Harris County, TX - Presidential results precinct map link

[BaldEagle1991]

http://gregsopinion.com/maps/2012G_President.html

I already made some comments about what I thought about it in another thread, just wondering what you thought was surprising here in Houston.

[ottermax]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that? Also what is the area west of Rice/Downtown like? It seems quite Republican, and I know it's Houston, but what makes this urban area Republican?

Actually a broad explanation of the trends would be great!

[Benj]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that?

Most people who live in downtown Houston are wealthy employees of big oil companies (and support groups, like law firms and accounting firms, whose fates in Houston are also tied to the oil industry).

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White people. It's the South. White areas in urban areas of all cities in the South are intensely Republican, with only occasional exceptions (and the exception in Houston is the Montrose district).

[Sbane]

Not all white urban areas in the south are Republican. They certainly are not in Nashville. It tends to be more the case in Deep South cities.

[freepcrusher]

what's with the democratic pocket in far western Harris county?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that?

Most people who live in downtown Houston are wealthy employees of big oil companies (and support groups, like law firms and accounting firms, whose fates in Houston are also tied to the oil industry).

You must be logged in to read this quote.

White people. It's the South. White areas in urban areas of all cities in the South are intensely Republican, with only occasional exceptions (and the exception in Houston is the Montrose district).

LOL at the idea of a bunch of oil company employees deciding to save oil and live next to where they work. Yeah, usually downtown areas vote Democrat.

[minionofmidas]

what's with the democratic pocket in far western Harris county?

You call that a "pocket"? That's a full congressional district's (Al Green's) worth of people!

Very dense, very minority, fairly new housing stock though. Which means you get more clearly suburban places (that are also filthy rich) east of it.

Those downtown precincts are lilywhite and voted almost 50-50.

[nclib]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that?

Most people who live in downtown Houston are wealthy employees of big oil companies (and support groups, like law firms and accounting firms, whose fates in Houston are also tied to the oil industry).

You must be logged in to read this quote.

White people. It's the South. White areas in urban areas of all cities in the South are intensely Republican, with only occasional exceptions (and the exception in Houston is the Montrose district).

I doubt urban whites in the South are that Republican, at least compared to Southern whites overall.  Anyone have any data/approximations about this? For one, I believe Obama won the NC-9 portion (2000s) of Mecklenburg, NC in 2008.

[BaldEagle1991]

what's with the democratic pocket in far western Harris county?

Lots of middle-class Blacks and Hispanics there. This is pretty dangerous for the TX GOP if they want to get minorities. Even the middle class, hard working minorities in Texas vote Democratic.  

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that? Also what is the area west of Rice/Downtown like? It seems quite Republican, and I know it's Houston, but what makes this urban area Republican?

As for Downtown Houston, it's mostly because of those oil tycoon 1%ers living in Downtown.

Midtown and The Heights are also very White and they vote Democratic, so it's not only Montrose. Keep in mind, this is Houston, it's an urban area culturally distinct from the rest of Texas (it's more like Chicago or Detroit culturally). The white Evangelical suburbs are what's keeping Harris a swing county.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

LOL at the idea of a bunch of oil company employees deciding to save oil and live next to where they work. Yeah, usually downtown areas vote Democrat.

It's not about saving oil, it's about saving time.  If you were a lawyer billing $200/hr, shaving an hour off your commute each day would be worth an extra $50K/yr.

[BaldEagle1991]

LOL at the idea of a bunch of oil company employees deciding to save oil and live next to where they work. Yeah, usually downtown areas vote Democrat.

It's not about saving oil, it's about saving time.  If you were a lawyer billing $200/hr, shaving an hour off your commute each day would be worth an extra $50K/yr.

Yeah true, plus you're less likely to be late for work with that method.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

LOL at the idea of a bunch of oil company employees deciding to save oil and live next to where they work. Yeah, usually downtown areas vote Democrat.

