Whoever these voters select in the presidential race could influence down-ballot races in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona and sway control of Congress.
McALLEN, Texas—Sun, sky, and desert are constant companions for the residents of the southwestern borderlands of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
The political climate this year stands to be just as hot as the weather along the border with Mexico, where most of the 10 million illegal immigrants who entered America in past few years crossed into the country.
How people living in borderland states vote stands to be crucial in the upcoming presidential race and could determine which party controls Congress. The presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is likely to impact down-ballot races in the House.
Voters interviewed by The Epoch Times described their top concerns and how their lives have been impacted over the past four years.
Some expressed worry and frustration about the economy, the border, and the country itself. They want change in 2024.
Others said their lives haven’t been impacted negatively under the Biden–Harris administration. For them, this is an election about abortion access, women’s rights, and who is fit to hold office.
Texas
Traveling south on U.S. 281 into the Rio Grande Valley offers clues about how folks in the Lone Star State feel about the election.
South Texas is still cowboy country where cattle outnumber people by a long shot. In a vast pasture alongside the highway, motorists are greeted by giant Trump flags waving in the breeze with slogans like “Take America back 2024” and “Jesus is my savior. Trump is my president.”
This rural part of Texas has traditionally voted Republican, while Democrats have claimed the Rio Grande Valley as a stronghold for a century.
Texas Congressional District 34 extends from Kingsville 120 miles south to the border town of Brownsville, taking in Harlingen and parts of McAllen—all home to a large Hispanic population.
It is a closely watched race; Trump’s dominance in Texas could help the Republicans flip the district red.
