After one of the deadliest school shootings in history, the reversal of Roe v. Wade resulting in a revival of a 1920s ban on abortion, the country’s worst episode of migrant death in recent years, and an electrical power grid that shut down in the cold and is now straining under extreme heat, the Texas Governor’s race is as tight as it ever was.
The recent events in Texas have made Governor Greg Abbott’s chances of being reelected ever slimmer than before. The race for the position is perhaps the most competitive since Democrats last held office in the 1990s.
Polls have shown a tightening contest between Abbott, who has held office for two terms, and his Democratic challenger, former congressman Beto O’Rourke. O’Rourke is now raising more campaign cash than Abbott in a race that is likely to be among the most expensive of 2022. Texas Democrats are now beginning to think that this may be their year.
Most voters polled did not rank guns or abortion among their top issues in the recent survey, but many of O’Rourke’s supporters did. The issue of gun control has risen to a top concern after the deadly Uvalde school shooting in late May that killed 19 children and two teachers. In Uvalde, where hunting is a common pastime, the political mood has been shifting since the massacre at Robb Elementary. Many now support stricter gun laws. “Everybody has guns here,” said Vincent Salazar, who lost a granddaughter in the shooting. “But this is different. Nobody needs AR-15s. We need to ban them.”
At a march organized by victims’ families this month, O’Rourke addressed the gathering and appeared to be greeted warmly. “Vote them out!” some in the crowd chanted.
A separate poll, conducted by the University of Texas at Austin and released this month, showed that 59 percent of respondents thought Texas was on the “wrong track,” the highest number in more than a decade of asking that question. Another, from Quinnipiac University, found O’Rourke within 5 percentage points of the governor. New polls showed that O’Rourke’s numbers were improving.
“It seems like some of the worst things that are happening in this country have their roots in Texas,” said James Talarico, a Democratic state representative. “We’re seeing a renewed fighting spirit.”
Link to article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/24/us/texas-governor-campaign-abbott-orourke.html
The recent events in Texas have made Governor Greg Abbott’s chances of being reelected ever slimmer than before. The race for the position is perhaps the most competitive since Democrats last held office in the 1990s.
Polls have shown a tightening contest between Abbott, who has held office for two terms, and his Democratic challenger, former congressman Beto O’Rourke. O’Rourke is now raising more campaign cash than Abbott in a race that is likely to be among the most expensive of 2022. Texas Democrats are now beginning to think that this may be their year.
Most voters polled did not rank guns or abortion among their top issues in the recent survey, but many of O’Rourke’s supporters did. The issue of gun control has risen to a top concern after the deadly Uvalde school shooting in late May that killed 19 children and two teachers. In Uvalde, where hunting is a common pastime, the political mood has been shifting since the massacre at Robb Elementary. Many now support stricter gun laws. “Everybody has guns here,” said Vincent Salazar, who lost a granddaughter in the shooting. “But this is different. Nobody needs AR-15s. We need to ban them.”
At a march organized by victims’ families this month, O’Rourke addressed the gathering and appeared to be greeted warmly. “Vote them out!” some in the crowd chanted.
A separate poll, conducted by the University of Texas at Austin and released this month, showed that 59 percent of respondents thought Texas was on the “wrong track,” the highest number in more than a decade of asking that question. Another, from Quinnipiac University, found O’Rourke within 5 percentage points of the governor. New polls showed that O’Rourke’s numbers were improving.
“It seems like some of the worst things that are happening in this country have their roots in Texas,” said James Talarico, a Democratic state representative. “We’re seeing a renewed fighting spirit.”
Link to article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/24/us/texas-governor-campaign-abbott-orourke.html
