Trump wins Texas border counties, surprising Hispanic voters

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In a stunning electoral shift, President-Elect Donald Trump secured victory in the traditionally Democratic stronghold of Texas’s Rio Grande Valley during Tuesday’s election against Kamala Harris. This remarkable turnaround saw Trump claim all Valley counties, areas that had previously favored Democrats by significant margins.

The Texas Observer highlighted the dramatic nature of this political transformation, noting that these counties had supported O’Rourke by double digits in recent elections and had given Clinton overwhelming majorities in 2016.

South Texas border counties all voted for TRUMP!!!! The Rio Grande Valley has been the bluest counties in Texas. Not anymore!!! LATINOS FOR TRUMP!! pic.twitter.com/qQUF1wkQ8D

— Mayra (@Mayrar143143) November 6, 2024

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Hidalgo County, which Clinton carried by 40 points in 2016 and Biden won by 17 points in 2020, fell to Trump by a three-point margin. Similarly, Cameron County, previously a Democratic bastion, swung to Trump by six points after supporting Clinton by 33 points in 2016 and Biden by 13 in 2020.

Even more astonishing were Trump’s victories in rural Starr and Willacy counties. In Starr, Trump’s 16-point win broke a Democratic winning streak dating back to the late 1800s, while his three-point victory in Willacy marked another unexpected reversal.

Trump’s success extended beyond the Valley, with significant gains among Hispanic voters nationwide. This shift was largely attributed to economic concerns, particularly regarding the high cost of living.

NBC News reported on this dramatic change, stating, “Latino voters took a big right turn in an election dominated by voter outrage over the high cost of food and housing, helping Donald Trump secure a second term in the White House.”

#RGV ALL RESULTS ARE IN. REPUBLICANS SWEEP SOUTH TEXAS. In what so many around the country and the state have never seen before, republicans won every county in the Rio Grande Valley. President Trump won in Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy and Starr County. pic.twitter.com/A79Mqt3bGs

— Sydney Hernández (@SydneyHdzTV) November 6, 2024

Exit polls conducted by NBC News revealed that while Harris maintained a slim majority of Hispanic support at 53%, Trump captured an unprecedented 45% of the Hispanic vote. This represents a 13-point increase from his 2020 performance and sets a new record for Republican presidential candidates among this demographic.