TEXAS: BACK TO A ONE-PARTY STATE?

With the recent victories for the Democratic party in Texas, many people are wondering if any hint of a Republican regime is gone for now. History shows that it’s likely for Texas to go back to the Democrats, but we asked several Dallasites who monitor the political scene what they think of the partisan future of the state. Is Texas going back to being a one-party Democratic state with pockets of Republican power?

Fred Meyer, current Dallas County Republican Chairman: “No. Dallas County, for the first time, has become a Republican-dominated county because the Republicans won at least 49 of the 59 district and county judicial races, three of the four races affecting Commissioner’s Court – including the County Judge race -and they won the majority of the county offices. And this was in a year with a particularly difficult economic environment. I expect that in 1984, with a reasonable economic environment, the Republican presidential candidate will again carry Texas.”

Bob Greenburg, attorney; current Dallas County Democratic Chairman: “Texas is going back to being governed by those who gave the state good government for a hundred years and made it the most envied state in the Union.”

Jess Hay, Democrat; chairman and chief executive officer of Lomas and Nettleton, Financial Corporation: “Recapturing the governor’s office was of great significance to the Democratic party and probably signals the preeminence of the party in state races at least for the remainder of this century.”

John Weekley, Republican; political consultant: “In my opinion, no, we are not going back to a one-party state. Texas has not yet fully matured into a two-party state, but we’re in a transition toward a two-party state where both parties fairly equally compete for a significant number of undecided or non-party-identified voters.”

Ray Hutchison, attorney; former Republican State Chairman: “There’s a real risk that will occur. The Clements defeat was a tough blow for the Republicans in the state.”

Enid Gray, Republican; political consultant with Weekley, Gray and McKin-ney: “Politics in Texas has never been static. No, we are not going back to being a one-party state.”

Judy Bonner Amps, Democrat; political consultant with Judy Bonner Amps and Associates: “Texas has always been a Democratic state. The pockets of Republican strength have been growing in certain metropolitan areas, especially Dallas, but it’s not a question of going back – Texas has always been Democratic.”

Tom Dunning, Democrat; chairman of the Mark White campaign in Dallas. “It’s always been a Democratic state as evidenced by the landslide elections.”