I’m a political junkie and I must admit to some envy at those who live in those “battleground states” where the presidential campaigns have been spending all that time – and money – trying to win those states for their candidates.

The campaign’s final two weeks will be spent in basically four states: Iowa, Wisconsin, Virginia and Ohio. Throw in occasional visits to Florida and Colorado and you’ll see where this election will be decided. The rest of the nation? Forget about it.

Texas never really became a battleground state. It once was heavily Democratic. It’s now even more heavily Republican. The beginning of that dramatic swing is open to some debate. Some argue it occurred way back in 1961, when Republican John Tower was elected to the U.S. Senate after Lyndon Johnson became vice president. The momentum picked up a huge head of steam in 1978 with the election of Republican Bill Clements as governor. And it’s been on a headlong rush toward the GOP ever since.

I would love to see Texas become a battleground state that commands the attention of the candidates for president. Democratic presidential candidates come here only to raise money at those high-dollar fundraising events. Republicans, with their death grip on every statewide office, come here even less frequently. Why bother raising money they know is going to pour in already from Texas?

Statewide census trends foretell a probable shift. The state’s Latino population – which tends to vote Democrat – is growing at a much greater rate than other demographic groups. And that brings into play the state’s large 38-vote Electoral College treasure, a number that figures to grow after the 2020 census.

Although the state’s political power once rested with the Democrats, let’s understand that traditional Texas Democrats didn’t resemble their current political descendants. No one ever accused Sam Rayburn, LBJ, Lloyd Bentsen, Big John Connally (before he changed parties) or my former congressman, Jack Brooks, of being squishy liberals. Conversely, the modern Texas Republican Party has been commandeered at many levels by some – to borrow a descriptive term – “severely conservative” officeholders who adhere to rigid ideology.

A majority Texans seem to agree with that view, as they keep electing and re-electing these clowns, er, individuals.

Thus, Democratic Party moguls have given up on Texas and their Republican Party brethren have taken the state for granted.

I hope I live long enough to see the day when that changes and Texas can command the kind of attention that little ol’ Iowa and other puny states are getting.