In case anybody wanted one other signal Gov. Greg Abbott is nervous about November, he introduced plans to carry an “affordability roundtable” Tuesday afternoon within the Republican-leaning Houston suburb of Pasadena.
The Republican governor’s sudden curiosity in affordability comes after a $10 million advert purchase during which he positioned himself as a tireless defender towards Democrats’ “socialist insurance policies.” Abbott can also be staging the roundtable after President Donald Trump, a key ally, repeatedly dismissed the problem as a “hoax” ginned up by Democrats.
UT-San Antonio political scientist Jon Taylor stated the roundtable suggests Abbott and his workforce are involved about current ballot numbers exhibiting his Democratic challenger, state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, closing in regardless of the governor’s huge fundraising benefit.
In current weeks, Abbott introduced a pause on new knowledge heart growth after Hinojosa referred to as for brand spanking new restrictions on the energy- and water-hogging computing facilities.
Final Friday, the governor ordered state companies to pause funding for Flock cameras — a transfer that got here days after Hinojosa launched new advertisements blaming him for the unfold of the gadgets, which she referred to as a device for “warrantless surveillance.”
“Abbott’s inner polling should be terrifying for him to be flip-flopping on this many points,” Taylor stated. “They have to be sweating proper now.”
Abbott has gained by snug margins in his previous three elections, however he faces severe headwinds within the midterms as Trump’s unpopularity, excessive fuel costs and different components work in Democrats’ favor, based on political observers.
To date this cycle, Abbott has appeared extra serious about rallying the identical Republican base that’s reliably saved him in workplace, Taylor stated. His current shifts on knowledge facilities, Flock cameras and now affordability are noticeably contradictory to early positions he staked out as pro-business, law-and-order governor wanting to take credit score for the energy of Texas’ financial system, based on the professor.
“It’s virtually like Greg Abbott is operating towards Greg Abbott,” Taylor added.
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