It's not about saving oil, it's about saving time.  If you were a lawyer billing $200/hr, shaving an hour off your commute each day would be worth an extra $50K/yr.

Obviously I know that's the only criteria, but I couldn't resist. It's still weird to imagine a downtown area that votes Republican.

[BaldEagle1991]

LOL at the idea of a bunch of oil company employees deciding to save oil and live next to where they work. Yeah, usually downtown areas vote Democrat.

It's not about saving oil, it's about saving time.  If you were a lawyer billing $200/hr, shaving an hour off your commute each day would be worth an extra $50K/yr.

Obviously I know that's the only criteria, but I couldn't resist. It's still weird to imagine a downtown area that votes Republican.

To be fair, it's pretty close if you click on the results. It voted for Kerry in 04 and Obama in 08 I can guarantee you that.

[Benj]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that?

Most people who live in downtown Houston are wealthy employees of big oil companies (and support groups, like law firms and accounting firms, whose fates in Houston are also tied to the oil industry).

You must be logged in to read this quote.

White people. It's the South. White areas in urban areas of all cities in the South are intensely Republican, with only occasional exceptions (and the exception in Houston is the Montrose district).

I doubt urban whites in the South are that Republican, at least compared to Southern whites overall.  Anyone have any data/approximations about this? For one, I believe Obama won the NC-9 portion (2000s) of Mecklenburg, NC in 2008.

A quick glance at a precinct map of Mecklenburg County will tell you that, if this is true, it's only true because NC-09 contains a bunch of racially mixed, ~60% Obama precincts where whites are the largest group but short of a majority. Anyway, it's obvious to anyone that whites in North Carolina are not the same as whites elsewhere in the South (except Virginia).

Look at precinct results in Birmingham or Atlanta or Memphis. Even Richmond, VA has a >70%  McCain/Romney precinct, and Virginia has far more white Democrats than Texas.

[Indy Texas]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that? Also what is the area west of Rice/Downtown like? It seems quite Republican, and I know it's Houston, but what makes this urban area Republican?

Actually a broad explanation of the trends would be great!

The little red dot in the heart of downtown is the "One Percent" lofts and highrises.

The red cluster from Beltway 8 to the West Loop, Bunker Hill Village and Bellaire is the Country Club Republicans.

The blue area where Baytown is in the eastern part of the county is a working class Hispanic neighborhood. A lot of those people work at the chemical plants there.

Deer Park is a more middle-class Hispanic neighborhood. A lot of Protestants. That explains the Republican wins there.

La Porte is working-class, conservative whites and a growing Hispanic population.

Atascocita in the northeast is a middle class suburb with lots of golf courses.

Tomball and Cypress are fundie exurbs with lots of minivan-driving True Believers.

[BaldEagle1991]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that? Also what is the area west of Rice/Downtown like? It seems quite Republican, and I know it's Houston, but what makes this urban area Republican?

Actually a broad explanation of the trends would be great!

The little red dot in the heart of downtown is the "One Percent" lofts and highrises.

The red cluster from Beltway 8 to the West Loop, Bunker Hill Village and Bellaire is the Country Club Republicans.

The blue area where Baytown is in the eastern part of the county is a working class Hispanic neighborhood. A lot of those people work at the chemical plants there.

Deer Park is a more middle-class Hispanic white neighborhood. A lot of Protestants. That explains the Republican wins there.

La Porte is working-class, conservative whites and a growing Hispanic population.

Atascocita in the northeast is a middle class suburb with lots of golf courses.

Tomball and Cypress are fundie exurbs with lots of minivan-driving True Believers.

Fixed. Deer Park, TX is around 85% white.

[Indy Texas]

Fixed. Deer Park, TX is around 85% white.

You're right. I was confusing Deer Park with Galena Park.

[BaldEagle1991]

Yeah. And plus, most Hispanics in the Houston area are still Catholic despite the sizable Protestant Hispanic population in Texas.

[NOVA Green]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that? Also what is the area west of Rice/Downtown like? It seems quite Republican, and I know it's Houston, but what makes this urban area Republican?

