Donald Trump announces presidential bid. How did Fort Worth area Republicans react?
Former President Donald Trump is running for president again, but where will support from Tarrant County Republicans fall after the party saw lackluster performance nationwide on Election Day?
It’s hard to tell, because they’ve remained largely silent in the hours after Trump’s Tuesday night announcement.
Some Texas Republicans were quick to back the former president in his 2024 bid, but many others, including elected officials representing the Tarrant County area, didn’t weigh in on Trump’s candidacy when asked for comment by the Star-Telegram.
But what does the silence mean? Mostly, that Republicans are waiting to see what options will emerge.
The question for the GOP comes down to if Trump is the best candidate the party can put forward to guarantee victory. But at the same time, they don’t want to alienate the former president, said Jim Riddlesperger, professor of political science at TCU.
“What you’re seeing is people who just simply don’t want to jump into that yet,” Riddlesperger said. “They don’t want to talk about it. They don’t want to think about it. They want to see how things play out over the next six to nine months and then they’ll start figuring out who it is that they want to support.”
Candidates backed by Trump fared well in Texas during the midterm. For instance Republicans Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton all saw victories. Locally Trump-endorsed county judge candidate Tim O’Hare and district attorney candidate Phil Sorrells both won. But in competitive races across the country, the outcomes varied, according to an NBC News analysis.
Nationwide there have been signals that support for the former president is waning after a “red wave” expected on Election Day didn’t manifest as Republicans’ hoped.
That’s the big question, Riddlesperger said: Is the nation witnessing the beginning of the unfolding of Trumpism in the Republican Party?
Here’s what some Texas and Tarrant County area officials are saying about Trump’s election announcement.
Tarrant County GOP waiting to see who else files
For Tarrant County GOP Chair Rick Barns, Trump’s 2024 candidacy isn’t surprising, but it’s early and the party is waiting to see who else files for election.
“We’ll wait and see how all that works its way and move forward from there,” Barnes said.
In regard to Trump’s chances of winning the presidency, Barnes said it was still early and they don’t know who else may step up to run.
“We would say very clearly that he would be better than the current president,” Barnes said. “But we would say that about anybody from our side that would stand up and run for office.”
Barnes said the Tarrant GOP is prepared to support whoever ends up being the candidate after the primary elections.
And the local party doesn’t have any concerns about Trump’s candidacy — even as the former president faces investigations for removing confidential documents from the White House and his false claims about the election that led to the riot at the U.S. Capitol.
“That’s been a witch hunt from the very beginning and will continue to be until they’re through and they’ll be through as quick as January 1, because they’ll lose power in the House,” Barnes said.
Meanwhile, the Texas Democratic Party was celebrating Trump’s entry into the race, saying it would motivate Democrats. Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said if chosen as the Republican nominee, Trump would “help the Texas Democratic Party in our mission of turning Texas blue.”
“The 2024 Republican primary will be a fascinating circus to watch,” he said in a Tuesday statement.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, AG Ken Paxton embrace Trump
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a top Trump-ally, endorsed Trump in a Tuesday morning post on Twitter.
“Donald J. Trump’s efforts to secure our borders, project strength across the globe, expand economic opportunity, & protect our freedoms put our nation back on track,” the tweet reads. “I am proud to endorse his campaign for President so that he can once again put America First & heal our nation.”
In a Tuesday night Facebook post, Patrick called Trump the “candidate the Democrats fear the most in 2024.”
“If you heard his speech tonight, you know why,” Patrick said. “It was one of the best he has ever given. After two more years of President Biden and the leftist policies of the Democrats, Americans will be ready for America to be Great Again.”
But many other state and federal lawmakers weren’t as fast to embrace the former president. Most of the Star-Telegram’s requests for comment to Republican members of Congress and the Texas Legislature representing Texas went unreturned as of Wednesday afternoon or lawmakers declined to comment. Social media was, for the most part, quiet.
Local Republican politicians were also holding off on commenting, including Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, who declined.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said in a statement that his focus is going to be on figuring out what went wrong in this year’s midterms.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has been floated as a future presidential contender, didn’t return requests for comment and hadn’t posted on Twitter or Facebook about Trump’s announcement as of Wednesday afternoon.
U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, whose Panhandle district stretches into part of Denton County after redistricting, expressed exuberant support for Trump multiple times on Twitter.
“WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” he said. “I’m fully behind President Trump! In 2024, we’re going to WIN BIG!!!”
Who isn’t weighing in yet?
Though some of the state’s top politicians chose to speak out on Trump’s candidacy, those at the local level chose to say nothing or didn’t respond to requests for comment from the Star-Telegram.
County judge-elect Tim O’Hare and DA-elect Phil Sorrells, who were backed by Trump in their races, didn’t return phone calls or texts for comment. Outgoing county judge Glen Whitley also didn’t return a phone call.
A spokesperson for Parker, the Fort Worth mayor, said she would not be commenting on the presidential election at this time.
Texas Sen. Brian Birdwell and Sen.-elect Tan Parker did not return requests for comment. Sen. Kelly Hancock was unavailable and Sen.-elect Phil King did not comment. A spokesperson for Sen. Jane Nelson confirmed receipt of a request, but an interview had not been scheduled by Wednesday afternoon.
Texas Reps. Stephanie Klick, Tony Tinderholt, David Cook, Craig Goldman, Giovanni Capriglione, Charlie Geren, Matt Krause and Jeff Cason and Rep.-elect Nate Schatzline did not return requests for comment.
Requests for comment to U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, Roger Williams and Michael Burgess were also not returned. Rep. Beth Van Duyne’s office responded but an interview hadn’t been scheduled as of Wednesday afternoon. Rep. Jake Ellzey declined to comment through a spokesperson.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn wasn’t available for comment Wednesday, but told reporters Monday he would support the Republican nominee for president, though he believes it will be a competitive primary race.
This story was originally published November 16, 2022 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Donald Trump announces presidential bid. How did Fort Worth area Republicans react?."
