Beto O'Rourke looks to put Greg Abbott on defense in early stages of Texas governor's race

[TexasTowelie]

AUSTIN — Days after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott officially launched his campaign for a third term by touting his hardline border policies and gaining the support of law enforcement groups, Democratic frontrunner Beto O'Rourke sought to refocus the race on human issues.

Speaking with reporters on a conference call Thursday, the former El Paso congressman hammered Abbott for his response to the two-year COVID-19 crisis and the continued vulnerabilities of Texas' electricity grid.

"We need a governor who cares about the people of this state, cares about the mayors who are serving the people of the state. I will be that governor," O'Rourke after a separate call with nine Texas mayors that did not include reporters. "I will be that partner for these mayors to make sure that we're all fulfilling our commitments to one another, and achieving our potential and our promise as a state."

Both Abbott, whose first campaign event of the 2022 cycle came Saturday in the traditional Democratic stronghold of South Texas, and O'Rourke appear to be looking past their lesser-known challengers in the March 1 primaries. Of the 10 news releases the Abbott campaign has issued this month, five of them attack O'Rourke by name in the headline.

Read more: https://www.caller.com/story/news/local/texas/state-bureau/2022/01/13/orourke-seeks-reframe-debate-2022-race-texas-governor/6511420001/
(Corpus Christi Caller-Times)

[Skittles]

1. I received a long robocall from Abbott

it made me feel sick just hearing his voice

[ColinC]

2. Beto has a great shot if he hammers down on the electricity grid

Issue.

[TexasTowelie]

3. I don't know if we will have enough cold weather to thoroughly test the electrical grid this winter.

However, if we start having brownouts and power failures in August and September with triple digit temperatures, then that may have some impact at the ballot box.