Description
On July 4, 1867, a group of men assembled in Houston to establish the Republican Party of Texas. Combatting entrenched statewide support for the Democratic Party and their own internal divisions, Republicans struggled to gain a foothold in the Lone Star State, which had sided with the Confederacy and aligned with the Democratic platform. In The Republican Party of Texas, Wayne Thorburn, former executive director of the Texas GOP, chronicles over one hundred and fifty years of the defeats and victories of the party that became the dominant political force in Texas in the modern era.
Thorburn documents the organizational structure of the Texas GOP, drawing attention to prominent names, such as Harry Wurzbach and George W. Bush, alongside lesser-known community leaders who bolstered local support. The 1960s and 1970s proved a watershed era for Texas Republicans as they shored up ideological divides and elected the first Republican governor and more state senators and congressional representatives than ever before. From decisions about candidates and shifting allegiances and political stances, to race-based divisions and strategic cooperation with leaders in the Democratic Party, Thorburn unearths the development of the GOP in Texas to understand the unique Texan conservatism that prevails today.
Product Details
| Publisher | University of Texas Press |
| Publish Date | June 01, 2021 |
| Pages | 496 |
| Language | English |
| Type |  Hardback |
| EAN/UPC | 9781477322512 |
| Dimensions | 9.1 X 6.3 X 1.5 inches | 1.8 pounds |
About the Author
Reviews
Thorburn provides a well-written, well-organized portrait of the origins, evolution, and political dominance of the GOP in Texas...Although not ignoring the major figures well known by the public, Thorburn's work reminds readers of the importance of those who worked at the city and county level to ensure both voter turnout and the day-to-day operations needed to secure state-wide electoral victories. Thorburn's history provides a model for those who wish to understand Texas politics and why the phrase 'Sold South' now best describes the Republican Party's dominance of the region...Highly recommended.-- "CHOICE" (9/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)
In presenting a long timeline with pivotal turning points, [Thorburn] offers a panoramic view of Lone Star politics...Thorburn aims for a deeply-researched take on how Republicans were for a long time the underdogs, striving for a definitive 'two-party' state until they gained dominance.-- "Sightlines" (8/10/2021 12:00:00 AM)
Thorburn's book is most useful as a tightly organized, semi-official record of the party's growth in Texas, written with apparent evenhandedness by a major participant in the state GOP. More significantly for non-Texans, it's useful as a stimulus to reflection on the nature of partisan dominance and its potential decay or reversal.-- "Law & Liberty" (9/6/2021 12:00:00 AM)
[A] granular blow-by-blow account...Political historians will appreciate the fine-grained details.-- "Publishers Weekly" (3/19/2021 12:00:00 AM)
Students of American politics will find Thorburn's history valuable.-- "Kirkus" (3/30/2021 12:00:00 AM)
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