# Texas Republicans Push Islamophobia to Lose Muslim Voters

> Texas Republicans' anti-Muslim rhetoric risks alienating their growing Muslim base ahead of 2026 midterms.
- Title: Texas Republicans Push Islamophobia to Lose Muslim Voters
- Summary: Texas Republicans' anti-Muslim rhetoric risks alienating their growing Muslim base ahead of 2026 midterms. Texas Republicans' aggressive Islamophobia could…
- Keywords: texas, republicans, islamophobia, muslim voters, 2026 midterms, ken paxton, governor greg abbott, epic city, sharia law, eid celebration, michigan rep rashida tlaib, ilhan omar
- Source: Slate Magazine — https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/11/ken-paxton-muslims-win-texas-republican-fail.html?via=rss
- Author: Shirin Ali
- Published: 2026-11-02T15:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: texas, republicans, islamophobia, muslim voters, 2026 midterms, ken paxton, governor greg abbott, epic city, sharia law, eid celebration, michigan rep rashida tlaib, ilhan omar
## Texas GOP's Islamophobic Shift
Texas Republicans have intensified anti-Muslim rhetoric ahead of 2026 midterms, targeting Muslim voters as they face potential loss of state control.

> It’s especially bizarre for the Republican Party to do it because it’s supposed to stand for conservative values, religious freedom, all of that. That’s not what they’re doing
## Muslim Population Growth in Texas
Texas has the fourth-largest Muslim population in the U.S., with 300,000 people representing 1 percent of the state's total population.
## EPIC City Conflict
Gov. Greg Abbott blocked EPIC City's plans to build a K, 12 school, mosque, retail space, and housing units, calling developers 'bad actors' subject to 'Sharia law'.
## Attorney General Ken Paxton's Lawsuit
Attorney General Ken Paxton sued EPIC City while Texas Rep. Keith Self called for federal investigations into the developers.
## Eid Celebration Canceled
Abbott threatened to withhold $500,000 state funds from Grand Prairie if they held Eid celebrations, leading to the event's cancellation.
## Sharia Law Slogan
The slogan 'Don’t Sharia My Texas' spread after anti-Muslim propaganda films featuring Alex Jones and Michael Flynn went viral.
## Historical Context of Islamophobia
Post-9/11 policies like the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System normalized Islamophobia, which has since grown in the U.S.
## Muslim Political Influence
Muslims now hold significant political power with Democrats electing Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Zohran Mamdani to Congress.
## Republican Islamophobia Tactics
Texas Rep. Chip Roy founded the 'Sharia-Free America Caucus' and posted over 244 anti-Muslim messages since January 2024.
## 2026 Midterm Voter Shift
Muslim voters shifted from Republicans to Democrats in 2024 due to Biden's handling of Israel's war in Gaza.
## 2024 Election Results
In 2024, Harris earned 20 percent of the Muslim vote while Trump received 21 percent and Jill Stein got 53 percent.
## Texas Muslim Voter Trends
Texas Muslim voter registration rose from 60 percent in 2016 to 85 percent by 2025, with growing political influence.
## Muslims Pushed Toward Democrats
Many Texas Muslims are abandoning Republicans due to party's Islamophobic policies, aligning with Democrats instead.
## Potential Democratic Gain
Texas Senator James Talarico leads Attorney General Ken Paxton by 17 points among Asian American and Pacific Islander voters.
## Risk of Backfiring
Texas Republicans' Islamophobia could backfire by alienating their key Muslim voting bloc ahead of 2026 midterms.
## Key takeaway

Texas Republicans' aggressive Islamophobia could backfire by pushing Muslim voters toward Democrats in 2026 midterms.