Hopeful Texas Democrats have coined a new word — “Texodus” — to describe the announced retirements of six Republicans from the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of their current terms.
And Republican strategists tell Axios they’re worried.
“The GOP recognizes they can no longer ignore their Democratic opponents and count on coasting to re-election in this previously-reliable red state,” Axios says.
Republican concerns go back to the 2018 midterm elections, when the party lost two Texas congressional seats and won others by narrower margins than expected. Former congressman Beto O’Rourke also demonstrated that he’s a force to be reckoned with.
“Many ‘headwinds’ are working against them, most notably shifting demographics and attitudes of suburban voters,” Axios says. “They talk openly about perceptions the party is run by a bunch of old white guys — and they’re desperate to change that.”
On Monday Rep. Mac Thornberry became the latest Texas congressman to announce he will not seek re-election, although the non-partisan Texas Tribune said that unlike the others, his retirement was expected.
One of those others is the only black Republican in the House, Rep. Will Hurd, who summed up the GOP’s problem in eight words:
“The base is shrinking. Period. End of story.”
“We need a new Republican Party because the one we have is getting our asses kicked in House races,” one unnamed Texas GOP strategist told Axios.
“We weren’t doing our homework,” said Republican consultant Susan Lilly, who took part in a GOP panel discussion called “The Republican Do-over” at last week’s Texas Tribune Festival in Austin. But she said she believes her own clients “have woken up” now.
One of Lilly’s clients, Rep. Mike McCaul, is thought by some to be contemplating retirement; he would be the 7th out of 23 Texas Republicans to bow out.
“It’s truly a sign of the times that Democrats think Texas in 2020 could mimic California in 2018 — where the party picked up 7 GOP seats and helped Dems win back the House,” Axios concludes.
