SAN ANTONIO — Republican leaders are spending more time and resources on elections in traditionally Democratic areas of southern Texas.
The strategy proved fruitful Tuesday night, when Republican John Lujan defeated Democrat Frank Ramirez in a special legislative election.
Lujan will represent the southern and eastern segments of traditionally blue Bexar County in the Texas House of Representatives. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, won the district by 14 percentage points in 2020.
Since the Legislature is not scheduled to meet next year and Lujan is serving an abbreviated term, the Republican will probably need to win re-election in 2022 before he actually sits in the statehouse.
But that hasn't cheapened Republicans' victory, party officials say.
"The national party played a big role in helping him get elected, so we're really excited to see that happen," Republican National Committee spokesperson Alex Kuehler told KENS 5 Wednesday.
The RNC's contributions helped Lujan finished the race with twice the cash his opponent had on-hand. Prominent Republicans, including Gov. Greg Abbott, threw their support behind Lujan, too.
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, usually quiet during election cycles, also pushed hard for his GOP colleague.
"When it comes to special elections in southern Texas, (Republicans) have it down," said Mark P. Jones, a political scientist at Rice University.
Republicans generally enjoy greater voter turnout during "off-season" elections, Jones noted. It is harder to flip districts during congressional or presidential races.
But winning the district Tuesday night gives Lujan an incumbent's boost in 2022. It also forces Democrats to divert advertising and campaign funds to the district, Jones said.
"Democrats can't take the valley or south Texas for granted anymore because Republicans are close enough to make it a fight," Jones added.
Republicans say they started planning to pick off traditionally blue seats after the 2020 election, when Biden underperformed in some key Latino districts.
"We're seeing a lot of movement from Hispanics... to the GOP," Kuehler said. "At the end of the day, Hispanic values are the values of the Republican Party. We just have to do a good job of telling them that."
The party plans to open a Hispanic community center in San Antonio, similar to the outreach facility the RNC has already planted in the Rio Grande Valley.
Jones notes that Republican Latino candidates often act as centrists in the state legislature. They seldom campaign on "hot-button" issues, instead focusing on education and economic growth, he says.
"When Republicans put up high-quality Latino candidates and fund them, they can beat Democrats," Jones said.
Newly redrawn election maps also give Republicans a boost in south Texas. Bexar County will be nearly surrounded by right-leaning districts.
"The endgame, really, for the national party is to bring more minorities in," Kuehler said. "To work with them and say, 'Hey, look, we stand for your values.'"
Now, he says, the party just needs to "step on the gas."