Democrats and Republicans across the Lone Star State defy party stereotypes, as they talk about a stronger economy, and a president’s divisive…
For our series Three Meals, Major Garrett traveled to three cities in Texas to talk to voters over breakfast, lunch and dinner.
In Texas, impeachment came up frequently; overall, most voters were fatigued by it all. But those paying close attention defied party stereotypes.
Garrett started in a diverse area outside of Houston with eggs, hash browns and pancakes at the Avalon Diner in Stafford.
"The economy is going really well," said dentist Scott Benoit. "I think overall we're safe as a country. Everything's going pretty well."
The "Now Hiring" sign outside backs that up; the Avalon's owner told us she's lost workers to better jobs elsewhere.
Benoit did not vote for Mr. Trump in 2016, but will this year. His wife Jeannine, a speech therapist, was with the president from the beginning. "I just have more conservative values, so I tend to go more with that person," she said.
Just across from Scott and Jeannine, Garrett met Bernard and Sharon Maynore. Both work in health care. Bernard said, "I feel mystified when I'm listening to what Donald Trump has to say."
Garrett asked, "How frequently now, or during the Trump presidency, have you found yourself shaking your head?"
"Every day," Sharon replied. " My co-workers said that we needed a change, they wanted to make America great again. I'm wondering, do those same people, do they think that he has made American great again?"
Then it was on to lunch in conservative Midland, a boom town in West Texas, where oil and natural gas production runs around the clock
At Mac's Bar-B-Q, a local favorite, the brisket is slow-cooked out back for 18 hours. Customers start arriving for lunch around 11.
Kyle Davis, his brother Jake, and their business partner Tom Hull run a construction and drilling company. Kyle and Jake support President Trump and expect him to be re-elected.
"I don't like all the nonsense that comes with him," Kyle said. "But yeah, his policy has been spot-on."
Jake added, "I really don't want another Obama. I kind of feel like he divided our country."
Garrett asked both about impeachment. Kyle's answer surprised him: "Was it an impeachable offense? Yeah, it sounds like it probably was," he said.
Jake took the long view: "I'm sure at some point every president could have been impeached."
Tom Hull calls himself a New England Republican and considers Mr. Trump a failure. "The economy's been propped up with record levels of deficit spending," he said. "And he picks fights that he doesn't know how to get out of."
Garrett also met Alison Loera, Laura Ortega and Jennifer Reyes. Loera works in insurance; Ortega and Reyes are data specialists for drilling companies.
They criticized the president for his comments about the Hispanic community. Loera said, "We feel targeted."
Garrett asked, "Do you feel lumped in or somehow demonized?"
"In a way, I guess," Loera replied.
Reyes said, "Comments like that shouldn't be made by someone with that much power and authority."
Dinner took Garrett to The Flying Saucer pub in Garland, a politically-moderate area northeast of Dallas.
"I voted for Trump," said Rita Dusek. "I did, because I thought we need somebody who's not a politician. But that didn't seem to work out," she laughed.
Garrett asked, "Will you vote for him again?"
"No," she said.
Her husband, Al, a registered Republican, said, "I did not vote for him. I don't like extremism on either side."
Just across the way Garrett met David Lindsay, who owns a construction firm. "The economy has probably been the best since I've owned the company," he said.
"Do you give anyone in the political world credit for that?" asked Garrett.
"I will solidly give the president credit for doing it," said Lindsey.
The president's volatile style was raised: "Do you ever wish he would tone it down?" asked Garrett.
"Oh, yeah, I think somebody should hide his cellphone on him," Lindsey said.
Blake Hammerton and Daniel Torres both opposed Mr. Trump in 2016, and will vote in the March 3 Texas Democratic primary.
"I have very, very strong feeling: the young vote will come out this year," Torres said.
Garrett asked, "When you think about the Democrats, what are your thoughts?"
"Stop making everything a battle to the end," Hammerton said. "The Democrats are exhausting themselves and exhausting the public."
Sounds like they're exhausting you? "Yes!" he said.
Garrett said of his excursion that, among Democrats, he did not find hard-core supporters of Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders or Joe Biden. "Flat line across the board, Texas Democrats are waiting for Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada to sort this out," he said. "Democrats said they were keeping an open mind for Texas' 'Super Tuesday' primary."
