Democrat Beto O’Rourke will face Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas governor’s race
Gov. Greg Abbott and former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke fended off potential runoffs in Tuesday’s primaries and will face each other in the Nov. 8 general election.
With 99% of polling locations reporting to the Texas Secretary of State’s office, Abbott had 66.4% of votes. O’Rourke had 91.31% of votes with 99% of the state’s polling locations reporting.
“This group of people and then some are going to make me the first Democrat to be governor of the state of Texas since 1994,” O’Rourke said, visiting Fort Worth Tuesday night.
He held an event at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium where supporters gathered and cheered as he addressed a crowd at the downtown bar. Across the state in Corpus Christi, Abbott was holding an election night event.
Abbott drew multiple Republican challengers, including former Florida congressman and Texas GOP Chair Allen West and former state Sen. Don Huffines, who represented part of Dallas County. The two candidates challenged Abbott from the right as they called for new state leadership. Abbott, meanwhile, largely focused on his record as Texas governor.
West received 12.28% of votes and Huffines 11.97% with 99% of polling locations reporting.
During a San Antonio stop on the eve of Election Day, Abbott was confident he’d win. He spent much of the speech contrasting the Democratic and Republic parties as he touted the state’s job and business opportunities, Texas’ efforts to ban so-called “critical race theory” in public schools, law enforcement funding and border policies.
“Texans face a very profound question this election,” Abbott said Tuesday night. “Do we take a left turn that leads to more government and less freedom? ... A path that would destroy jobs, open border and endanger our communities. Or do we maintain the course that has secured greater freedom, more jobs and safer communities.”
Other candidates running for governor in the primaries included Democrats Michael Cooper, Joy Diaz, Inconcio (Inno) Barrientez and Rich Wakeland, as well as Republicans Paul Belew, Kandy Kaye Horn, Rick Perry Chad Prather and Danny Harrison.
After initial results came in Tuesday, Huffines’ campaign “declared victory on forcing the incumbent governor to the right” on issues like abortion, permitless carry, gender-affirming health care for transgender children and critical race theory.
This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 7:44 PM.
