Skip to main content
Social Sci LibreTexts

7.4: Composition

  • Page ID
    189500
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    ( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    Learning Objectives

    At the end of this section you’ll be able to:

    • Understand the partisan make up of the Texas State Legislature
    • Understand the gender makeup of the Texas State Legislature
    • Understand the racial makeup of the Texas State Legislature

    Introduction

    It’s often been said the Texas State Legislature is “pale, male, and stale.” This may not be quite as accurate as in the past, but the Texas State Legislature is prodominantly white, male, and middle aged.

    Partisan Makeup

    The Republican Party controls both the Texas State House of Representatives and the Texas State Senate:

    • The Texas State House of Representatives currently has 93 Republicans, 56 Democrats, and one vacancy.
    • The Texas State Senate currently has 20 Republicans and 11 Democrats

    Gender Makeup

    The Texas State Legislature is predominantly male.

    • Approximately 81% of the Texas State House of Representatives is male (121 males, 29 females)
    • Approximately 74% of the Texas State Senate is male (23 males, 8 females)
    • Take together, almost 80% of the total membership of the Texas State Legislature is male (144 of 181 total members)

    Racial Makeup

    Approximately two-thirds of the Texas State Legislature is white.

    The 84th Legislature (beginning 2015) was composed as follows:

    • 115 White members
    • 41 Hispanic members
    • 19 African-American members
    • 3 Asian members

    Contributors and Attributions

    CC licensed content, Original

    This page titled 7.4: Composition is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lumen Learning.

    • Was this article helpful?