Actually a broad explanation of the trends would be great!

Tomball and Cypress are fundie exurbs with lots of minivan-driving True Believers.

Not all of us out in the Tomball area are fundies, and although minivans outnumber hybrids, there are many more pickups than either.

There is an extremely high proportion of Anglos compared to much of Harris County, and although it doesn't appear to be that upper middle-class compared to many neighborhoods a short distance down the SH-249 or SH-290, you have a large number of middle-class younger married couples with kids wanting to be in one or another of the higher performing school districts, willing to pay a bit more for their housing.

[Abhakhazia]

That's very interesting. It seems rather Republican for such a large coty.

[Indy Texas]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that? Also what is the area west of Rice/Downtown like? It seems quite Republican, and I know it's Houston, but what makes this urban area Republican?

Actually a broad explanation of the trends would be great!

Tomball and Cypress are fundie exurbs with lots of minivan-driving True Believers.

Not all of us out in the Tomball area are fundies, and although minivans outnumber hybrids, there are many more pickups than either.

There is an extremely high proportion of Anglos compared to much of Harris County, and although it doesn't appear to be that upper middle-class compared to many neighborhoods a short distance down the SH-249 or SH-290, you have a large number of middle-class younger married couples with kids wanting to be in one or another of the higher performing school districts, willing to pay a bit more for their housing.

The "White Flight havens" on Houston's periphery have always creeped me out. I tend to think if you want to have 90%+ of your neighbors be non-Hispanic whites, you need to find somewhere other than Houston to live (Utah or Minnesota, perhaps). I'm occasionally in Cypress visiting family friends who are a Santorum-Palin GOP's wet dream: wife never attended college, they go to an evangelical church twice a week, husband collects bumper stickers that are the Right's equivalent of snark ("Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot"). And the cookie cutter houses around the cul de sac are full of cookie cutter neighbors; an F-150 and an Expedition in every driveway (preferably with a Browning deer or Semper Fi sticker) and Fox News on every plasma TV.

[memphis]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that? Also what is the area west of Rice/Downtown like? It seems quite Republican, and I know it's Houston, but what makes this urban area Republican?

Actually a broad explanation of the trends would be great!

Tomball and Cypress are fundie exurbs with lots of minivan-driving True Believers.

Not all of us out in the Tomball area are fundies, and although minivans outnumber hybrids, there are many more pickups than either.

There is an extremely high proportion of Anglos compared to much of Harris County, and although it doesn't appear to be that upper middle-class compared to many neighborhoods a short distance down the SH-249 or SH-290, you have a large number of middle-class younger married couples with kids wanting to be in one or another of the higher performing school districts, willing to pay a bit more for their housing.

The "White Flight havens" on Houston's periphery have always creeped me out. I tend to think if you want to have 90%+ of your neighbors be non-Hispanic whites, you need to find somewhere other than Houston to live (Utah or Minnesota, perhaps). I'm occasionally in Cypress visiting family friends who are a Santorum-Palin GOP's wet dream: wife never attended college, they go to an evangelical church twice a week, husband collects bumper stickers that are the Right's equivalent of snark ("Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot"). And the cookie cutter houses around the cul de sac are full of cookie cutter neighbors; an F-150 and an Expedition in every driveway (preferably with a Browning deer or Semper Fi sticker) and Fox News on every plasma TV.

Sounds like the white suburbs of most cities. Maybe not San Francisco's, but not limited to the South/sunbelt either. Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis. Even New York has those crazy Peter King Long Islanders. And the converse is true too. If you want to be a token white liberal in Memphis, you'll feel right at home amongst like minded people in Midtown. I've made my peace with local residential segregation. I don't want to live near "those people" any more than they want to live near me

[BaldEagle1991]

The "White Flight havens" on Houston's periphery have always creeped me out. I tend to think if you want to have 90%+ of your neighbors be non-Hispanic whites, you need to find somewhere other than Houston to live (Utah or Minnesota, perhaps). I'm occasionally in Cypress visiting family friends who are a Santorum-Palin GOP's wet dream: wife never attended college, they go to an evangelical church twice a week, husband collects bumper stickers that are the Right's equivalent of snark ("Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot"). And the cookie cutter houses around the cul de sac are full of cookie cutter neighbors; an F-150 and an Expedition in every driveway (preferably with a Browning deer or Semper Fi sticker) and Fox News on every plasma TV.

