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Texas Governor Race: Greg Abbott, Beto O’Rourke battle for state’s top job

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Texas Governor Race: Greg Abbott, Beto O’Rourke battle for state’s top job


This Election Day, Nov. 8, voters will determine who will function Texas’ governor for the subsequent 4 years.

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Greg Abbott is working for a 3rd time period, whereas his challengers are vying to flip a place that has been held by Republicans since 1995.

These working for Texas’ prime spot additionally embrace Democrat Beto O’Rourke, who’s making a 3rd run for workplace in as many election cycles, Libertarian Mark Tippetts, and Delilah Barrios for the Inexperienced Get together.

Polls have persistently proven Abbott with a lead heading into election day.

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Right here’s a more in-depth take a look at the candidates and the place they stand on some scorching button points.

Texas Governor Candidates

KATY, TEXAS – OCTOBER 27: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks throughout a ‘Get Out The Vote’ rally on the Fuzzy’s Pizza & Italian Cafe on October 27, 2022 in Katy, Texas. With lower than two weeks away from the midterm election, Gov. Greg Abbott contin

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Greg Abbott, Republican (Incumbent)

Incumbent Greg Abbott is at the moment serving his second time period as governor after first being elected to the place in 2014.

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Abbott graduated from the College of Texas at Austin after which earned a legislation diploma from Vanderbilt College Regulation College. Earlier than being elected governor, Abbott additionally served as Lawyer Normal of Texas, a Texas Supreme Courtroom justice and a state district choose in Harris County.

In keeping with Abbott’s marketing campaign web site, he goals to maintain Texas “protected and safe, encourages higher job development, reins in skyrocketing property taxes, elevates our training system, takes care of our veterans, and reforms authorities to unleash the total potential of our nice state.”

Gov. Greg Abbott heads to the border for election evening, with immigration a prime challenge for Texans

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His platform additionally requires “defending the 2nd Modification.” As governor, Abbott has loosened firearms restrictions. Simply final 12 months, he signed “open carry” into legislation which supplies most individuals in Texas aged 21 and older the choice to hold a handgun in most public locations and not using a allow.

Within the wake of the Uvalde Elementary College mass taking pictures in Might, some victims’ households have demanded the governor increase the minimal age to buy an AR-15-style rifle just like the one used within the taking pictures from 18 to 21 years previous. 

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Throughout a gubernatorial debate in September, Abbott stated his fingers are tied on the subject of altering the legislation on so-called assault weapons.

“It’s unconstitutional for a state to boost the age from 18 to 21 for an individual to purchase an AR-15,” stated Abbott.

In keeping with his marketing campaign web site, Abbott pledges to “proceed to battle any federal authorities overreach” on the subject of gun rights.

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Abbott’s platform additionally requires “defending the unborn” – with abortion on voters’ minds this 12 months following the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the following ban in Texas.

Gov. Greg Abbott says he might cease busing migrants if Republicans take Congress

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In July 2021, Abbott signed the so-called “set off legislation” which might ban all abortions from the second of fertilization if the Supreme Courtroom dominated to overturn Roe v. Wade, which occurred this summer season. The legislation makes an exception solely to avoid wasting the lifetime of a pregnant affected person or stop “substantial impairment of main bodily operate,” however makes no exceptions for circumstances of rape, incest, or extreme fetal abnormalities.

Through the debate in September, Abbott spotlighted his actions taken on the Texas border. Abbott boasted a few $4 billion operation that has included migrant jails and buses to New York, Chicago and Washington and criticized President Joe Biden by title.

He didn’t say the place Texas would subsequent ship buses which have refocused the race on immigration however defended the locations to a number of the nation’s largest Democratic-led cities as sensible and never political.

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Click on right here to learn extra of Greg Abbott’s marketing campaign priorities.

HOUSTON, TX – MAY 27: Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke speaks to a crowd supporting gun management at Discovery Inexperienced throughout from the Nationwide Rifle Affiliation Annual Assembly on the George R. Brown Conference Heart, on Might 27, 20

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Beto O’Rourke, Democrat

Beto O’Rourke is a former El Paso congressman and presidential candidate. He was elected to the U.S. Home of Representatives in 2012 and served six years.

In 2018, he ran for U.S. Senate however misplaced to incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz by lower than 3 share factors.

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O’Rourke then entered the presidential race in 2019 however dropped out eight months later. Now-President Joe Biden finally received the Democratic Get together nomination.

