Who Runs Your City? Not You, If the GOP Has Its Way

State lawmakers are overriding local governments, proving their fight for “small government” was never about principle.

For years, the Republican Party has railed against big government overreach, insisting that states’ rights must be protected from federal interference. But that principle suddenly disappears when it comes to cities and counties that don’t toe the GOP line. Across the country, Republican-controlled states are using their power to crush local governments, overriding progressive policies on immigration, policing, wages, LGBTQ+ rights, and even environmental protections.

It’s the ultimate hypocrisy—rights for me, but not for thee.

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How GOP States Are Stripping Power From Cities

In red states where major cities lean Democratic—places like Austin, Nashville, Atlanta, and Phoenix—Republican legislatures are taking a sledgehammer to local governance. The goal is simple: prevent blue cities from passing laws that don’t align with conservative ideology.

• Tennessee’s Extreme Anti-Sanctuary Law
  The Tennessee legislature is pushing SB 6002, a law that would make it a felony for city officials to support sanctuary policies. Yes, a felony—just for voting on a policy the state government doesn’t like.

• Texas’ Hostile Takeover of Austin
  After Austin cut its police budget, Texas passed a law forcing cities to maintain a state-mandated level of police funding, overriding local decision-making. The state also banned mask mandates during COVID-19, preventing local governments from protecting public health.

• Florida’s War on Local Power
  Governor Ron DeSantis has pushed laws barring cities from raising the minimum wage, regulating landlords, or enforcing environmental protections stronger than the state’s.

• Missouri Blocking St. Louis & Kansas City
  Missouri Republicans passed a law governing the police departments of St. Louis and Kansas City, putting them under state oversight instead of local leadership.

In every case, local governments passed policies that reflected the will of their residents, only to have GOP state governments erase them from existence.

The Hypocrisy: “States’ Rights” Only When It’s Convenient

The GOP’s justification for these power grabs? “State law trumps local law.”

But let’s rewind to every time a Republican state has fought against federal policy. Texas sued the federal government over environmental regulations, arguing that states—not Washington—should decide their own policies. Florida pushed back against federal gun laws, insisting the state should set its own firearm regulations. The entire anti-Obamacare movement was built on the idea that Washington shouldn’t be able to force states to expand Medicaid.

Yet now, these same states are using the exact federal overreach playbook against their own cities. The irony is staggering.

The message is clear: The GOP doesn’t actually believe in small government or local control. They believe in power, and when cities don’t align with their agenda, they’ll use the statehouse to bring them into submission.

What’s at Stake: Local Democracy

This isn’t just about sanctuary policies or policing. It’s about whether cities have the right to govern themselves at all.

Blue cities in red states are becoming powerless, unable to make decisions for their own residents because conservative state legislatures keep pulling rank. This isn’t democracy; it’s minority rule, where the policies of rural districts dictate what happens in cities with millions more people.

This isn’t just about political control. It’s about the simple reality that cities and rural areas have vastly different needs. A policy that makes sense for small towns may be disastrous for a major city and vice versa. When state governments override local decisions, they aren’t just crushing political opposition; they’re enforcing a one-size-fits-all approach that ignores the realities of both urban and rural life. The only fair solution is to let communities govern themselves.

If this trend continues, what stops states from abolishing city governments entirely? What’s the point of electing mayors and city councils if every decision they make can be vetoed by a legislature hundreds of miles away?

The GOP claims to stand for freedom, small government, and local decision-making. But the reality is apparent: If that “local control” leads to progressive policies, they’ll take it away in a heartbeat.

Their fight against federal overreach was never about principle—it was about who gets to hold the reins of power. And right now, they’ll do anything to keep those reins firmly in their grasp.

Bibliography

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2. "GOP State Legislatures Seek Greater Control Over State and Local Election Offices." AP News. https://apnews.com/article/republicans-election-offices-control-democrats-power-grab-d62c69dd4f695b241f84ef2dc331ee8c

3. "Texas Republicans Passed Major Bill to Kneecap Cities." The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2023/06/07/texas-republicans-cities-local-control/

4. "How Red States Are Overriding Their Blue Cities." CNN Politics. https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/08/politics/red-states-blue-cities-counties/index.html

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8. "State Preemption." Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_preemption

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10. "Preempting LGBTQ+ Rights." Local Solutions Support Center. https://turquoise-red-rdag.squarespace.com/s/PreemptingLGBTQRights.pdf