DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN TEXAS BY JAN MILLER/JERRY PERRY: A SUMMARY The history of Texas political parties can be summarized in five eras: 1. The First Era (1836-1845) dominated by personalities, not political parties. - This was when Texas was a Republic and the first Presidential election was based on personalities – personalities like Henry Smith, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston contested without any affiliation with any political party. 2. The Second Era (1845-1867) when the Democrats were in charge. - This was during the period before and during the Civil War, when most early settlers in Texas arrived from the South, with their political allegiance – Southern consensus; strong support for slavery; and anti-slavery views were considered political death sentences. - The election of Abraham Lincoln (abolitionist) in 1860 led to the secession of the Southern States to join the Confederate States. - Loss of the Civil War by the Confederate States ended this first Democratic Party dominance. 3. The Third Era (1867-1874) when there was the Republican intermission. - This was after the Civil War. - The military leaders who were Moderates and Radical Republicans proceeded to secure Republican control, by removing the Confederates (Democrats) 4. The Fourth Era (1874-1994) when the Democrats were in control. - From 1874, when Richard Coke (Democrat) became Governor, every Texas Governor over a century, was a Democrat. 5. The Fifth Era (1994-present) was the Republican rebirth. - Texas has not had a Democratic Governor since Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Ann Richards in 1994. - The Republican rebirth in Texas has been attributed to: (a) The defection of many conservative democrats to the Republican Party: Rick Perry is one among these. (b) The tremendous growth of the Republican strength in the suburbs because of the search for well-paying jobs, the lack of unions and low taxes. (c) The support of many Christians concerned with issues such as abortion and prayer in public schools. .