WRITE TWO OR MORE WELL THOUGHT-OUT
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THE QUESTIONS BELOW. BE SPECIFIC
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In Texas, the problem of heavy negative
campaigning, the expensive cost of television
advertising, and the few limitations on the amount
of money contributors may donate to a candidate's
campaign have led to various reform issues aimed
at eliminating negative campaigning, increasing
tree media access for candidates and regulating
campaign finance. Some of these proposed
reforms have First Amendment constitutional
implications that have been challenged
successfully in federal court and the Supreme
Court.
Slightly more than half of Texas's total population is
composed of Latinos (chiefly Mexican Americans)
and African Americans, making Texas a majority-
minority state. Communities and counties with
larger Latino populations, and electoral districts
with majority Latino populations, are more likely to
vote for Democrats. By early 2017, a substantial
number of Latinos held elected office in Texas and
are the key to future elections. Since the 1930s,
most African American Texans have identified with
the Democratic Party. After national civil rights
legislation was adopted in the 1960s under the
leadership of President Lyndon Johnson, a Texan,
Democratic Party identification of African
Americans strengthened. Despite women getting a
late start in voting and holding public office in
Texas, after 1990, the number of women elected to
statewide office increased dramatically with women
serving as mayors in about 150 cities and towns in
Texas, including the top four in population
Historically, many minorities were prevented
from
voting by one barrier after another such as poll
taxes, all-white primaries, literacy tests, and the
grandfather clause. Low voter participation remains
à remnant of that time period. The Voting Rights
Act (VRA) of 1965 expanded the electorate and
encouraged voting; it has been amended by
Congress four times. Even removing obstacles to
voting and the U.S. Congress enacting important
voting rights laws, voter turnout has not increased
either nationally or in Texas.
QUESTIONS
1. Fifty-six percent of Texas's total population
is composed of Latinos (chiefly Mexican
Americans), African Americans, and Asian
Americans, making Texas a majority-
minority state. Numerically, the state's
historical ethnic and racial minorities
wield enough voting strength to decide any
statewide election and determine the
outcomes of local contests in areas where
their numbers are concentrated. With a
growing, and Democratic-leaning, Latino
population, why are Texas Democrats
unsuccessful in statewide elections?
2. Texas gained two seats in Congress as a
result of the 2020 U.S. census as residents
of color, mainly Hispanic, drive population
gains. Gerrymandering however,
prevented people of color from
representing their constituents in
Congress as the Republican-led State
Legislature drew new districts to favor
Republicans. What do you think about
gerrymandering and how it denied people
of color from being elected to the two new