Abbott and Paxton Face High Stakes in Texas Runoff Elections

Runoff elections Tuesday in Texas could play a crucial role in the political futures of Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, both Republicans, by potentially ending the careers of several GOP opponents.

This election cycle, Abbott has been targeting vulnerable Republican incumbents who opposed his school voucher program, while Paxton is focused on Republicans in the state House who voted to impeach him.

According to The Hill, Abbott, Paxton, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have been actively supporting opponents of 16 Republican state lawmakers, investing money into their campaigns.

Abbott needed to replace six of the 16 state House lawmakers to secure the school voucher vote in his favor. The voucher program, which failed to pass in the state Legislature last year, aims to provide state funds for private school tuition, but faces opposition from Democrats and some rural Republicans.

In the primary election on March 5, the GOP leaders successfully flipped five seats, with an additional four at risk in the runoff on Tuesday, as reported by The Hill.

One of the most anticipated runoffs on Tuesday is the battle between Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont, and David Covey, which has become the most expensive House race in Texas history with $5.7 million spent, according to CBS News. While Paxton, Patrick, and former President Donald Trump have endorsed Covey, Abbott has not taken a side.

Speaker Phelan, who led the impeachment effort against Paxton, is facing competition from Covey as part of his efforts to prevent Patrick’s allies from dominating the House as they have in the Senate. Phelan, among the seven House Republicans in runoff elections, declared his fight against Covey as a battle for “the soul of our district.”

In a Truth Social post, Trump endorsed Covey as an “America First Conservative” who will address issues like border security, election integrity, and Second Amendment rights.

At the federal level, Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales is facing a runoff against Brandon Herrera in Texas’ 23^rd congressional district. Despite Gonzales’ differences with the party on certain issues, Abbott has endorsed him in this race.

Another significant runoff election will determine the successor to Rep. Kay Granger in the 12^th congressional district, with Craig Goldman, endorsed by Abbott, Paxton, and Granger, facing off against John O’Shea, supported by Paxton, according to KERA-TV.