One person they were keeping in mind, because he's on TV so frequently in Texas, is Mike Bloomberg, he added, noting the billionaire's strategy of creating an impression with voters via paid ads while his opponents fighting it out in Iowa, New Hampshire and elsewhere have yet to make an impression in the Lone Star State.
Garrett asked everyone if they had seen or remembered a Bloomberg TV ad. All but two had. Trump supporters said they thought Bloomberg might give the president the toughest challenge.
"One other thing: when we asked people what they thought about the November election, they said two words: anticipation, and dread."
Other entries in our "Three Meals" series:
Read more from the original source:
Democrats and Republicans across the Lone Star State defy party stereotypes, as they talk about a stronger economy, and a president's divisive...
- Tom Kean Jr.s absence from Congress makes Democrats bullish they can flip his seat - Politico - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats dont need an autopsy to know what they did wrong - vox.com - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Partisan Mud Fight, or Focus on the Midterms? Redistricting Divides Democrats. - The New York Times - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats renew effort to prevent US military action against Cuba - Roll Call - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- More Republicans voted early in May runoff than Democrats - Spectrum News - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- The best thing Democrats can do for the climate: Stop talking about it - vox.com - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- 5 Takeaways From the Democrats Autopsy of Kamala Harriss 2024 Loss - The New York Times - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats Lead the Generic Ballot by 8 Points as Midterms Approach - Data For Progress - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats wanted answers for what went wrong in 2024. Now, there are more questions - NPR - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats clearly learned nothing from their 2024 defeat | Opinion - USA Today - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats admit why Trump beat Kamala Harris - The Times - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats outdraw GOP in Georgia primary as turnout flips from 2022 | - Capitol Beat - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- First Thing: Progressive Democrats criticize 2024 election autopsy for silence on Gaza - The Guardian - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats are racing to one region ahead of the 2028 presidential primaries - NBC News - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- A Republican Bloodbath in the Texas Senate Primary Is Giving Democrats Hope - The New Yorker - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Whats in the Democrats 2024 election autopsy report, and whats left out? - The Guardian - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Scalise: Democrats' Politics of Hatred and Division Need to Stop - Congressman Steve Scalise (.gov) - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Gaza Wasnt the Biggest Omission in the Democrats 2024 Autopsy - The New Republic - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats Move to Force Republicans on the Record on Trump Slush Fund - Congressman John Larson (.gov) - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats demand answers from Treasury secretary on Trump's IRS settlement - ABC13 Houston - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- Democrats to choose Congressional nominee from field of three - Decorah Leader - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- House Democrats are scrambling to contain their Maureen Galindo problem - Axios - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- CNN's Manu Raju pushes Jeffries on realities of Democrats' loss in Virginia - CNN - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Democrats turn to state legislative races to catch up in the redistricting battle - NBC News - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- In Ambitious Session, Democrats Focused on Affordability and Addressed Must-Fix Issues Amidst Federal Attacks and a Billion Dollar Deficit - Colorado... - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Meet the Kentucky Democrats who think they can flip McConnells Senate seat - Louisville Public Media - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- California Democrats think voting late will stop a GOP sweep. They might slow down the results - CalMatters - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Wisconsin Democrats split with Gov. Tony Evers over school funding deal - WPR - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Democrats warn a third of the Congressional Black Caucus could be wiped out by redistricting wars - NBC News - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Select Committee Democrats Outline Priorities Ahead of TrumpXi Meeting in Beijing - Select Committee on the CCP - Democrats | (.gov) - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Kentucky Democrats are underdogs in the U.S. Senate race but several candidates argue they can win - Kentucky Lantern - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Key House Republican faces calls from Democrats to resign over radio interview - Axios - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Democrats abandon rollback of business tax breaks to fund family tax credit after Colorado governors veto threat - The Colorado Sun - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Live Nation: Democrats Plan Hearing on Controversial DOJ Settlement, Which Could Preview Oversight Theyll Conduct If Mid-Terms Return Them to Power -... - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Tennessee Democrats removed from House committees after redistricting protests - WBIR - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- 'Im out here with the people': Tensions on display as NH Democrats look towards 2026 - New Hampshire Public Radio - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Tennessee Democrats worry about representation after prompt removal from House committees - WTVC - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Top Democrats press Trump to approve arms sale to Taiwan ahead of Xi meeting - The Hill - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- A Private Call Reveals Democrats Desperation Over Tossing of Map - The New York Times - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Arkansas Democrats accuse governor of rigging the court system, say she should not get to pick judge for her own appeal - Arkansas Times - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- HUD Secretary Shares His Homeless Uncle's Plight as He Spars With Democrats Over Budget Cuts - Realtor.com - May 13th, 2026 [May 13th, 2026]
