Texas Republicans won it all. Now they must show leadership, not seek revenge | Opinion

Get ready for Texas Republicans unchained.

Democrats and moderates might wonder if the party can go much further to the right when it governs after dominating another election. Yes it can, and we’re about to see it happen.

When lawmakers hit Austin in January for their biennial lawmaking-palooza, expect little, if any, compromise on abortion. Get ready for more tax cuts and, if necessary, slashed spending to make them work. Anticipate an even harder line on border security and illegal immigration.

Republican political priorities, such as ending the bipartisan tradition of having Democrats chair some House committees, are on a glidepath. And don’t be surprised if, led by Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Republicans pursue one of the most ambitious school choice programs in the nation.

Delivering on some of these promises will be tricky, as ideological differences remain within the GOP. And if things go wrong, Republicans alone will own the blame.

These are the consequences of Tuesday’s impressive, across-the-board victories. Texas Democrats have been down for decades, but they held out some hope of competing for the U.S. Senate and picking off a legislative seat or two.

We urge the triumphant GOP to look forward, not backward. Republicans have won a clear and significant mandate, both an endorsement of their long tenure in power and an enthusiastic demand to maintain the status quo.

But a strong political party considers the future more than it re-litigates the battles of the past. Texas politics has been roiled in the last couple years by the school-voucher fight and the failed impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. The party’s national leader, President-elect Donald Trump, talks openly about retribution for the wrongs he perceives have been committed against him.

Texas has more important business to attend to. Maintaining economic strength doesn’t happen by accident, particularly as growth brings challenges to construct enough housing, provide adequate transportation options and build a robust future workforce.

School vouchers cannot be the only answer to the troubling state of Texas education. We’ve supported experimentation and options that make sense for families, along with the positive pressure that competition can provide. But most Texans will remain in public schools, and making sure they are competently teaching children, especially the neediest, is one of the state’s highest priorities.

Republicans will want to maintain the state’s role in securing the border and even increase its role in policing illegal immigration. Several top Texas leaders have strong relationships with Trump, and they should leverage those to shift the burden back to its proper place, the federal government, and relieve some of the strain on Texas.

Health care is another area of need. Texas does not have enough physicians, especially in rural areas so loyal to Republicans. Care remains too expensive. And while voters have created no incentive for Republicans to compromise on a strict abortion ban, they must clarify the conditions under which doctors can treat miscarriages that endanger women. Potential criminal and civil liability is a major roadblock, and only the Legislature can provide the necessary protections for practitioners to feel secure about offering treatment.

Insurance and housing are additional priorities that Texas must engage with to keep the state growing and secure. No matter how many good jobs are created, people with options will leave a place where they cannot buy a reasonably priced home or afford premiums to protect that investment.

All these can be addressed in accordance with conservative principles. It’s the kind of governance that has made Texas the powerhouse that it is. But if politics — and especially the politics of revenge — are the priority, it’ll be harder to get smart policy in place to win the future.

Cracks are showing in the economic foundation that all of Texas’ success is built on. We fully expect Republicans to exploit their new advantages on the cultural and political issues that they cherish. Partisan Democrats would, too. But Republicans must save time and goodwill for the concerns that threaten the very successes that have fed this lasting majority.