Latinos have already made their mark in Texas (one of the main food groups in the states is tacos, after all). And by 2022, they should become the state’s largest demographic. The state’s Latino population has continued to outpace the growth of white Texans, and in just a few years, they should surpass whites altogether, according to the US Census Bureau.
Since 2010, Latinos have accounted for more than half of Texas’ growth. This segment of the population grew from 9.7 million in 2010 to 11.1 million in 2017. In the same time period, the white population has only risen by about 458,000, the Texas Tribune reports. Tarrant County – which includes Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, and Grapevine – has seen the biggest rise of Latinos. Meanwhile, Dallas has seen the biggest drop in white residents.
This shift is noteworthy, because Texas is a red state. A Democrat hasn’t won a statewide election since 1994, and the state has consistently voted Republican in presidential elections for the past four decades, according to Houston Public Media. Texas didn’t always elect Republican leaders, so this increase in Latino voters could eventually flip the state – if not turn it purple.