Red or Purple? Tarrant County flirts with party lines
Nov 06, 2024
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After making some in-roads in Tarrant County, Democrats had high hopes going into the 2024 general election.
“Imagine a Tarrant County where our schools are leading others around the state,” said Tarrant County Democratic Party Chair Crystal Glayden on Monday during a press conference to push voters ahead of Election Day.
In the past, the party had beaten out Sen. Ted Cruz and now President-elect Donald Trump, prompting the question: Could the county be turning purple?
“They’re certainly not saying it after last night,” said Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare, a Republican.
In 2020, Trump lost the county to President Joe Biden by 1,800 votes. This time, he won by 42,000.
O’Hare also pointed to the sheriff’s race, in which incumbent Republican Bill Waybourn beat Democratic challenger Patrick Moses 54% to 46%.
“We also flipped a constable seat from Democrat hands to Republican hands, so Tarrant County is solid red,” O’Hare said.
He said the results show good governance.
“People know what’s going on in Tarrant County. They respond to tax cuts, they respond to strong law and order, they respond to responsible spending, they respond to eliminate all woke silliness that seems to be pushed at government levels all over the country now,” O’Hare said.
But Republican strategist Vinny Minchillo said a closer look at the numbers reveals some concerns for the party.
"I was unpleasantly surprised by the Tarrant County numbers. I really was," he said.
In the race for U.S. Senate, Democrat Collin Allred edged out Ted Cruz.
"Certainly, Allred winning Tarrant County ... is going to take away your title of biggest red county in the state. You know, it's really not there anymore," Minchillo said.
He said the race that stands out the most to him is for sheriff-- despite Republican Bill Waybourn's win.
"But against the candidate who was pretty much unfunded, I think he had less than $10,000. And he should have won that by 20 points," Minchillo said. "That's a sheriff with a good brand and a good reputation. And that was needlessly close."
Minchillo said he wouldn't go as far as to call Tarrant County purple just yet, saying voters will probably vote red in the Midterm Elections.
"I don't think it's going to be reliably purple every single election," he said.
But, he said, the county isn't as red as it was and doesn't come without a fight anymore.
"I think Tarrant County is always going to be a battle," he said.
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