Minor parties do not play a significant role in Texas government and politics. Except for the election of a small number of Libertarian candidates at the local level, minor party candidates have little success in Texas elections. Furthermore, because primary elections have overshadowed general elections during times of one-period dominance, minor parties in Texas rarely play the spoiler role they sometimes play in presidential elections, in which minor parties change the outcome of the electoral votes in key states.
Minor parties often articulate and popularize new ideas; sometimes, these ideas are absorbed by one or both major parties. This is where minor parties have had some effect on Texas government and politics. As the history of political parties in Texas demonstrates, the Democratic party has been influenced by several minor parties over the past 150 years.