AUSTIN, Texas -- In the Texas suburbs, you can find more affordable housing, perhaps better schools, and today, more Democrats. The once solidly Republican territory is seeing a shift, particularly among white women.

Like so many getting priced out of urban areas, Summer Wise and her family moved from Austin proper to suburban Lakeway.

"A lot of people are moving out here. That's certainly our own story," said Wise.

Shellie Hayes-McMahon has a similar story. She and her family left Austin for Cedar Park in Williamson County. Each mom has two boys and works a full-time job. There's one, big difference between the two suburban women: Hayes-McMahon is a Democrat and Wise is a Republican.

Jim Henson with the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin says it’s a new dynamic in the once-solidly Republican suburbs.

"The suburbs are not as white. Suburban women are not as white. The suburbs are not quite as Republican as they used to be," said Henson.

There was a big shift in Williamson County in 2018 where Democrat Beto O'Rourke claimed a nearly three-point victory over Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. Democratic candidate MJ Hegar, meanwhile, came within three percentage points of unseating Republican Congressman John Carter. Such close races also popped up in other suburban pockets that have long been GOP-friendly.

"They're the most competitive areas in the state," said Henson.

So if more people like Hayes-McMahon are moving in and taking her political ideology with her, Democrats say they see an opening to pick up more seats and potentially unseat President Donald Trump.

"Oh honey, suburban women will do that," said Hayes-McMahon.

Wise disagrees. She says her fellow suburban women will see economic strides as a reason to re-elect President Trump.

"These are things that people look at in the news and care about in their lives day-to-day, you know? How everybody's pocket book is doing is one of the strongest issues that you can run on," said Wise.

Republicans have acknowledged they need to work harder in suburban areas, particularly among women. The head of the State GOP told Capital Tonight earlier this week they simply got outworked in 2018.

The stories of Hayes-McMahon and Wise are ones both political parties are trying to connect with, knowing these voters could play a critical role in 2020.

Click the video link above to watch our continuing coverage on this issue, including an interview with UT Austin government professor Daron Shaw.