He got a call from the White House to meet President Trump in Dallas. He said yes
Never let them see you sweat.
That's what was running through Ron Wright's mind Thursday as he stood on the tarmac at Love Field waiting to meet President Donald Trump, who traveled to Texas for Republican fundraisers and to pay condolences to the families of victims of the recent Santa Fe school shooting.
"He picked one of the hottest days of the year to visit," Wright said with a chuckle. "We were hot, but I tried not to let it show."
After waiting at least 15 minutes in the scorching Texas heat, Air Force One arrived and Trump greeted Wright — Tarrant County's tax assessor collector and the Republican nominee for the 6th Congressional District — and Lance Gooden, the GOP nominee for the 5th Congressional District.
"I said, 'Welcome back to North Texas, Mr. President,' " Wright recalls saying. "It was typical chit chat with the president of the United States."
He said they spoke with the president for maybe one or two minutes before Trump headed to a private fundraiser in Dallas.
During that time, Trump asked how the campaigns of Wright and Gooden were going and both men replied that they thought they were doing well.
"Obviously the president is going to be a big issue in the election," Wright said. "It's a national election and Democrats will go after him.
"But the 6th District of Texas is Trump country," Wright said, adding that he told the president "he would have an ally" in him in Washington.
Wright, who got a call from the White House earlier this week asking if he'd like to meet Trump on the tarmac, faces Democrat Jana Lynne Sanchez in the Nov. 6 general election to determine who will replace U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, in Congress next year.
Barton, who came under fire last year for a nude photo shared online and private messages with sexual overtones with a female constituent, announced in November that he would not seek another term in office.
This story was originally published May 31, 2018 at 6:07 PM with the headline "He got a call from the White House to meet President Trump in Dallas. He said yes."