For many years, the Rio Grande Valley has been a Democratic strong-hold during Presidential elections.

Over the years, a shift has happened in the way voters are turning out to the polls — specifically in Starr County.

According to Politico, Hillary Clinton took 79% of the vote in Starr County during the 2016 Presidential election, while former President Donald Trump received 19%.

In 2020, President Joe Biden got 52% of the votes while Trump got 47%

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Channel 5 News spoke with experts and officials with both political parties to discuss if Starr County will stay blue, or flip red.

“There are vast differences amongst the regions of Texas, and in the Rio Grande Valley — especially because it's more rural as opposed to the more urban or suburban settings in the Texas region... it tends to be a little more traditionalist or individualist in nature,” political analyst David Smith said.

According to Smith, voters in the Rio Grande Valley care about topics such as government control.

“Because they have self-sufficiency, they tend to be a little more conservative when it comes to the types of policy and types of governance they want to have in their location,” Smith said.

With only a five point difference in Starr County in the previous Presidential election, Republicans believe they can gain momentum in this election cycle.

“The support for President Trump between 2020 and 2024 has grown because in large part the economy has changed so much,” Starr County Republican Chair Toni Trevino said.

According to Trevino, Republicans have made a lot of progress in the western part of the Valley.

“The local party is engaging more, and has more of a presence,” Trevino said. “… President Trump made people realize they don't have to cling to that labels of being a Democrat, they can look at what the values are."

Trevino said more GOP candidates have started to show up on the ballot in Starr County.

Starr County Democratic Party Chair Jessica Rios said she also has boots on the ground making sure the county keeps voting blue.

“[We’re] talking to families, phone banks, things of that nature just to make sure we protect the integrity of the election,” Rios said.  

Rios said she wants voters who are heading to the polls with a forward-looking vision.

“A united country where everyone is treated equally, everyone is included — and that we don't go back to a time of racism, of sexism, of ageism, it's very important,” Rios said. 

Both parties agree that teaching voters about different policies is important, and helps increase voter turnout.

Smith said we still may not know this year if Starr County will flip red, or stay a democratic stronghold.

“If it doesn't happen this year, the Republican Party will reinvest in Starr County — and overall in the South Texas region — and I think you'll see a completely different event in 2026,” Smith said.