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| | '''Texas''' became the 28th state to join the union on December 29, 1845. As of 2024, Texas has the 9th largest economy in the world, with a $32.7 billion budget surplus. Texas is a bastion of [[free enterprise]], religious liberty, and [[conservative]] outspokenness. '''''Beginning in fall 2025, the [[Bible]] is part of its [[public school]] curriculum'''''. | | '''Texas''' became the 28th state to join the union on December 29, 1845. As of 2024, Texas has the 9th largest economy in the world, with a $32.7 billion budget surplus. Texas is a bastion of [[free enterprise]], religious liberty, and [[conservative]] outspokenness. '''''Beginning in fall 2025, the [[Bible]] is part of its [[public school]] curriculum'''''. |
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| − | Texas was a territory of [[Mexico]] from 1821–1835, before [[Texas War of Independence|gaining independence]] from [[Mexico]] as the [[Republic of Texas]] from 1836–1845. This state is the largest [[conservative]] state in population (in 2020 it was the only state to gain more than one new seat in Congress; it gained two new seats) and is predicted to surpass [[California]] in population within a few decades (due in part to Californians moving to the state, causing it to lose a Congressional seat for the first time in its history). Texas is the second-largest in population after California (in 2020, its population was estimated at over 29.1 million) and has the second-largest land area after [[Alaska]]. Texas has long been the biggest grower of [[cotton]] in the [[U.S.]] | + | Texas was a territory of [[Mexico]] from 1821–1835, before [[Texas War of Independence|gaining independence]] from [[Mexico]] as the [[Republic of Texas]] from 1836–1845. This state is the largest [[conservative]] state in population (in 2020 it was the only state to gain more than one new seat in Congress, when Texas gained two new seats) and is predicted to surpass [[California]] in population within a few decades (due in part to Californians moving to the state, causing it to lose a Congressional seat for the first time in its history). Currently Texas is the second-largest in population after California (in 2020, Texas's population was estimated at over 29.1 million) and has the second-largest land area after [[Alaska]]. Texas has long been the biggest grower of [[cotton]] in the [[U.S.]] |
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| | The capital of Texas is [[Austin]], and its largest city is [[Houston]]. Texas was a solidly [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] state from the end of [[Reconstruction]] in the early 1870s until the 1970s, when [[Republican Party]] started gradually taking control, until it dominated the political atmosphere of the state (although, during the shift, the state maintained a generally conservative approach to governing). Nevertheless, Democrats control the largest cities of Houston, [[San Antonio]], Austin, [[Dallas]], and [[El Paso]] (and the respective counties in which they reside), along with the counties along the Mexican border. Austin is one of the most [[liberal]] cities in [[The South|the South]]. | | The capital of Texas is [[Austin]], and its largest city is [[Houston]]. Texas was a solidly [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] state from the end of [[Reconstruction]] in the early 1870s until the 1970s, when [[Republican Party]] started gradually taking control, until it dominated the political atmosphere of the state (although, during the shift, the state maintained a generally conservative approach to governing). Nevertheless, Democrats control the largest cities of Houston, [[San Antonio]], Austin, [[Dallas]], and [[El Paso]] (and the respective counties in which they reside), along with the counties along the Mexican border. Austin is one of the most [[liberal]] cities in [[The South|the South]]. |
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| | *[[Ted Cruz]], Texas Solicitor General, U. S. Senator, and Republican presidential candidate | | *[[Ted Cruz]], Texas Solicitor General, U. S. Senator, and Republican presidential candidate |
| | *[[Rick Perry]], a prominent Texas politician, served as Texas Governor and U.S. Secretary of Energy | | *[[Rick Perry]], a prominent Texas politician, served as Texas Governor and U.S. Secretary of Energy |
| − | *[[Ron Paul]], U.S. Representative, physician, and notable libertarian-conservative activist, lived and worked in Texas | + | *[[Ron Paul]], U.S. Representative, physician, and notable libertarian-conservative activist, lives and worked in Texas |
| | *[[Lou Dobbs]], television/radio host and conservative commentator, born and raised in Texas | | *[[Lou Dobbs]], television/radio host and conservative commentator, born and raised in Texas |
| | *[[Henry Morris]], hydrologist and prominent [[creation scientist]], born and raised in Texas | | *[[Henry Morris]], hydrologist and prominent [[creation scientist]], born and raised in Texas |