New census numbers shift political power south to Republican strongholds Michael Scherer, The Washington Post April 26, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail Construction cranes hover over downtown and near the State Capitol, Monday, April 26, 2021, in Austin, Texas. Texas' torrid growth over the past decade is paying off with a major boost in political clout.Eric Gay/AP WASHINGTON - Political power in the United States will continue to shift south this decade as historically Democratic states that border the Great Lakes give up congressional seats and electoral votes to regions where Republicans have a political advantage, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.