Introduction

Texas has 38 Electoral College Votes which make it a competitive state for the presidential candidates. It, therefore, needs effective strategies and hard-nosed tactics to basket these votes. For about a century the state had been more Democratic than it was Republican (Jillson 10). In the 1990s however, it swung in the opposite direction. It is now regarded as a red state. For the Democrats to win the state, it requires not only resources but also uncompromising strategies that make the path to White House smooth. This memo will, therefore, evaluate the demographics of the state, the issues that affect the people of Texas, interest groups and the concern of Texans and thereby recommend the best strategies to resort to so that the Secretary Clinton can win it despite it being a Republican state.

Demographics

Texas is rated as the second most populated state in America. It continues to experience substantial growth in population. Most of the people in the country live in the main cities such as Houston, Dallas, Austin, and Houston. The U.S 2010 ensure shows that about 70.4% of the population are White Americans,11.8% of the population is African Americans,3.8% of the population is Asian American,0.7% are Native Americans and 0.1% are Pacific Islanders or Hawaiian (Stanley and Richard 52). About 10.5% of the population is of some other races and about 2.7% of the population is of two or more races (Stanley and Richard 52). Hispanics that are of any race accounts for about 37.6% while Non-Hispanic Whites make about 45.3% (Stanley and Richard 52). The white population dominates the state. The White population is well educated, and most of them are working. They form a significant voting bloc. There has been an influx of population in Texas with many people coming in to take advantage of the burgeoning economy of the State. There is a need to target the white population while not forgetting the minority by targeting those educated white population through having sound and realistic policies.

The Latinos who are Republican leaning that Republican Nominee Donald Trump tend to turn off make a fair share of the population. In 2004, George Bush won almost half of this population. One way to win the Latinos is through being sympathetic to them rather than tarnishing them as the opponent may be doing. This is through rolling out programs that would affect them directly such as addressing unemployment, education, health and housing issues which affect the people of color. Statistics have also indicated that about 11% of the population is immigrants from Mexico (Stanley and Richard 52). This is good news to make sailing to White House smooth. Additionally, the Black community forms a 3.8% which cannot be ignored as any vote will count (Stanley and Richard 52). To win this portion requires having agendas that would win their hearts. These plans include giving optimistic promises of developing inner cities where most African Americans live, raising their education standards and improving their opportunities in a White dominated state once elected.

Major Issues in Texas

One of the major problems that concern the Texans is the gun issue. It would be a political mistake to go against the will of the overwhelming majority of the Texans on an open gun carry. This item requires moderation. The situation is that most of the people in the state are opposed to open gun carry. Therefore as a presidential candidate, it is wise to go with the majority by opposing open gun carry. Another issue of concern is the health problem. Provision of affordable care is still a challenge in the state (Jillson 20). The question revolves how to pay for it and the amount that should be given. For some time, the state has been underfunding education programs since Obamacare has led to shortages of doctors. Regarding Texas Public Policy Foundation, less than 30% of physicians accepts patients who are Medicaid programs (Jillson 21). Medicaid is, therefore, a challenge to the provision of affordable health care. Policies that would secure affordable medical care would win the hearts of Texans. One of the strategies is to propose universal care program as a way of enrolling many Texans to the program or having state-based health insurance exchange.

As the state grapples with the challenges of health, education is another area that needs concentration. A major problem arises on funding of education and whether the teaching methods are outdated. The question that the campaign should address is whether students should pay more or should the taxpayer pay more. The best way to deal with this issue is to have campaign manifestos that would advocate for the increase in government funding to schools and colleges (Welch, John, Sue and MaryAnne 223). This would win the majority of college students who are potential voters during these elections. Still, the state suffers from brownouts and blackouts of electricity during the peak seasons. There have been no incentives to build power plants in the recent years due to price caps. There is the need to have price structures and policies that would encourage the building of more power stations. These plans include the tax cut, tax holidays and reduced rents.

Interest Groups Working

There are major groups in the state that are working tirelessly in this campaign. These groups include Evangelicals, Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT), Veterans and Pro-life groups (Welch et al. 223).  Each of these groups has an interest in this race in that they want their woes to be addressed. LGBT, for instance, are seeking to have their rights as human beings being guaranteed. They seek recognition and an end to their discrimination. The veterans feel that they have been neglected for a long time and would want to have their affairs being addressed in addition to having their lives improved. Therefore, each of the group is trying to pursue its agenda, and it calls one to examine their demands and develop a course for addressing them.

How Clinton Should Challenge Donald Trump

So as to connect with the voters of Texas, it is essential to stand out as a charismatic leader as compared to the opponent, Donald Trump. One way to stand out is by demonstrating empathy during the campaign and acting contrary to his erratic running of campaigns. There is the need to avoid anger and lashing out at critics in the public as Trump does. This will send a message that as a presidential candidate, temperament is paramount. The manifestos of the campaign must address adequately the major issues that traumatize the Texans (Jillson 25). Given the fact that majority of Texans are opposed to open gun carry the best side to lean on is on this side. Nevertheless, there is the need to have comprehensive security reforms that would address insecurity at the border of Texas with Mexico so as to further cement safety in the state.

Concerning the minorities such as Latinos, African-Americans and other people of color, it is imperative not to lose them to the opponent. The majority of these people have common problems such as discriminations, unemployment, poor housing and low access to education (Welch et al. 240). The policies of the campaign must emphasize on how to help these minorities. It must comprehensively address education issues, housing problems and unemployment in the state of Texas among the Latinos and the Blacks. The other group though it may not form a significant proportion of voters is the LGBT group that seeks to be recognized. However, it is worth not ignoring. Here there is a need to get the opinion of the whole population before deciding a stand.

Conclusion

By utilizing these strategies, a win in Texas is to a great extent guaranteed. Developing comprehensive policies that address the major issues that face Texans is one way to winning it. Addressing the interests of the various groups in the state is also important in securing electoral votes in this swing state. Additionally, capitalizing on the weaknesses of the opponent would give yielding hope of winning the state.

Works Cited

Jillson, Cal. Texas Politics: Governing the Lone Star State. Routledge, 2015. Print.

Stanley, Harold W., and Richard G. Niemi. Vital statistics on American politics 2013-2014. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage, 2013. Print.

Welch, Susan, John Gruhl, Sue Thomas, and MaryAnne Borrelli. Understanding American Government. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

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