(NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump captured the presidency for a second time with a historic flip of Texas’ Starr County, one of the nation’s most reliable Democratic strongholds.
Trump won Starr County more than 57% of the vote, ending its 132-year streak of voting Democratic in presidential elections, NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ predicted.
The heavily Hispanic county hasn’t backed a Republican presidential candidate since 1892.
South Texas’ Rio Grande Valley region’s political transformation is evident in Starr County’s recent voting history.
Hillary Clinton won 79% of the county’s vote in 2016, compared to Trump’s 19%. By 2020, the margin had narrowed significantly, with Joe Biden securing 52% to Trump’s 47%, according to Politico.
The region experienced heavy numbers of illegal migrant crossings, overwhelming local resources since President Joe Biden took office in 2020.
Trump secured the presidency by winning crucial swing states, including early victories in Georgia and North Carolina. Pennsylvania ultimately provided the electoral votes needed for Trump to surpass the 270 threshold.
The former president benefited from an early lead as East Coast polls closed, in what analysts thought might prove to be a “red mirage,” but his lead held through the night as results were finalized.