In keeping with his marketing campaign web site, O’Rourke has plans to “totally fund public faculties,” broaden Medicaid, decrease property taxes, create high-paying jobs and legalize marijuana whereas expunging the data of these arrested for marijuana possession.

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Beto O’Rourke will get help from Barack Obama forward of Election Day

Through the debate in September, O’Rourke pledged tighter gun legal guidelines and accused Abbott of doing little to cease one other Uvalde-style faculty bloodbath.

“It has been 18 weeks since their children have been killed, and never a factor has modified on this state to make it any much less seemingly that another little one will meet the identical destiny,” stated O’Rourke.

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In keeping with O’Rourke’s marketing campaign web site, he’s “pleased with Texas’ lengthy custom of accountable gun possession” however needs to alter “how simple it’s for folks to make use of firearms irresponsibly” in Texas.

“And whereas it may not be the simple or politically protected factor to say, I don’t consider any civilian ought to personal an AR-15 or AK-47,” his marketing campaign web site states.

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He additionally requires different “commonsense options that the majority Texans agree on” like closing the personal sale background examine loophole, an efficient purple flag legislation system, protected storage and little one entry prevention legal guidelines, and stronger home violence reporting legal guidelines, based on his marketing campaign web site.

Beto O’Rourke discusses weapons, abortion and Pres. Biden not doing sufficient concerning the border

On the hot-button challenge of reproductive alternative, O’Rourke pledged in the course of the debate to revive it. His marketing campaign web site states he’ll use “each software out there to repeal Abbott’s harmful abortion ban” and vows to veto “any future laws that seeks to additional management girls,” like limiting entry to contraception.

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Through the debate, O’Rourke referred to as the billions of state {dollars} spent on border safety wasteful. 

“What we’d like is a protected, authorized, orderly path for anybody who needs to come back right here to work, to affix household, or to hunt asylum,” stated O’Rourke.

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Click on right here to learn extra of Beto O’Rourke’s marketing campaign priorities.

Source: Mark Tippetts Marketing campaign

Mike Tippetts, Libertarian

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In keeping with his marketing campaign web site, Mark Tippetts is a world authorized and enterprise marketing consultant for individuals who personal property or do enterprise in Mexico and Latin America. He served as a council member in Lago Vista, Texas, in 2017.

Tippetts helps faculty alternative, legalizing marijuana and advocates for “the discount of taxation to the bottom possible degree.”

On his web site, Tippetts additionally requires the enacting of a “good complete immigration coverage, making it simpler for sincere, hardworking folks to come back work and reside right here legally.”

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Tippetts additionally opposes mandates and says companies, church buildings and different organizations ought to be capable to set their very own well being and security polices, whereas folks have the selection on the place to do enterprise.

Click on right here to learn extra of Mark Tippetts marketing campaign priorities.

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Delilah Barrios, Inexperienced Get together

In keeping with her platform, healthcare is Delilah Barrios’s prime concern. She says will probably be her “precedence to do no matter it takes to make sure medical care to each citizen of our nice state.”

Barrios additionally requires a increase within the minimal wage to $20/hr and a fundamental earnings assure.

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“What I consider is that when you can’t work, and occur to be on incapacity for instance it is best to find the money for to help your self,” her marketing campaign web site states. “Ideally we’ll provide supplemental earnings to folks to assist them with obligatory bills to incorporate: shelter, meals, water, web, and transportation.”

Barrios additionally views abortion as medical care and says “any makes an attempt to discourage, discriminate or stop entry to obligatory care will probably be penalized,” based on her marketing campaign web site.

Click on right here to learn extra of Delilah Barrios’s marketing campaign priorities.

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The Related Press contributed to this report.



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Texas

Texas Democrats underperformed yet again. Now what?

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Texas Democrats underperformed yet again. Now what?



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Voting FAQ: 2024 Elections

  • When is the next election? What dates do I need to know?



  • What’s on the ballot for the general election?



    Lower-level judges and local county offices will also appear on the ballot:

    – Various district judges, including on criminal and family courts

    – County Courts at Law

    – Justices of the Peace

    – District Attorneys

    – County Attorneys

    – Sheriffs

    – Constables

    – Tax Assessor-Collectors

  • How do I make sure I’m registered to vote?



  • What if I missed the voter registration deadline?



  • What can I do if I have questions about voting?



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2024 Presidential Election: How Texas voted by county

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2024 Presidential Election: How Texas voted by county


Donald Trump won Texas early in the night on his path to winning the presidency.

