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Oh, Texas—where Democrats heart Cruz and Republicans swoon for Allred. Because nothing screams progress like political musical chairs! 🤣

Oh, brilliant! Texas politicians cross-endorsing! Must be that bipartisan spirit, or perhaps they're just confused about which team they're playing for.

Published October 6, 2024 at 6:15am by John C. Moritz

Outrage Alert! Texas Politicians Keep Tradition of Party Betrayal Alive

Oh, the hypocrisy! U.S. Rep. Colin Allred just wrapped up the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, and what does he do? He starts poaching Republicans! Not to be outdone, Sen. Ted Cruz has been flirting with Democrats. Because in Texas, party defection is as traditional as BBQ and mispronouncing “y’all.”

In a move that screams “I don’t care if you’re canceled, let’s be friends,” Allred has unveiled a list of Republicans who are switching teams. And Cruz? He’s been winking at Democrats like it’s a secret political rave.

This isn’t just a case of “man bites dog,” it’s a full-blown Texas-sized political twist. This tradition, of course, didn’t start with Allred and Cruz. Oh no, it began with Allan Shivers way back in 1952. Shivers, a Democrat, snubbed his own party’s nominee in favor of Dwight Eisenhower. Why? Because Eisenhower was a war hero, and who needs those “egghead” liberals anyway?

Shivers’ move introduced us to the term Shivercrats, because when you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. And so Texas went Republican for the first time since they skipped out on the 1868 election—hey, Reconstruction was tough, okay?

Fast forward to now, and we have politicians like John Connally, who went from rising Democratic star to Nixon’s best friend. Who can forget his infamous switch? Definitely not Bob Bullock, who once said, "I'd rather fight than switch". Bullock, the Democrat who endorsed George W. Bush, was practically Texas’ own political chameleon.

But what’s the real reason these politicians are switching parties like it’s the latest TikTok dance challenge? Their own party isn’t giving them a leg up. Just ask Allred’s Republican supporters or Cruz’s Democrats. When former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger doesn’t seek reelection and Houston’s latest transplant endorses Cruz, you know something’s up.

So, buckle up, folks! This political season is shaping up to be less about red vs. blue and more about who can flip the script the fastest. It’s a twisted tradition, but hey, at least it keeps things interesting—or infuriating, depending on your perspective.