In Central Texas, politicians face a range of pressing issues, from race and immigration to the economy. Governor Greg Abbott has implemented Operation Lone Star, a mission that has cost billions of dollars in border security. Despite the physical barriers, migrants still attempt to apply for asylum in the United States. Abbott has proposed transporting migrants by bus to Democratic-led cities to help alleviate the burden on border communities.
During the October special session, Republican Ellen Troxclair from Lakeway is ready to support more border security legislation. When it comes to border security, a small majority of Texas voters (32%) said the state was spending too little, while 30% said the state was spending too much. Racism is still a major problem in Texas today, according to a majority of Texans. However, there are sharp divisions between the three countries on this issue. Despite the expansion of knowledge economies in the state, nearly two-thirds of Texans believe that the Texas education system should provide young people with applicable business skills. Property taxes in Texas are higher than in all but five other states, and they continue to rise despite legislative efforts to reduce them.
The debate over the history of Texas is still ongoing, with reverent Texans and heritage advocates being the outliers. Among Republicans, an absolute majority (51%) was in favor of accepting Ukrainian refugees (31% said that Texas should not accept them), while only 26% said the same for refugees from Central and South America (64% said that Texas should not accept them).Nativism has become a major animating force for Republican politics in Texas. Evidence from multiple surveys shows how nativism has been embraced by elected Republican officials and associated opinion leaders who shape governance and politics in the state. Overall, 60% of Texas voters said the state should accept Ukrainian refugees, while only 46% said the same of refugees from Central and South America. When it comes to religion, most Texans consider it important in their private lives.
However, their views on its influence in Texas vary considerably. Politicians must take into account these varying opinions when handling controversial issues.
