closely, at 29,500 net domestic migrants, with Washington placing fifth with 27,000."

"The states with the largest net domestic migration losses are no surprise. New York, which has led net domestic out-migration in most recent years, did so again, with the loss of 126,800. Illinois lost the second greatest number of domestic migrants at 82,000. California ranked third, with a loss of 57,900."

[unihills]

Austin's always been pretty blue. The rest of the state turning red over the last 20-25 years or so just highlights that.

[Weatherguy]

Actually, Austin, Houston, Dallas, and El Paso are quite blue and have been for a while (Austin for a very long time). Demographically and culturally, the state is already blue overall, but what matters politically is who votes. Texas has a very low voter turnout, and it's the red population that votes reliably. But when and if turnout becomes high and represents everyone demographically, Texas will be blue again. I predict it will still take a decade before demographics and voter turnout make that happen. I'm not taking sides; just stating what demographers already know.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by Weatherguy

Actually, Austin, Houston, Dallas, and El Paso are quite blue and have been for a while (Austin for a very long time). Demographically and culturally, the state is already blue overall, but what matters politically is who votes. Texas has a very low voter turnout, and it's the red population that votes reliably. But when and if turnout becomes high and represents everyone demographically, Texas will be blue again. I predict it will still take a decade before demographics and voter turnout make that happen. I'm not taking sides; just stating what demographers already know.

Texas used to be a Yellow Dog Democrat state (as in, he'd vote for a yellow dog if it was a Democrat - now think about what that says about the voter in question for a minute). Only changed, in my lifetime, when the Democratic Party changed out from under them and expected them to follow along.

Personally, I prefer a nice purple state where people aren't confusing governance with football. Going to be a long time before we have anything like that, though, the way things are looking - people on both sides behave as if they have the firm conviction that the good of the party vastly outtrumps (no pun intended) the good of the country.

[pop251808]

Originally Posted by Nacho_Friend

Bring blue state policies with them.

TaxProf Blog

Maybe so, maybe not, time will tell.
Reading a law professor's blog who starts out quoting from "Breitbart" is like getting one's news from "The National Inquirer" while standing in the checkout line, though. Trust Pepperdine to be his west coast home; they also hosted Ken Starr for awhile.

[L210]

Originally Posted by Weatherguy

Actually, Austin, Houston, Dallas, and El Paso are quite blue and have been for a while (Austin for a very long time). Demographically and culturally, the state is already blue overall, but what matters politically is who votes. Texas has a very low voter turnout, and it's the red population that votes reliably. But when and if turnout becomes high and represents everyone demographically, Texas will be blue again. I predict it will still take a decade before demographics and voter turnout make that happen. I'm not taking sides; just stating what demographers already know.

San Antonio is also blue. The mayors, even though they don't run under a party, are usually Democrats. I believe most of the county commissioners are still Democrats. The county judge is a Democrat. The county just replaced a Republican DA with a Democrat. The sheriff is a Republican, but that's only because the Democratic incumbent she ran against had so many problems managing the jail.

[hound 109]

I wonder how many people (what percentage of people) who move down here (from traditional Blue States) are actually "fleeing" the states that have these more socialist economic policies....& they won't be "Bringing their Blue State Policies" with them?

Sure they'll bring a more moderate social perspective. (Diversity/Gay rights etc....because most of these folks aren't too fundamentalist churchy) Interestingly, most of the people from out of state (who chose to move here) that I've met are for the most part Economic Conservatives and pro 2nd Amendment (at least they're not anti).

But maybe that's because I live in a more suburban environment (families, schools & milkshakes at Sonic) as opposed to more Central (hipsters and craft beer outings).

Maybe the folks moving to Texas (from Blue States) won't cause Texas to move (politically) one way or the other....maybe it'll be a wash?

[pop251808]

Originally Posted by hound 109

...Maybe the folks moving to Texas (from Blue States) won't cause Texas to move (politically) one way or the other....maybe it'll be a wash?

Quite possibly true. Expanding voter participation (Texas currently has the lowest in the country) is probably the key to increased liberalization of election outcomes. The people who want change are already here. The people who move here are, for better and for worse, essentially like the people already here in their political leanings.

Election gurus know this, and the current party in power has done its best to tamp down voter participation rates because they know it, too.

[Rynldsbr]

Maybe, just stretching the imagination a little here, many of the people that move here don't give a rat's ***** about the political leanings and are coming here because there are jobs...?!?


If you look at the three locations with the highest net loss, two of the three are hemorrhaging jobs. New York has a significant decline in average household income, even though unemployment appears down overall. People are coming to Texas for jobs, not politics.

[sojourner77]

Originally Posted by Rynldsbr

. People are coming to Texas for jobs, not politics.

but good politics will create jobs. Vice versa


ex: Illinois