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The American state of '''[[Texas]]''' has a history stretching back centuries.  Texas history has embodied the [[Republicanism|republican political ideals]] and values shared by all Americans, that is, a devotion to personal liberty, rampant individualism, economic opportunity, and [[Democratic republic|democratic republican]] politics.  The state combines both the [[Frontier Thesis|frontier]] heritage of the West, and the cultural tastes of [[The South]]. A strong leavening of Hispanic culture makes the southern half of Texas distinct.  

The American state of '''[[Texas]]''' has a history stretching back centuries.  Texas history has embodied the [[Republicanism|republican political ideals]] and values shared by all Americans, that is, a devotion to personal liberty, rampant individualism, economic opportunity, and [[democratic republic]]an politics.  The state combines both the [[Frontier Thesis|frontier]] heritage of the West, and the cultural tastes of [[The South]]. A strong leavening of Hispanic culture makes the southern half of Texas distinct.  

[[File:Tx-1845.jpg|thumb|300px|Texas becomes independent in 1836 and joins the U.S. in 1845]]

[[File:Tx-1845.jpg|thumb|300px|Texas becomes independent in 1836 and joins the U.S. in 1845]]

==Spanish Texas==

==Spanish Texas==

By the 1970s Texas was voting Republican in national election, and after 1990 the GOP started dominating state elections. The first major Republican was Senator [[John Tower]], elected in 1961.  The election of Republican William P. Clements in 1978 as governor signaled the rise of a two-party system in state offices. The Democrats, however, reclaimed the governor's mansion in 1982 with the election of Mark White. In 1990 Texas voters elected liberal Democrat, Ann Richards. Under her administration women and minorities were appointed to numerous offices. She was the last Democrat to be elected governor, and was defeated for reelection in 1994. Texans supported [[Jimmy Carter]], a Sunbelt Democrat, for president in 1976 but voted Republican in the next three presidential contests. Indeed, in 1992 [[Bill Clinton]] became the first Democrat in the history of the United States to lose Texas and win the presidency. He was opposed by two native sons, incumbent [[George H.W. Bush]] and maverick [[Ross Perot]]. In 1994 Republican [[George W. Bush]], son of the former president, beat Richards for governor.  Meanwhile, Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison in 1993 became the first woman to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate. Her election marked the first time Texas had two Republican senators since 1875.  In recent years Texas has become a stronghold for Republicans and a national bastion of economic and social [[American conservatism|conservatism]].

By the 1970s Texas was voting Republican in national election, and after 1990 the GOP started dominating state elections. The first major Republican was Senator [[John Tower]], elected in 1961.  The election of Republican William P. Clements in 1978 as governor signaled the rise of a two-party system in state offices. The Democrats, however, reclaimed the governor's mansion in 1982 with the election of Mark White. In 1990 Texas voters elected liberal Democrat, Ann Richards. Under her administration women and minorities were appointed to numerous offices. She was the last Democrat to be elected governor, and was defeated for reelection in 1994. Texans supported [[Jimmy Carter]], a Sunbelt Democrat, for president in 1976 but voted Republican in the next three presidential contests. Indeed, in 1992 [[Bill Clinton]] became the first Democrat in the history of the United States to lose Texas and win the presidency. He was opposed by two native sons, incumbent [[George H.W. Bush]] and maverick [[Ross Perot]]. In 1994 Republican [[George W. Bush]], son of the former president, beat Richards for governor.  Meanwhile, Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison in 1993 became the first woman to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate. Her election marked the first time Texas had two Republican senators since 1875.  In recent years Texas has become a stronghold for Republicans and a national bastion of economic and social [[American conservatism|conservatism]].

