Texas has been red for over three decades. The state was a key part of the Southern Strategy, because packing the 5th circuit court of appeals with conservative judges was a big part in overthrowing longstanding liberal legislation.

Texas provides a direct pipeline to the 5th circuit, and they also needed to pack a local district court too. So all of the legislation they hate can get litigated in that district court, seen by a batshit crazy conservative judge, and get a batshit crazy conservative ruling. And then any appeals will go to the 5th circuit court of appeals, where it will land in front of another batshit crazy federal judge. And when that batshit crazy federal judge makes a batshit crazy ruling, it goes into effect nationwide unless the SCOTUS overturns it.

Seriously, basically every time you see some kind of “federal judge overturns the every person gets a free puppy and our farts all magically smell like cotton candy law, and reinstates the livestream puppies getting fed into the Puppy Masher 9000 and we all have uncontrollable diarrhea law instead” type of news story, it’s coming out of the 5th circuit court of appeals.

Texas got hit hard by conservative propaganda as a result, because it has been instrumental as a weapon for conservatives to overturn liberal legislation. Let’s not let perfect be the enemy of progress.