They creep me out too. I grew up in Pearland though, it's a mixture of a middle class minority and white-flight haven (odd combination but surprisingly there's peace), so I've seen what you've been through to some extent.

 

That's very interesting. It seems rather Republican for such a large coty.

It's because of the "White Flight Havens" Ind TX was talking about, remove those and Harris would be no different from Dallas or Travis in results.

[NOVA Green]

I didn't realize that Houston's downtown voted GOP. Why is that? Also what is the area west of Rice/Downtown like? It seems quite Republican, and I know it's Houston, but what makes this urban area Republican?

Actually a broad explanation of the trends would be great!

Tomball and Cypress are fundie exurbs with lots of minivan-driving True Believers.

Not all of us out in the Tomball area are fundies, and although minivans outnumber hybrids, there are many more pickups than either.

There is an extremely high proportion of Anglos compared to much of Harris County, and although it doesn't appear to be that upper middle-class compared to many neighborhoods a short distance down the SH-249 or SH-290, you have a large number of middle-class younger married couples with kids wanting to be in one or another of the higher performing school districts, willing to pay a bit more for their housing.

The "White Flight havens" on Houston's periphery have always creeped me out. I tend to think if you want to have 90%+ of your neighbors be non-Hispanic whites, you need to find somewhere other than Houston to live (Utah or Minnesota, perhaps). I'm occasionally in Cypress visiting family friends who are a Santorum-Palin GOP's wet dream: wife never attended college, they go to an evangelical church twice a week, husband collects bumper stickers that are the Right's equivalent of snark ("Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot"). And the cookie cutter houses around the cul de sac are full of cookie cutter neighbors; an F-150 and an Expedition in every driveway (preferably with a Browning deer or Semper Fi sticker) and Fox News on every plasma TV.

We moved out from Oregon after an 8 month project assignment in the Bay Area trying to find a neighborhood in NW Harris county close to work to avoid massive commute times and traffic jams.

Although the subdivisions have gone wild in the past 10+ years in the area not everywhere is totally cookie-cutter (Those were the ones we crossed off the list), there is a reason to live in an area that is relatively inexpensive with reasonable commute times to work... not that everyone in this neck of the woods has the same priorities.

We're still newbies to the area, but initial impression seems that a mixture of reasons, including reasonably good school districts, perception of lower burglary rates, a desire to feel closer to the lakes/ quaint small towns, and relatively reasonable housing values for first time home buyers, and the better job market in the North/NW regions of the county, play a major factor in the massive growth of some of these regions of the county.

It does feel a bit odd sometimes driving the Prius with West Coast tags, but like the guy at the tire joint in Tomball told us the other day "You know that they now have hybrid pickups"....

[freepcrusher]

The "White Flight havens" on Houston's periphery have always creeped me out. I tend to think if you want to have 90%+ of your neighbors be non-Hispanic whites, you need to find somewhere other than Houston to live (Utah or Minnesota, perhaps). I'm occasionally in Cypress visiting family friends who are a Santorum-Palin GOP's wet dream: wife never attended college, they go to an evangelical church twice a week, husband collects bumper stickers that are the Right's equivalent of snark ("Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot"). And the cookie cutter houses around the cul de sac are full of cookie cutter neighbors; an F-150 and an Expedition in every driveway (preferably with a Browning deer or Semper Fi sticker) and Fox News on every plasma TV.

what's the SES of the area like? The way you're describing them, I'm surprised they can afford to live in that area.