Cowboy Conservatism: Texas and the Rise of the Modern Right

New Directions in Southern History

by Sean P. Cunningham

During the 1960s and 1970s, Texas was rocked by a series of political transitions. Despite its century-long heritage of solidly Democratic politics, the state became a Republican stronghold virtually overnight, and by 1980 it was known as "Reagan Country." Ultimately, Republicans dominated the Texas political landscape, holding all twenty-seven of its elected offices and carrying former governor George W. Bush to his second term as president with more than 61 percent of the Texas vote. Sean P. Cunningham examines the remarkable history of Republican Texas in Cowboy Conservatism: Texas and the Rise of the Modern Right. Utilizing extensive research drawn from the archives of four presidential libraries, gubernatorial papers, local campaign offices, and oral histories, Cunningham presents a compelling narrative of the most notable regional genesis of modern conservatism. Spanning the decades from Kennedy's assassination to Reagan's presidency, Cunningham reveals a vivid portrait of modern conservatism in one of the nation's largest and most politically powerful states. The newest title in the New Directions in Southern History series, Cunningham's Cowboy Conservatism demonstrates Texas's distinctive and vital contributions to the transformation of postwar American politics.

Genres: Politics, History

293 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Michael Linton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. It made it very easy to understand the transformation from a Democratic run state to a Republican run state. It can be summed up quite simply: liberals were vilified because they moved too far to the left. And all a candidate had to do in Texas to win was make it look like your opponent was a liberal. Not much has changed.

[Josh Adamek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read on how Texas switched from a blue state to a red state. Should be required reading for any democratic TX candidate