- Ohio Democrats nearly matched GOP primary turnout. Does it matter for November? - Signal Ohio - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Democrats walk out of redistricting hearing; protesters arrested - WPLN News - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Pennsylvania voter registration: Democrats expand advantage for the first time in years - Pennsylvania Capital-Star - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Takeaways from Indiana, Ohio and Michigan: Trump's flex pays off and Democrats win special election - PBS - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Latino voters shifted towards Democrats on Prop. 50. Heres how we analyzed it. - CalMatters - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Michigan Democrats keep control of state Senate in election win that offers clues about midterms - PBS - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Nadler, 250+ Democrats Fight To Protect Mifepristone Access, Womens Health Care, And FDA Authority - Congressman Jerrold Nadler (.gov) - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Opinion | Democrats, Keir Starmer Is a Warning - The New York Times - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Opinion | If Democrats Have Appropriate Fear of Trump, They Will Elect Platner - The New York Times - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Democrats retain control of Michigan senate with overperformance in special election - The Guardian - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Scalise: Democrats Must End the Reckless Rhetoric and Focus on Working Families - Majority Leader | Steve Scalise (.gov) - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Democrats criticize Iowa decision to share voter info with US Justice Department - Iowa Capital Dispatch - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Democrats turn out despite little on the ballot - vindy.com - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Why Democrats Stand No Chance in the Gerrymandering Wars - Slate - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Virginia Democrats won the vote on the map, but voters lost the fight - The Hill - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Black voters were the most enthusiastic for the redistricting amendment. Southwest Democrats were the least. - Cardinal News - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Democrats Return to a Tried and True Campaign Message: Trumps Corruption - NOTUS News of the United States - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Trump won Ohio by 11 points. Democrats think they can win there anyway. - MS NOW - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Democrats win big in US special elections, but Trump reinforces hold on GOP - The Times of Israel - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Democrats criticize Iowa decision to share voter info with US Justice Department - KCRG - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Andy Beshear won twice in Trump country. Now he wants to show Democrats how to do it everywhere - MS NOW - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- A California Dream? Some Democrats Fear Harris Picked the Wrong Race. - The New York Times - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Everyone Pardoned By Trump With Political Or Financial Ties To White HouseAs Democrats Investigate - Forbes - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Democrats battling for lieutenant governor spar over ability to flip seat, work with GOP majority - Cherokee Tribune - May 7th, 2026 [May 7th, 2026]
- Working Americans are taking the streets for May Day. Will Democrats pay attention? | Claire Valdez - The Guardian - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- With Mills out, Democrats line up behind Platner as he reiterates his vision for the party - Maine Morning Star - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- Three Democrats vie for what could be partys best hope of an Alabama Senate gain - Alabama Reflector - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- How Democrats running for governor say they differ from Janet Mills - The Portland Press Herald - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- While both political parties are unpopular, Democrats have a lead in the race for Congress - YouGov - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- A fight to win ICE protections for Oregon teachers reveals a rift among Democrats - The Daily Astorian - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- Israels center wants Democrats back. It may not have the cards. - Politico - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- Democrats wrestle over campaign agenda: You cant just be anti-Trump - Semafor - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- Susan Collins votes with Democrats to halt the Iran war - The Portland Press Herald - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- How Democrats Can Have a Better Conversation About Israel - The Bulwark - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- The Rundown: Democrats react to SCOTUS voting rights ruling - WBEZ Chicago - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- What Alex Padilla says Democrats should do about the Voting Rights Act ruling - Politico - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- DEMOCRATIC VOICE: Virginia redrawing voting maps for Democrats and how it plays in Wisconsin - wizmnews.com - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- Democrats are lying about what Voting Rights SCOTUS decision actually means - seattlered.com - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- Collins Joins Democrats in Voting For Measure to End Iran War - Time Magazine - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]