The recent election in Texas has sparked a reaction from leading Republicans, with Linda Howell, the current president of the Fort Bend Republican Party, suggesting that the candidate should step aside to make way for someone more accepting of diversity. Political analysts have yet to declare Fort Bend a contested county, but the shift from red to blue in the November election has certainly raised eyebrows. Glenn Hebert, who had been the chairman of the board of directors of the Fort Bend Independent School District, had been witnessing the changes in the county for some time. When Bharthi Chittur moved to Fort Bend County six years ago, she was pleasantly surprised to find a neighborhood that was so diverse and heavily Asian that it reminded her of her life in Mumbai.
Fort Bend County had the highest percentage of direct voters in November among the 10 largest counties in the state, and Democrats outnumbered Republicans in 76 percent of direct voters. Chittur is one of many immigrants who have helped Fort Bend gain its designation as the most ethnically diverse county in the United States. Unlike most suburban counties, Fort Bend is home to both middle class and minority workers. Although numbers are still being analyzed, political observers attribute Clinton's victory in the county to an increase in minority voters, particularly Asian Americans, who split their votes to vote against Trump. The next day, Comptroller Glenn Hegar, a Republican who represented Fort Bend County as a legislature, and state senator Aiyer, a political scientist, both commented on the challenge that Fort Bend Republicans will face in the future: making sure that typical Republican voters who changed power this year remain engaged. The political transformation of Fort Bend County is an interesting phenomenon that has been gaining attention from political analysts across Texas.
The influx of immigrants and minorities into the county has changed its political landscape significantly. The challenge for Republicans now is to find ways to engage these new voters and ensure that they remain engaged in future elections. It remains to be seen whether or not Fort Bend will become a contested county in future elections, but it is clear that its political transformation is something worth watching.
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