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Analysts gave little hope of Texas turning blue in the presidential race on Election Night, and they were right.

According to unofficial vote totals, Trump earned 56.3% of the vote in Texas. His opponent, Kamala Harris, won 42.4%.

Harris won just 12 of Texas’ 254 counties, including Harris, Dallas, Travis and Bexar counties.

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Trump flipped many of south Texas counties that he lost in his 2020 race against Joe Biden.

AP estimates show Trump won 57.7% of Starr County in South Texas, along the border.

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He is the first Republican presidential candidate to win the heavily-Hispanic county since 1892.

Trump lost Starr County to Hillary Clinton by 60 points in 2016.

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Texas has not voted for a Democrat in a presidential election since Jimmy Carter in 1976.



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Ted Cruz wins third Senate term, defeats Democrat Colin Allred in Texas

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Ted Cruz wins third Senate term, defeats Democrat Colin Allred in Texas


Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz was reelected on Tuesday, defeating U.S. Rep. Colin Allred in this burgeoning state that was thrust to the center of the 2024 election in battles over immigration and abortion.

This outcome marks a setback for Texas Democrats, who have now gone three decades without a statewide victory—the longest losing streak for any party in the nation.

Sen. Ted Cruz, 53, clinched a third term in office after a high-stakes and costly reelection campaign, in contrast to his nail-biting victory over Beto O’Rourke six years ago. This time, Cruz appealed to his party to take his race seriously and reshaped his image to Texas voters, presenting himself as a pragmatic legislator focused on getting things done—an effort to pivot from his past reputation as an uncompromising firebrand with aspirations beyond Texas.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a watch party on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, at the Marriott Marquis in Houston. Ted Cruz was reelected on Tuesday, defeating U.S. Rep. Colin Allred.

LM Otero/AP

How Did Cruz Gain His Texas Victory?

Though votes were still being counted early Wednesday, Cruz held a comfortable lead over challenger Colin Allred, appearing close to a double-digit advantage—an impressive jump from his narrow win over Beto O’Rourke by less than three percentage points six years ago. Cruz’s victory not only secured his seat but also contributed to Republicans regaining control of the U.S. Senate for the first time in four years.

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Cruz addressed his supporters Tuesday night at his watch party in Houston by first walking out to the song “Eye of the Tiger.”

“I want to say to all of those who didn’t support me, you have my word I will fight for you, your jobs, your safety and for your constitutional rights,” he said.

Cruz Law and Order Agenda for Texas

On the campaign trail, Cruz emphasized a strong stance on law and order. In a notable moment, he appeared on stage flanked by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, a prominent Democrat and the chief prosecutor of Texas’ largest county.

Colin Allred, a former NFL linebacker, sought to become Texas’ first Black senator by running a moderate campaign. He maintained a measured distance from Vice President Kamala Harris and progressive factions, instead highlighting endorsements from Republicans such as former Rep. Liz Cheney. Allred positioned himself as a staunch advocate for abortion rights in a state known for its stringent bans.

Ted Cruz Win
Texas Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, speaks during a watch party on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Dallas. This outcome marks another setback for Texas Democrats, who have now gone three…


Tony Gutierrez/AP

What is Allred’s Message to Cruz?

In his concession speech at his watch party in Dallas, Allred said he called Cruz and congratulated him on his victory.

“It shouldn’t be remarkable to have to admit defeat,” he said. “You can’t just be a patriot when your side wins. Tonight we didn’t win, but we will continue to be patriots.”

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Colin Allred’s campaign faced early criticism from some Democrats who were dissatisfied with his strategy. They expressed frustration over his decision to avoid scheduling numerous large rallies and his limited investment in smaller regions of Texas, including cities along the Texas-Mexico border.

Cruz, however, performed notably better against Allred than he did against O’Rourke six years earlier, showing particular strength in predominantly Hispanic counties along the U.S.-Mexico border.

What Led to the Cruz Victory in Texas?

Insights drawn from the AP VoteCast survey that included over 4,500 voters in Texas, showed that the economy and jobs were foremost concerns among Texas voters, with 40 percent identifying it as the nation’s top issue. Immigration was cited by 20 percent of voters as the most pressing matter, while 10 percent pointed to abortion as their primary concern.

Cruz, a former presidential candidate in 2016, first joined the Senate after serving as Texas’ solicitor general. In 2020, he expanded his reach with a popular podcast, Verdict, where he voiced strong support for then-President Donald Trump during his impeachment, solidifying his influence within conservative circles.

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press

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