Texas received some controversy when it conducted a midterm redistricting in 2003 to give the Republican Party a majority in its U.S. House delegation. This followed years of Democrat gerrymandering, it was the first year the Republicans gained a trifecta in the state, and the GOP was clearly the largest party in the state based on popular vote by this time. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled mostly in favor of the redistricting.<ref>[http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/548/399.html LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS et al. v. PERRY, GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, et al. [05-204]]. ''FindLaw''. Retrieved January 19, 2017.</ref>

Texas received some controversy when it conducted a midterm redistricting in 2003 to give the Republican Party a majority in its U.S. House delegation. This followed years of Democrat gerrymandering, it was the first year the Republicans gained a trifecta in the state, and the GOP was clearly the largest party in the state based on popular vote by this time. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled mostly in favor of the redistricting.<ref>[http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/548/399.html LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS et al. v. PERRY, GOVERNOR OF TEXAS, et al. &#91;05-204&#93;]. ''FindLaw''. Retrieved January 19, 2017.</ref>

In the 2014 Texas elections, the [[Tea Party Movement]] made large electoral gains, with numerous Tea Party favorites being elected into office, like [[Dan Patrick]] as lieutenant governor,<ref name="Holdssway">{{cite news | last1=Fernandez | first1=Manny | title=Lieutenant Governor Loses Texas Runoff as Tea Party Holds Sway | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/us/politics/tea-party-favorite-beats-lieutenant-governor-in-texas.html | date=May 27, 2014 | publisher=[[The New York Times]] | accessdate=April 2, 2015}}</ref><ref>Koppel, Nathan (January 21, 2015). [http://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-lt-gov-dan-patrick-moves-quickly-to-advance-conservative-agenda-1421883867 "Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Moves Quickly to Advance Conservative Agenda"]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved April 2, 2015.</ref> [[Ken Paxton]] as attorney general,<ref name="Holdssway"/><ref name="Grissom">Grissom, Brandi (May 28, 2014). [http://www.texastribune.org/2014/05/28/tea-party-conservatives-win-top-gop-runoff-contest/ Tea Party Conservatives Win Top GOP Runoff Contests], ''[[Texas Tribune]]''. Retrieved April 2, 2015.</ref> in addition to numerous other candidates<ref name="Grissom"/> including conservative Republican [[Greg Abbott]] as governor.<ref>Fernandez, Manny (January 20, 2015). [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/21/us/politics/new-texas-governor-greg-abbott-expected-to-continue-on-perrys-path.html?_r=1 Texas’ New Governor Echoes the Plans of Perry]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved October 1, 2016.</ref>

In the 2014 Texas elections, the [[Tea Party Movement]] made large electoral gains, with numerous Tea Party favorites being elected into office, like [[Dan Patrick]] as lieutenant governor,<ref name="Holdssway">{{cite news | last1=Fernandez | first1=Manny | title=Lieutenant Governor Loses Texas Runoff as Tea Party Holds Sway | url=http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/us/politics/tea-party-favorite-beats-lieutenant-governor-in-texas.html | date=May 27, 2014 | publisher=[[The New York Times]] | accessdate=April 2, 2015}}</ref><ref>Koppel, Nathan (January 21, 2015). [http://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-lt-gov-dan-patrick-moves-quickly-to-advance-conservative-agenda-1421883867 "Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Moves Quickly to Advance Conservative Agenda"]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved April 2, 2015.</ref> [[Ken Paxton]] as attorney general,<ref name="Holdssway"/><ref name="Grissom">Grissom, Brandi (May 28, 2014). [http://www.texastribune.org/2014/05/28/tea-party-conservatives-win-top-gop-runoff-contest/ Tea Party Conservatives Win Top GOP Runoff Contests], ''[[Texas Tribune]]''. Retrieved April 2, 2015.</ref> in addition to numerous other candidates<ref name="Grissom"/> including conservative Republican [[Greg Abbott]] as governor.<ref>Fernandez, Manny (January 20, 2015). [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/21/us/politics/new-texas-governor-greg-abbott-expected-to-continue-on-perrys-path.html?_r=1 Texas’ New Governor Echoes the Plans of Perry]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved October 1, 2016.</ref>