The day after the election, Casey McQuiston, author of Red, White & Royal Blue, is wearing a black bleach tie-dyed shirt with “Texas” on it and joking about “being the main character on the internet — in a good way.” In their New York Times bestseller, Alex Claremont-Diaz, son of the president of the United States—and boyfriend of Britain's Prince Henry—orchestrates his Democratic mother’s victory in Texas. It’s a feat the president’s aides mocked him for even proposing and one that gives his mom the Electoral College votes she needs to win a second term. On Tuesday night, as election results showed Democratic candidates James Talarico, running for Senate, and Gina Hinojosa, a gubernatorial hopeful, pulling out wins, fans of the book and its movie adaptation began posting memes and references celebrating “Blexas”—“Blue Texas,” duh—in response.
By 11 p.m., Casey had gotten in on the fun, reposting one fan’s meme with the text “keep sending me these i’m bout to bust,” to their Instagram Stories. Two of their favorite mentions came from playwright Jeremy O. Harris and their favorite skincare influencer.
Cosmopolitan talked with Casey less than 24 hours after the Democrats swept Texas about their election night, predicting a Blue Texas and what’s next for Alex and Henry. I was at my sewing machine making some patchwork stuff for Christmas gifts. I had the Steve Kornacki live feed on my computer.
I was just passively taking it in, trying not to get too emotionally involved because of what happened in 2024. At some point, when it was getting close to calling the race for Talarico, I thought, Let’s move this to the living room and lock in, see what’s about to happen. Then, I was under my weighted blanket, living for Kornacki.
I’ve never seen him so expressive. I didn’t know he was allowed to make faces. I’m not going to lie, I was walking on sunshine this morning, baby.
I couldn’t be happier for Texas and the people I love who live there. The one thing I’m not is surprised. I knew Texas had this in them all along.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
