Nearly a week after an election that saw Gov. Greg Abbott decisively defeat Democrat Beto O'Rourke to win a third term, this map could either be triggering or a thing of rose-colored beauty.
Why we bring it up: The map suggests that Democrats are making little headway — or even moving in the wrong direction.
By the numbers: It wasn't even close. Unofficial results show Abbott with an 11-point victory — 54.8% to 43.8%.
- Abbott beat little-known Democrat Lupe Valdez by a similar margin in 2018.
- O'Rourke won fewer counties this election than when he ran against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018 — 19 counties this year, compared to 32 in 2018.
Meanwhile: O'Rourke's margins in metro areas weren't as solid as they were 2018.
- In his bid for the Senate seat, O'Rourke flipped historically red suburban counties like Williamson, Fort Bend and Hays.
- But this time around, Abbott narrowly defeated O'Rourke in Williamson County. Democrats hung onto Fort Bend and Hays this election, although by a slimmer margin than in 2018.
Where they go from here: The governor's race underscores Republican dominance in statewide politics for years to come.
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