The current national fight over congressional maps ties back more than 200 years to a legendary moment in Massachusetts history.

Tax-hiking ballot measures had different electoral outcomes in Charlotte and Austin, but both boosted the case for a reform passed by the Texas Senate earlier this year.

Republicans have carried Texas in each of the last 10 presidential elections. The last Democrat to win Texas was Jimmy Carter. Donald Trump won Texas by 9 points in 2016, but that was down significantly from Romney’s 16-point victory in 2012. See 2020 primary results