The region has been a Democratic stronghold since Texas became a state in 1836. The majority of residents and voters in south Texas are Hispanic. For the first time in Texas history, nearly all border counties voted for Donald Trump, including Webb County.

Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina this week announced he was leaving the Democratic Party, saying like many others before him that “the party left me, and the people of South Texas, behind.”

In a Facebook post, he said, “As Webb County Judge, I have fought to protect our shared values here in South Texas – hard work, faith, family, and freedom. Unfortunately, the radical National Democrat party no longer stands for these values, and I want to be a part of a party that not only stands for these values but also protects them.

“South Texas spoke loudly in the last election, with President Trump winning Webb County. Now and always, I am standing with my fellow South Texans, proudly declaring that I no longer want to be associated with the radical national Democrats. I will continue to fight for what matters most in our community in order to build a bright future for South Texas.”

In response, Gov. Greg Abbott said, “This is excellent. Democrats in South Texas are switching to the party that aligns with their values – the Republican Party. South Texas Hispanics in particular are joining the party of faith, family, freedom & common sense – the Republican Party. Welcome!”

In an interview with Fox News, Tijerina said he left the Democratic Party because over the years he saw it drift “further left, embracing policies that don’t reflect the values of our community,” adding that the “radicalization” of the party “pushed me away a long time ago.”

Tijerina highlighted issues of importance to him and his constituents.

“We need to have border security,” he said, in a county where law enforcement is participating in Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star.

A recent poll found that the majority of Hispanic Texans surveyed want illegal border crossers deported. U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Republican from Edinburg, has long argued that President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party doesn’t understand Hispanic Texans living in border communities.

“Parents want the best for our children, but under Biden everything is more difficult at the border,” she said earlier this year. “We see the disaster that Biden has caused. At the beginning of his term, he stopped enforcing the laws and now the cartels and many criminals enter our country. … What’s humane about allowing someone to kill our people? Republicans want to stop this.”

Tijerina also took issue with the Biden administration attacking the oil and gas industry, saying, “The oil and gas industry has been threatened here in South Texas.”

The industry is leading U.S. oil and natural gas production and job creation. Major projects in south Texas include expanding the port of Brownsville for liquified natural gas exports, extensive infrastructure and other support jobs for the industry in the region, The Center Square reported.

Tijerina also pushed back against “the woke movements,” including boys playing in girls’ sports, which Hispanic Texans overwhelming oppose. The Democratic Party’s chair was forced to resign after devastating losses in November and after he argued the party went too far pushing a transgender agenda, The Center Square reported.

Multiple high-level Texas Democrats also endorsed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Houston Republican, also claiming the Democratic Party no longer represented their values. Texas border counties also overwhelmingly voted for Cruz.

Tijerina joins former state Rep. Shawn Thierry of Houston, who left the Democratic Party in August and who also said the party left her and embraced a radical, far left agenda. Thierry took a stand against a medical industry profiting off of gender mutilation of minors, voting with Republicans to ban the practice in Texas.

Last year, Dallas’s former mayor, Eric Johnson, also left the Democratic Party citing fiscal responsibility, as did State Rep. Ryan Guillen from Rio Grande City in Starr County. Starr County also flipped in November, voting for Trump, and for a Republican for the first time in 132 years.

Texas again grew jobs at a faster annual rate than the national job growth rate over the year in October. It also set a new record high for the greatest number employed in the civilian labor force and a new record high for total Texans working, including the self-employed, according to new data from the Texas Workforce Commission.

Over the year, from October 2023 to October 2024, Texas added 274,600 jobs. Its annual nonfarm growth rate was 2%, outpacing the national growth rate by 0.6%.

In October, Texas reached a new record high recording the largest labor force in state history of 15,497,100, after adding 47,300 workers over the month. This marks the 10th consecutive month of growth for Texas’ civilian labor force, the TWC said. Over the year, Texas’ civilian labor force added 360,800 workers, according to TWC data.

Texas also reached a new high for Texans working, including the self-employed, of 14,858,700.

“Texas grows jobs at a faster annual rate than the U.S. because Texas moves at the speed of business,” Gov. Greg Abbott said. “Meeting the changing needs of Texas entrepreneurs and businesses is paramount to ensure ongoing job growth across industries. That is why the state of Texas invests in workforce development and career training to prepare our young and growing labor force for high-demand, good-paying jobs. With more than four million Texans participating every year in those skills training programs and Texas removing regulatory roadblocks that burden small businesses and job growth, we will build a bigger, better Texas for all.”

The Financial Activities industry reported the largest over-the-month increase in October, adding 6,200 jobs. It grew by 3.1% over the year, outperforming the national growth rate by 2.8%. Not far behind was the Leisure and Hospitality industry, which added 4,900 jobs over the month, followed by Information, adding 1,900 jobs and Manufacturing industry adding 1,900 jobs.

Texas’ seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment dropped slightly to 14,276,300 after reporting 10,600 fewer jobs over the month, according to the data.

Since Gov. Abbott’s been in office, Texas has added more than 2.4 million jobs.

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Texas was 4.1%, higher than the national rate of 3.9%.

Of Texas’ Metropolitan Statistical Area not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates, Beaumont-Port Arthur reported the highest of 5.8%, followed by McAllen-Edinburg-Mission’s 5.5%, and Brownsville-Harlingen’s 5.1%.

Midland reported the lowest of 2.8%, followed by Amarillo’s 3.1%, and College Station-Bryan’s 3.1%.

“Texas has experienced remarkable workforce growth, with over 360,000 people joining the civilian labor force in the past year,” TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Alberto Treviño III said. “TWC offers a wide variety of training programs and resources to help Texans gain new skills and achieve their career goals in our robust Texas economy.”

The TWC offers free in-person and online learning programs and resources through local Workforce Solutions offices, which can be found here.