Rivalry between the U.S. states of California and Texas
This article is about the state rivalry. For the Supreme Court case, see California v. Texas.
The California–Texas rivalry (or the Texas–California rivalry) is a rhetorical rivalry between the two U.S. statesofCalifornia and Texas. California and Texas are the United States' two most populous states. They are the two largest states in the contiguous U.S., with the two largest economies, and both have a significant amount of unique state culture.[1] The territories of both states were also once part of Mexico.[2]
The states are often opposed politically, with California being progressive and generally supporting the Democratic Party, while Texas is conservative and generally supports the Republican Party.[3][4] Texas is commonly seen as having little government intervention and regulation, while in California the state takes a larger role in public policies.[5] There are also exceptions, discussed as part of the perceived rivalry, in which Texas has increased state intervention against immigration and abortion whereas California has reduced state intervention.[6][7]
California has enacted numerous progressive policies, such as Medicaid expansion, a $15-per-hour minimum wage, and significant actions to reduce climate change, hence being hailed as a global leader in climate action.[9][10][11][12] Meanwhile, Texas has adopted various conservative policies, such as reducing taxes (e.g., prohibiting an income tax[13]), restricting abortion rights, protecting gun rights, and fostering a business-friendly climate.[14][15][16][17]
Voters look to both states for examples of how policies from across the political spectrum would look if implemented nationally.[8] Many companies have moved to Texas due to lower regulations and significant tax incentives, as well as California's stricter response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, Inc. and SpaceX, has symbolized such business migration—moving Tesla's "Gigafactory" and global headquarters to Texas. While Texas has largely welcomed new businesses, the fear of socially progressive attitudes migrating to the state from California has led to a degree of backlash in the state, including Texas GovernorGreg Abbott running his re-election campaign in 2018 on the slogan "Don't California My Texas."[18]