Good morning!

As expected, a Republican wave swept across the Lone Star State last night. Here is the Texas Minute for Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

But First…

• Join Brandon Waltens and me LIVE from our 1836 Studios at 9 a.m. this morning for a recap of the election results. You can find the streaming video on our website, Facebook page, or YouTube Channel. 

Texas Isn’t The ‘Low Tax’ State We Pretend To Be

• Texans like to brag about being a low-tax state, but a new report from the Tax Foundation shows the Lone Star State is not even in the top 10. The Tax Foundation's 2023 State Business Tax Climate Index puts Texas at #13 on their list.
       
• The top 10 best states for tax climate are – in order – Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, Florida, Montana, New Hampshire, Nevada, Utah,Indiana, and North Carolina. What do they have in common?
      
• The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board noticed a commonality: “None of the best four tax states levy a per­sonal state in­come tax: Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska and Flor­ida. Fore­go­ing an in­come levy is a hedge against the up­ward tax-rate ra­chet that typ­i­cally hap­pens.”
      
• But the lack of an income tax wasn't enough to help Texas make the top 10, as the WSJ explains, because “prop­erty taxes are high and the av­er­age bur­den for state and lo­cal sales tax is 8.2%.”
     
• For two decades, the Republican dominated Texas legislature has been content with nibbling around the edges with ‘reform’ and by pretending slowing the growth of the tax burden was politically heroic. As the Tax Foundation and Wall Street Journal make clear, it is past time for Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, and the Republicans in the Senate and House to stop posing for pictures and get to work towards significantly reducing the state’s tax burden. 
     
• “The foundation of property rights is actually owning your property and not renting it from the government,” said Don Huffines of the Huffines Liberty Foundation.

Statewide, The Headlines Say It All 

• Gov. Greg Abbott Beats Beto O’Rourke in Gubernatorial Race
  Abbott joins former Gov. Rick Perry as the only Texas governors to have won three terms.
   
• Dan Patrick Wins Third Term as Lieutenant Governor
  Patrick’s return signals a coming conflict with the Texas House.
      
• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Wins Re-Election
  “The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.”
     
• Sid Miller Wins Texas Agricultural Commissioner Race
  Voters have resounded to Miller’s willingness to speak out – even against fellow Republicans when necessary.
      
• Dawn Buckingham Cruises to Win in Land Commissioner Race
  Buckingham replaces outgoing commissioner George P. Bush.
      
• Wayne Christian Stays on Railroad Commission
  Christian easily defeated leftist Democrat.

Around Texas…

• As expected, the operation of Harris County elections are a dumpster fire. Results are mostly non-existent there. As an example, several voting locations weren’t given enough paper for ballots…
     
• The Texas Senate will edge closer to a two-thirds GOP super-majority; currently, 19 of 31 are Republicans but will expand to 20 once the final ballots are counted.
      
• In the 150-member Texas House, the Republican Caucus is expected to increase from the current 83 of 150 members to 86.
      
• The legislative gains will no doubt increase pressure on the GOP lawmakers to end their practice of awarding leadership positions to Democrats.
     
• (We will review the House and Senate make up during the 9 a.m. streaming video on our website, Facebook page, or YouTube Channel.)

Something To Think About

• Bad Enough… Texas business interests must be doing some serious re-thinking this morning after wasting MILLIONS of dollars aiding Texans for Lawsuit Reform’s personal crusade against Attorney General Ken Paxton. TLR’s leadership don’t like him fighting Joe Biden, and falsely claimed he couldn’t win either the primary or last night’s election. Oops.
      
• Even Worse… TLR was the top donor – by a lot – to leftwing Democrat Morgan LaMantia in the open Senate District 27 seat. LaMantia barely eked out a win over conservative Republican Adam Hinojosa (50.2-49.8), with TLR’s money blocking a Republican pickup in South Texas. Very bad.

Conservatives Ascendent In Tarrant County

• After trending “purple” in recent elections, Tarrant County shifted more strongly conservative last night. Activists in Tarrant County are celebrating a big victory after not only keeping the county Republican, but replacing their retiring county judge (Democrat-endorsing Glen Whitley) with conservative stalwart Tim O’Hare. Soli Rice has those details.
     
• Also notable in Tarrant County was the work that Patriot Mobile did to turn out Republican voters—an initiative they successfully deployed for the first time in the Grapevine-Colleyvile ISD school board races. 

Quote-Unquote

“Governments never learn. Only people learn.”

– Milton Friedman​

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Y’All Answered

Yesterday, we asked how readers thought their neighbors voted in the election.

By the numbers, 80.6 percent of readers believe their neighbors voted Republican, 10.6 percent think they voted Democrat. This leaves readers who say the neighbors probably didn’t vote (6.8 percent) or voted third-party (2.0 percent).

Here’s a sampling of the replies from my inbox.

• “Whatever the outcome of the election, we need to remember that these elected representatives work for us, and we must always hold them accountable for what they do (or don't do).  Step up and be engaged!” – Fran Rhodes 
      

• “My neighborhood of about 200 homes of mostly Seniors had yard signs that were two to one Republican.” – Jim Macklin
     

• “Many of my neighbors are Texans, born and bred, so, I think they will vote Republican.” – Cathy Blake
     

• “All of our immediate neighbors are Christian & conservative. We have voted! But the work does not stop today on Election Day.” – Michele Ward
     

• “I know one neighbor will vote Democrat (Beto sign in the yard and they are hardline Democrats). Others I know will vote Republican, because we've block walked and they vote Republican. Some will not vote. My area and city generally vote heavily on the Republican side; 70% or more. I suspect this year may be more.” – Roger Taylor
     

• “How do I know my neighbors voted Republican? Because they told me they did! This is one small county road you will never see a Beto sign being displayed.” – Barbara Campbell
     

• “I optimistically said ‘Republican.’ I know my friends and peers will have voted Republican, as we are all tired of the policies – and their consequences – of the a$$ party.  I mean, you're either for Texas or a Democrat...” – Reid Davidson
     

• “I live in the democrat stronghold of the RGV. I said my neighbors voted for the Democrats mainly because they don’t know any better. And, the Republicans need to step up closer to the plate. Democrats are just better organized in the RGV. I'm only one voice, but I speak to at least one young person every day about the sickness brought to Texas by the Democratic Party.” – Lloyd Smith
     

• “The issue is not how my neighbors will vote, but what numbers the precinct/county election administrators reports at the end of the day.” – Charles E. Vickers
     

• “Republican.. but like Biden said.. it’s not who voted but who counts the votes… 2020 was never fixed. I have no faith in the voting system!” – Kim Moore
      

• “I'm here in Bell County … and my sense is many folks around me are simply to fatigued and/or apathetic to get off their respective SOFAs or E-Z chairs to engage. VOTE = Voice: Find it, Use it!” – Rick Briggs
      

• “The surest way to know those who hate Texas is to see a Beto sign in their yard or on their car.” – John Pace, Jr.
     

• “I’ll never understand conservatives who complain about government overreach and yet won’t make an effort to vote against it.  Maybe they think freedom is free.” – Mark Juelg

Your Federal & State Lawmakers

The districts displayed here should reflect those recently redrawn by the Legislature. Though the new lines do not take representational effect until 2023, they will appear on the 2022 ballot. Please note that your incumbent legislator and/or district numbers may have changed.