SO WEAK! WHO NEEDS THEM!:

COLLEYVILLE, Texas --  Vanessa Steinkamp is the kind of voter that Texas Republicans counted on. She's a devoted conservative who volunteered for Bob Dole's presidential campaign, interned for former GOP Sen. Bill Frist and lives in an affluent suburb between Fort Worth and Dallas that is the reddest pocket of a reliably Republican district.

These days, though, Steinkamp feels alienated, not energized, by her party. The thought of voting in 2020 brings on a weary sigh.

"It feels like there's no place for lifelong Republicans like me," she said.

Her unease underscores a larger problem for Texas Republicans: Female suburban voters like Steinkamp are no longer a sure bet for the party, injecting new competitiveness into the Lone Star State's politics. [...]

The suburbs have become increasingly purple thanks to an influx of new residents. Some are coming from the state's big cities in search of larger, more affordable houses and better school districts. Others are coming from out of state, and around the world, as the healthy economy attracts more workers.

Republican woes have been compounded by a flagging performance among white women in suburban areas. GOP operatives around Dallas-Fort Worth acknowledge this constituency was a glaring weakness in 2018.

Jill Tate, a Colleyville resident who is active in Republican Party groups, said she consistently heard other suburban women express qualms about the GOP over healthcare and immigration.

"They saw the kiddo being separated from their mom at the border, and it's sad," said Tate, 45. "We had a lot of [women] voting with their heart."

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