The changing demographics in Texas have transformed electoral politics Essay

The changing demographics in Texas have transformed electoral politics - Essay Example The public policies and traditionally conservative politics of the state, together with the domineering responsibility of a leading structure, are entrenched in these cultural patterns (Zuczek, 2006). This paper will look at how the changing demographics in Texas have transformed electoral politics. Texas has diverse demographics. There has been a significant rise in the general population, with considerable increases among Asian Americans and Hispanics. Hispanics went beyond 35% of the Texas population in 2010. It is also estimated that they will have reach 41% by 2020. In addition, African Americans were approximately 30% of the Texas population during the Civil War, but are now almost 12%. Also, there is a small Native American population made up of three tribes; the Kickapoo, the Tigua, and the Alabama-Coushatta, making up 0.6% of the population. In addition, Asian Americans are approximately 2.7% of the existing population and are anticipated to rise to almost 4.2% by 2020. Angl os make up almost 52.5% of the population and are estimated to decrease as a percentage of the entire population in the next 30 years. In the first quarter of the 20th century, Texas will have a majority minority (Maxwell, Crain & Santos, 2013). The line between San Antonio and Texarkana in effect splits the subcultures of Texas. A large number of Anglos who settled west and north of this line were from the upper South and tremendously influenced by the individualistic subculture, which prefers limited government. Anglos who settled east and south of the line were by large from the lower South and fashioned by its traditionalistic culture (Zuczek, 2006). Politics in Texas is basically fashioned by the racial and ethnic makeup of the population, and, even though the concerns of minorities were historically overlooked, they are now getting increased consideration. This consideration can be accredited in part, to the rising number of minorities elected to local and state offices. Over the last ten years, the population of Texas has risen much quicker than the national average. Between 1990 and 2000, the population of Texas rose by approximately four million people (Maxwell, Crain & Santos, 2013). Movement from other states of the country with stout Republican Party traditions has played a significant part in the transformation of Texas’ conventional one-party Democratic political system into a two-party system. In spite of the sense of wide open spaces and size, Texas is an urban area, with almost 85% of the people living in urban areas. The rise in population presents new requirements on all levels of government, as will the rise in the average age of the population of the state (Maxwell, Crain & Santos, 2013). Almost 10% of the population in Texas was over 65 years old. This number is estimated to rise to 17% by 2030. In addition, significant differences in income levels and wealth exist in the state, leading to political benefits for people who have sig nificant financial resources. Therefore, the economic class has turned into a political subject and income is evidently associated to ethnicity and race, African Americans and Hispanics are more probable to get incomes lower than $15,000. Moreover, there are also significant diffe