AUSTIN — Democrats drew nearly three times as many primary voters as Republicans in Texas border counties, a sign the region’s political direction remains unsettled after the 2024 election.
What’s at stake: President Donald Trump flipped several historically Democratic counties along the border that year, stirring talk of a possible Republican shift.
The Democratic-heavy primary turnout on March 3 now suggests the fight for South Texas is very much in play.
“A blue wave is coming,” said Juanita Martinez, Maverick County’s Democratic Party chief.
Political Points
The primary numbers:
221,164 Democratic primary votes were cast in border counties.76,713 Republican primary votes were cast.Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico won 30 of the state’s 32 border counties over rival Jasmine Crockett.
The turnout surprise: Democratic participation in several border counties exceeded expectations, catching some Republican officials off guard.
“I was shocked they had such a big turnout,” said El Paso County GOP Chair Michael Aboud.
What Democrats did: In El Paso County, the local party launched Vote915, a voter information effort, and worked phones to reach residents who voted in the 2020 statewide elections but skipped the 2024 presidential election.
Talarico’s push: Talarico’s campaign targeted the border, running Spanish-language ads and visiting counties such as Cameron and Hidalgo, areas Democrats are trying to reclaim after backing Trump in 2024.
The GOP pitch: Republicans running for the Senate leaned heavily on border security in South Texas. Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton both emphasized immigration enforcement and tougher border policies in the region.
A shift in who voted: GOP pollster Ross Hunt said turnout data suggests some Hispanic independent voters chose the Democratic primary rather than the Republican one.
“It does indicate that, for this cycle at least, Republicans are not going to be able to count on Hispanic independents and Hispanic Democrats defecting,” Hunt said.