Ten days after the Blue Wave swept across Texas and the nation, we all know the results of the final tally: U.S. Senator-elect James Talarico defeated Attorney General Ken Paxton by 1.2 million votes, while Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the rest of the GOP statewide ticket lost by roughly 600,000 votes — a stunning swing of over 1.5 million votes from the 2022 midterms.
But what actually happened, when did it happen, and why didn’t the pollsters see it coming?
To get some answers, I invited my longtime friend, Republican pollster Mike Baselice, to join me on The Sherry Sylvester Show. Mike is one of the most experienced and respected Republican pollsters in the country, with more than four decades of experience analyzing elections and voter behavior.
Mike brings the hard data and sharp political insights to explain how Texas — and much of the country — turned blue on November 3, what drove the dramatic shift in voter sentiment, and what it could mean for the way conservatives speak to voters going forward.
It’s a fascinating conversation, and I think you’ll find it well worth your time.
Sherry Sylvester is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the former Senior Advisor to Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.
You can also listen to the Sherry Sylvester Show on Apple or Spotify.