In recent years, Texas has become known as one of the political right’s most reliable and activist states, in addition to be the second largest overall after California. However, in the mid-term elections, Democrats (the left side of our two-party system, but you probably already knew that) swept all statewide offices, took one of two houses of the state legislature, and blunted the Republicans’ legally-questionable attempt to redraw geographic congressional districts in their favor. It was a huge deal that will be a big part of taking some power away from Trump in his last two years, and it may signal the rejection of the worst of the worst tendencies of the Republicans by showing that there are limits to what even conservative parts of the country will tolerate.

As part of it, Gina Hinojosa became the first person of Mexican descent, the third woman, and the first Democrat in twenty years to be elected to the position of Governor. Her win is a huge symbol of things getting better here.