Texas

Veterans of President Obama's presidential campaigns want to challenge Republicans' domination of the state's politics. The group says Texas' shifting demographics — including a fast-growing Hispanic population — combined with an intense grass-roots effort could give them an opening.

Even if he wanted to, Maj. Nidal Hasan was barred from entering a guilty plea to the 13 murder counts he faces in connection with a mass shooting in 2009. The Uniform Code of Military Justice prohibits such a plea in cases that could end with the death penalty. Experts say the code goes to great lengths to protect the individual's rights.

The good news for Texas Democrats is that the state is becoming more urban. The bad news? It could be many years before urban Democratic voting margins are high enough for them to win statewide elections.

For most of the 20th century, Democrats were the only game in town when it came to Texas politics. But that changed and Republicans have been in charge for decades. For Democrats to return to power, they'll have to hold together a coalition of minority voters.

Texas is the latest state where protesters have descended on a Republican-controlled state capitol in an uphill effort to block conservative policies.

In recent years, Democrats have gained the upper hand in the Electoral College. Virginia and Florida, once GOP strongholds, have turned purple. Now, Democrats are turning their attention to the biggest Republican prize of all, Texas.

Democrats who want to change the dynamics in Texas are turning to California for inspiration. Here's a look at how things went so wrong for the Republicans in the Golden State.

To see the speed of demographic change in Texas, look no further than Houston. Over the last few decades — despite crippling humidity, long commutes and a reputation for refineries — the city has become the most diverse in the nation.

The state is growing fast, and most of that growth is in the Hispanic population. If Democrats could capture a large share of Hispanic votes — as they have elsewhere — they would be a lot more competitive in Texas. But the state's GOP leader says he's not worried.

Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis isn't the only Texas politician whose political prospects have been advanced by the ongoing drama surrounding anti-abortion legislation.