Why Starr County Turned Red but Stayed Poor

Let’s get something straight, Starr County — nobody gives you power. You have to take it.

For years, people have said South Texas is “changing.” They say Starr County “flipped red,” as if we suddenly decided that the politicians who’ve ignored us for decades finally earned our trust. But before anyone buys that story, let’s look at who’s really been running this state — and why we’re still fighting for the basics our families deserve. The county may have turned red, but the manipulation runs deeper than that.

Yes, Democrats hold the local seats — city halls, county commissions, school boards. But the real money? That comes from Austin. And Austin has been painted red for more than 30 years.

Republicans have controlled the Texas governor’s mansion since 1995. They’ve held both chambers of the legislature since 2003. That means they’ve written every budget, drawn every funding map, and decided where every dollar goes.

So when schools are underfunded, when hospitals close, when roads crack while Houston’s highways shine — that’s not coincidence. That’s policy. Texas Republicans have chosen to funnel state dollars to wealthy suburban allies while border and rural counties like ours are left behind. They’ve protected tax breaks for billionaires and stripped resources from working families. They refused billions in federal Medicaid funding that could have kept clinics open across South Texas. They’ve underfunded education, starving school districts while blaming teachers for the outcome. And then they tell us our poverty is “just the way it is.”

Please.

Here’s a reality check. The last time Texas went blue in a presidential race was 1976. The last Democratic governor was Ann Richards — back in the early 1990s. Since then, the Republican Party has held complete control of the statehouse and the budget.

So when people say Starr County “flipped red,” let’s not pretend the GOP came riding in with gold bars for the poor. They sold a story — a slick and slimy one — about change, faith, values, and prosperity. But look around. Wages are stagnant. Schools are struggling. Healthcare access keeps shrinking.

The truth is, red hasn’t built Starr County — blue did.

Federal and state programs championed by Democrats brought Head Start, Medicare, Social Security, Pell Grants, and infrastructure projects to towns like ours. Every bridge, every water system, every child care subsidy came from the belief that working families deserve more than survival. You deserve more than survival.

That belief didn’t come from the party in power now.

This November, the choice isn’t about red or blue. It’s about whether Starr County keeps handing over its future to people who’ve proven, year after year, that we’re not their priority. We can’t afford to keep giving away our voice.

Voting blue isn’t about loyalty to a label — it’s about loyalty to ourselves. To our schools, our roads, our kids, our elders. It’s about demanding investment, not excuses. It’s about saying, “We’re done being forgotten.”

Voting is complicated for a reason. Confusing ballots and conflicting messages are designed to keep you home. Don’t let them. Make voting a family event. Bring your friends, your cousins, your coworkers. Give your neighbor a ride. Post your “I Voted” sticker like it’s a badge of honor — because it is.

They can control the money in Austin, but they can’t control your voice. This year, Starr County, take back your piece of the pie.

Vote early. Vote smart. Vote blue. Because you’ve waited long enough.

@Janie

@alvarezjanie

Copyright © 2025 Janie Alvarez for FRONTeras.