The Republican-led state of Texas saw the fastest job growth in the country in August, continuing a monthslong pattern and breaking state employment records.
“Texas set new employment highs in August, adding 16,400 nonfarm jobs and bringing total employment in the state to 13,530,100. Since last August, Texas has added 726,900 jobs,” The Center Square reported. “Texas employers added more jobs in August than in any previous month in recorded state history, surpassing the previous months’ record.”
“August job numbers marked the 10th consecutive month the state set employment records in Texas,” the outlet added. “Texas also reached a new record for total employed of more than 14 million, including nonfarm, self-employed, and other job categories. It also broke a new record for total labor force at nearly 14.6 million, with the Texas labor force participation rate above the national average at 63.8%.”
In response to the news, Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, “Thanks to the strength of the Texas economy and the best workforce in America, Texas has surpassed three major employment milestones, smashing all previous records with more jobs than ever, more Texans working than ever, and the largest labor force ever in the state’s history.”
“While the nation faces economic headwinds, Texas leads all states for nonfarm jobs added over the last 12 months – a testament to continuing business confidence in the Lone Star State’s pro-growth economic policies and the unrivaled quality of our young, skilled, diverse, and growing workforce. Working together, we will keep Texas the best place to live, work, start a business, and raise a family,” he added.
The news comes as Democrat President Joe Biden’s administration continues to point at job growth as evidence of his economic policies being successful. However, as noted by an analysis from The Wall Street Journal, the economies of red states – those that lean Republican – have added back more jobs since the beginning of the pandemic than blue states – those that lean Democrat.
“Since February 2020, the month before the pandemic began, the share of all U.S. jobs located in red states has grown by more than half a percentage point, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by the Brookings Institution think tank. Red states have added 341,000 jobs over that time, while blue states were still short 1.3 million jobs as of May,” The Wall Street Journal reported.
