Abbott and Paxton Stump in Wichita Falls as Talarico Rallies in El Paso on a Blanket-the-State Monday
Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton drew a large crowd at a Wichita Falls steakhouse Monday, while Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico closed the day with a 7 p.m. rally at UTEP — the start of a week that brings every major Texas candidate to El Paso.
Texas's statewide candidates fanned out across the state Monday, the first day of the final week of early voting. Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton headlined a Republican rally at McBride's Steakhouse on Maplewood Avenue in Wichita Falls that drew a large crowd, the Wichita Falls Times Record News reported, and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico was set to rally at 7 p.m. Monday at UTEP's Magoffin Auditorium in El Paso, doors at 6 p.m., the El Paso Times reported.
In Wichita Falls, every speaker pressed the same point: with polls showing tight races in Texas, Republicans have to vote. State Rep. James Frank of Wichita Falls advised supporters to use an app that shows who has not voted and urge the friends on the list to get to the polls. Abbott, who is challenged by Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, promoted his affordability plan, saying it would save the average Texas family $3,000 a year and make Texas the most affordable state in the country.
Abbott also joked about the growth his plan would bring. "All these people, they're going to be moving in not just from California, New York," Abbott said. "I know that's not good." He said he would stop it by building a wall on the state's northern border — "Really, really, right here on the Red River," he said. Paxton, in his tight Senate race against Talarico, said his agenda is to fight for every Texan to be able to buy a home, raise a family and live a healthy life without struggling to make ends meet, and attacked Talarico's positions on transgender issues and energy, saying, "He wants to transition Texas out of oil and gas."
El Paso gets the whole field this week. After Talarico's Monday stop on his "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts" tour, Hinojosa brings her "One Fight Tour" to the Epic Railyard Event Center on Wednesday at 6 p.m., Abbott holds a get-out-the-vote event Thursday at 3 p.m. at Rosa's Cantina, and Paxton closes the El Paso swing Sunday, November 1, at 3:30 p.m. at the Orca Event Center on his "Come and Take It" tour, the El Paso Times reported.
Early voting in Texas continues through Friday, and Election Day is November 3. Secretary of State Robert Howden announced October 16 that Texas had a record 19 million registered voters ahead of the election, and more than 4.2 million had voted early or by mail as of Sunday, the Times Record News reported.
