Texas Republicans have long credited their policies for the "Texas Miracle," the story reports. The state economy has grown faster than every other major state over the past 25 years, according to the report. After Democrats won statewide races on Election Day, several Republicans warned that Democratic control would hurt the economy. Texas Tech University regent and GOP megadonor Cody Campbell said the result would harm the state's economic miracle. Outgoing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in his concession statement that Texas Democrats' "socialist policies will fail."
Economists and political observers say Texans should not expect the basic drivers of the state economy to change soon. Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor, said Democrats had to convince voters and employers that Democratic control would not overhaul the state's economic model.
Economists link Texas's growth to factors that have little to do with which party controls the state. These include its large population, diverse industries, natural resources such as oil and gas, and its size and location along the Gulf of Mexico. Jake Bradt, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, said the state's trajectory depends largely on Texas itself, though he added that the right policies also help encourage growth.