Republicans and Texas are really going for it lately.

They're legislating so far right where the Democrats fled the state, a bunch of them wound

up here in Washington, D.C.

They left the state on buses and planes to block the vote.

The Texas Democrats' decision to break a quorum of the Texas legislature and to abandon the

Texas state capital, that inflicts harm on the very Texans who elected them to serve.

Nicole Norea covers politics at Vox, but she does it from Texas.

Nicole, what's going on with the GOP out there?

So Republicans have passed or are trying to pass a slew of legislation on topics that are

really aimed at animating their right wing base.

Democrats basically talk to big game about turning the state blue in 2020 and flipping

the Texas state house.

While Texas has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1976, a major surgeon early

voting in the Lone Star State is giving Democrats new hope tonight that they could turn the traditionally

red state blue next week.

But that didn't come even close to fruition.

It turns out that Democrats may be some of them spotted a blue mirage and some of the

early numbers and hope overcame facts in this case.

So Republicans at this point aren't really worried about a Democratic offensive.

The state is solidly red and incumbent Republicans from Governor Greg Abbott down to state house

representatives just want to defend their seats from primary challengers in next year's

elections and also prove to Republican voters that they share their values.

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