Texas Political Circus: Allred vs. Cruz in a Game of Party Hopscotch

In a move that proves Texas politics are wilder than a Saturday night rodeo, Democratic darling Rep. Colin Allred just announced a posse of Republicans backing his Senate run. This comes hot on the heels of Sen. Ted Cruz’s list of Democrats endorsing his bid for reelection. Welcome to Texas, folks!

This isn't just any ol' political shindig; it's a Lone Star tradition that's older than both these candidates combined. Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

Once upon a time, back in 1952, Democratic Governor Allan Shivers gave the cold shoulder to his own party's presidential pick, Adlai Stevenson, and threw his weight behind war hero Dwight Eisenhower. Shivers was a southern conservative, not exactly a champion of the Civil Rights movement. Stevenson, on the other hand, was a liberal egghead from the Midwest. This Texan twist led to a brand-new political term: Shivercrats.

Shivers didn't just shake things up; he turned Texas into a Republican state for the first time since 1868. And guess what? Both parties still loved him enough to nominate him for governor again in 1952. But four years later, LBJ gave him a good ol' Texas comeuppance.

The brains behind this drama was none other than LBJ's protégé, John Connally. This Democrat later joined Nixon's Republican administration and became the face of "Democrats for Nixon." Texas was back to being Democrat-friendly after Eisenhower, but Nixon won in 1972, and so did Connally, who officially switched parties in 1973.

One of Connally's rising stars was Bob Bullock. Connally appointed Bullock to the Texas Historical Commission, and when Bullock ran for state comptroller in 1974, he sported a black eye and took a jab at Connally’s defection: "I'm not like John Connally. I'd rather fight than switch." Bullock won that race and kept the job until he became lieutenant governor.

Fast forward to Bob Bullock endorsing George W. Bush for a second term as governor and championing his presidential run in 2000. Talk about political twists!

Now, back to our current cast. Allred's Republican supporters and Cruz's Democrats are in a political no man's land. Take for instance, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who didn’t seek reelection after criticizing Trump, and Harris County DA Kim Ogg, who got the boot from Democrats for being too tough on crime.

The moral of this wild Texas tale? If you're gonna jump ship, make sure you've got a life vest, because politics is a turbulent sea. But hey, it sure keeps things interesting!