HOUSTON – Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit Houston this Friday ahead of the upcoming elections.
It’s a notable move in a state that has been reliably conservative for more than 40 years.
RELATED: Vice President Kamala Harris to campaign in Houston ahead of Nov. 5 Election Day
KPRC 2′s Candace Burns sat down with University of Houston History Professor Dr. Nancy Beck Young to explore the significance of Harris’ stop in the Lone Star State, especially with the 2024 election looming.
“It is suggestive of what Texas can be in another cycle or two,” Dr. Young said.
“Texas has never really been a competitive state. If you go all the way back in the 20th century, Texas was solidly Democratic—almost never voting for Republicans, with almost no Republican officeholders in the state,” Dr. Young reflected. “By the late 20th century, Texas started moving toward the Republicans.”
However, in recent elections, Young pointed out that the margins have been narrowing. She noted that former Congressman Beto O’Rourke’s narrow 2.6% loss to Senator Ted Cruz in 2018 and Joe Biden’s close margin in the 2020 presidential election signal that Texas may be moving toward the center.
“Trump only carried the state by nine points in 2016, and in 2020, Joe Biden was 5.6 points away from carrying the state,” Dr. Young said.
While Dr. Young says Vice President Harris is unlikely to win Texas for the Democratic ticket in 2024, she suggested that Harris’ visit signals a long-term strategy.
“I think this is as much about 2028 and 2032 as it is about 2024,” she added. “It’s about positioning Texas as a battleground state for future elections.”
Dr. Young also pointed to the growing influence of new Texans—individuals moving to the state from other parts of the country—who may bring different political values.
“New people come to the state with the political values from the place they were before,” she explained. “They’re not following the generational voting patterns we’ve seen since the 1970s and 80s.”
This is the first time in 30 years that a presidential candidate has made a stop in Texas this close to the election. Details about the Harris campaign visit are limited at this time.
KPRC 2 will continue to provide updates as the event draws closer.