Depends on what you call “rigging”. Does that include the Harris County Republican Party not venturing mayoral candidates against Bill White?
Houston now rivals New Orleans as the Gay “Meccca” of the Gulf Coast. There’e a huge gay population now. Add the Blacks, Mexicans and “Asians” and you have a large majority of Democrats in the city. Even large enough to carry Harris County. A Dim I know told me several years ago that about 10,000 Republicans a month were moving out to neighboring Conservative counties. (Hell, I’m one of ‘em!)
When I saw the election results of 2006, I beieved him. Obama lost Montgomery County by over 80,000 votes for example while Harris County went Dim, although somewhat narrowly.
As a former Houstonian for 30+ years, I’m sad to say that ordinary White Conservative voters are now hopelessly outnumbered in Houston.
Here in Chambers County, The Pubbies carried the County with about 75%+ of the vote. Which means that that Blacks voted virtually 100% for Obama while the Whites voted over 90% for McCain. No polarization there. LOL!