Texas Governor Greg Abbott is planning to skip a political rally in San Antonio headlined by President Donald Trump, declining a chance to appear with the country’s highest-profile Republican as his reelection bid faces a surprisingly strong challenge from Democrat Gina Hinojosa. Abbott, a longtime Trump ally and GOP stalwart, will instead hold campaign events in Jasper, a city of about 7,500 near the Louisiana border, and College Station, where he will appear at a barbecue described by its organizers as having a maximum capacity of 250. The barbecue will start around the same time as the Trump rally.
"I already have events scheduled that day and will not be able to make it," Abbott told reporters Monday. Texas, which hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office in more than three decades, is home this year to two big races coming down to the wire. In addition to the Abbott-Hinojosa clash, Trump’s chosen US Senate candidate, Republican Ken Paxton, is polling behind Democrat James Talarico.
While Trump easily won Texas in his three presidential campaigns, he now holds a negative approval rating in the state, with voters angry over the cost of living and the war with Iran. In a Truth Social post Tuesday, the president defended his recent political events in traditionally safe GOP states such as Oklahoma and Alabama. "My rallies are saving the Republican Party, again!" he wrote. Trump’s San Antonio event will be his third trip to Texas in a month.
Abbott has missed some of Trump’s previous visits to Texas. He didn’t attend a 2022 rally Trump held near Corpus Christi, citing a previously scheduled fundraising trip to Florida. Abbott is still favored to prevail in his bid for a fourth term as governor, according to the Cook Political Report, but the polls are close. He expressed hope that Trump’s visit will help fire up loyal GOP voters. "He does a good job of getting the base organized and turning out," Abbott said.
Source: Bloomberg Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing