If Texas flips it may set of a beginning of a totally new realignment of the map

[Skill and Chance]

I think it would just force Republicans to go all in on the industrial/post-industrial Midwest and retirees (hold Florida, NC, maybe not get wiped out in AZ), on the assumption that the South is giving out.  There would end up being little or no difference in family income between the party coalitions.  Democrats are gradually able to contest the Plains and Republicans the Northeast (except for MA as Boston seems to be following the Southern/Western metro trajectory).  Small cities become the most important electoral battleground.

[Skill and Chance]

The last time a Republican won without California or Texas (with 93 EVs now and all but certain to gain more after reapportionment) was in 1880 (when they had 14)

A new realignment could flip TX back , just with unrecognizable party coalitions

The late 19th century was also the last time we had anything like this level of urban/rural polarization.  Seems reasonable to expect most of the large states to be Dem leaning down the line.

[Skill and Chance]

This meme that 2016 was simply a continuation of previous trends needs to stop, there were entire areas of the country that were trending democrat that trended hard Republican in 2016, there were counties in Appalachian Ohio that swung towards Obama from 2008-2012 which meant they trended democratic in a big way that swung 20-30 points towards Trump. There were counties in Wisconsin that had been trending democrat for decades that swung hard towards Trump.

This is why I think if/when Texas does flip (assuming it's not just a double digit Dem landslide scenario), it will be gone for a generation or more like it was from 1980-2016 and Republicans will look elsewhere to rebuild after a cycle or 2, probably to NY and the NE more generally.

[Skill and Chance]

Alternatively, there might be a bipartisan cause to end the electoral college.

Hmmm... something like this with the Republican winning the PV is actually very plausible sometime during 2024-32. 

There are enough Safe R states to put the NPVIC compact into effect for the next election if they decided they wanted to.  SCOTUS could strike it down of course, but if congress passes a law explicitly authorizing it, I think that eliminates the constitutional issue.