Estimated Time to Read: 6 minutes
Party Platforms
Texas Legislature Political Dispositions
Currently, the Texas Legislature is under the majority control of the Republican Party and has been for over two decades. You can see a breakdown of the partisan makeup by legislative session for the last century here.
In the most recent legislative session (2023), the Texas Senate was composed of 19 Republicans and 12 Democrats, while the Texas House of Representatives consisted of 86 Republicans and 64 Democrats. The next legislative session (2025) will likely see similar partisan compositions.
As such, it is important to understand where each major party stands on key issues facing the state, according to their respective publicly available platforms.
Comparison of Key Issues
Quick-Jump
Border Security & Immigration
Republican Party
- Advocates for stringent border security measures, including building a border wall and increasing the number of border patrol agents
- Opposes any form of amnesty for undocumented immigrants and supports strict enforcement of immigration laws
Democratic Party
- Supports comprehensive immigration reform, including pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and protection for “Dreamers”
- Advocates for humane treatment of asylum seekers and refugees, and opposes family separation at the border
Libertarian Party
- Supports the freedom of individuals to live, work, study, and travel without government impediments
- Advocates for open borders and the free movement of people and goods
Texas Elections
Republican Party
- Emphasizes ‘Election Integrity” with stricter voter identification laws and increased security measures
- Opposes universal mail-in voting and supports election audits
Democratic Party
- Advocates for expanding voter access through same-day registration, extended early voting, and mail-in voting
- Opposes restrictive voter identification laws and supports automatic voter registration
Libertarian Party
- Supports transparent elections with verifiable ballot receipts and electronic tracking
- Opposes mandatory party affiliation and supports nonpartisan ballots and election reforms to reduce corporate and political action committee (PAC) influence
Protecting Children
Republican Party
- Strongly opposes the sexualization of minors in schools and media
- Supports legislation to ban materials that propose inappropriate content for minors
Democratic Party
- Supports comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education that includes consent and healthy relationships
- Opposes censorship and advocates for inclusive curriculums
Libertarian Party
- Believes in individual rights and opposes government interference in personal matters, including education content
- Supports parental control over their children’s education
Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
Republican Party
- Opposes taxpayer-funded lobbying, viewing it as a misuse of taxpayer funds
- Supports banning local governments from using taxpayer money to hire lobbyists
Democratic Party
- Generally opposes restrictions on taxpayer-funded lobbying, arguing for the need for local government representation
- Supports transparency and accountability in lobbying efforts
Libertarian Party
- Opposes any form of taxpayer-funded lobbying and government intervention in private lobbying efforts
- Advocates for minimizing government size and influence
Corporate Welfare & Business Incentives
Republican Party
- Opposes corporate welfare and governmental bailouts, promoting a free-market approach
- Supports reducing taxes and regulations to foster business growth
Democratic Party
- Supports targeted business incentives to promote economic growth, especially in “underserved areas”
- Advocates for accountability and transparency in business incentives
Libertarian Party
- Opposes corporate welfare and any government subsidies or incentives for businesses
- Believes in a purely free market without government intervention
Electric Grid
Republican Party
- Emphasizes energy independence and state control over the electric grid
- Supports a diverse energy mix, including fossil fuels and “renewables”
Democratic Party
- Advocates for “modernizing” the electric grid to improve reliability and incorporate “renewable” energy sources
- Supports linking Texas’s grid to national grids for backup power
Libertarian Party
- Supports the deregulation of the electric grid and allowing market forces to dictate energy production and distribution
- Opposes government control over energy resources
Sale of Property to Foreign Entities
Republican Party
- Opposes the sale of Texas land and property to foreign entities, especially those from adversarial nations
- Supports legislation to restrict such sales
Democratic Party
- Supports regulations to ensure that property sales to foreign entities do not compromise security
- Advocates for transparency and oversight in these transactions
Libertarian Party
- Believes in the freedom of property owners to sell their property to anyone, including foreign entities, without government restriction
Federal Overreach
Republican Party
- Strongly opposes federal overreach and advocates for state sovereignty
- Supports limiting federal mandates and regulations
Democratic Party
- Supports a balance between state and federal authority, emphasizing the federal role in ensuring civil rights
- Advocates for minimal federal government involvement
Libertarian Party
- Opposes federal overreach and supports state nullification of unconstitutional federal acts
- Advocates for minimal federal government involvement
Abortion
Republican Party
- Firmly opposes abortion, advocating for its complete abolition and defining it as homicide
- Supports restrictive laws and defunding organizations that provide abortion services
Democratic Party
- Strongly supports “reproductive rights”, including access to abortion
- Advocates for protecting and expanding reproductive health services and repealing restrictive laws
Libertarian Party
- Believes the government should stay out of the matter, leaving the decision to individuals
- Opposes government funding for abortion services
School Choice & Parental Empowerment
Republican Party
- Strongly supports school choice, including charter schools, homeschooling, and private school options
- Opposes federal education standards and supporters local control
Democratic Party
- Supports strengthening government education with increased funding and support for teachers
- Opposes vouchers and other measures that divert funds from government schools
Libertarian Party
- Advocates for eliminating truancy laws and other barriers to school choice
- Supports competition in education and opposes federal involvement in local schools
Property Taxes
Republican Party
- Advocates for reducing property taxes to alleviate the burden on homeowners
- Supports measures to limit property tax growth and increase transparency in assessments
Democratic Party
- Supports reforming the property tax system to ensure fairness and equity
- Advocates for adequately funding public services while addressing property tax concerns
Libertarian Party
- Believes all taxation is inherently oppressive and calls for an end to all taxes
- Supports voluntary funding for government services and minimal government spending
Government Spending
Republican Party
- Advocates for reducing government spending to lower taxes and promote fiscal responsibility
- Opposes excessive government spending and supports a balanced budget amendment to U.S. Constitution
Democratic Party
- Supports targeted government spending to address social inequalities and believes in a minimal government approach
- Advocates for increased funding in areas like healthcare, education, and infrastructure
Libertarian Party
- Strongly opposes government spending and believes in a minimal government approach
- Advocates for drastically reducing government size and scope, eliminating unnecessary programs, and promoting private sector solutions
Conclusion
The 2024 platforms of the Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian Parties of Texas present distinct visions for the state’s future. Each party’s stance on issues, such as border security, immigration, elections, education, taxation, and government spending reflects its core principles and priorities. Understanding these differences is crucial for Texas state lawmakers as they attempt to legislate for their various constituencies.
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