(Fwrd Axis) — Republican Greg Abbott easily won a third term as governor of Texas on Tuesday, defeating Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke despite a tumultuous few years in office.
The 64-year-old earned 55 percent of the vote compared to 44 percent for O’Rourke. Abbott won another term despite controversial issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, a deadly power grid failure, restrictions on voting rights, abortion, and the Uvalde school shooting plaguing him.
“We started this campaign in South Texas, we celebrated my primary victory in South Texas and tonight we return to South Texas to celebrate my being your governor for four more years,” Abbott told a crowd of supporters in McAllen.
Abbott also previewed what he will attempt to accomplish in his next term, including lowering crime and property taxes and defending the oil and gas industry.
“Tonight, Texans sent a very resounding message,” he said. “They want to keep Texas a beacon of opportunity that we have provided over the past eight years.”
Meanwhile, O’Rourke spoke to a crowd of supporters in El Paso and hinted his political career may have come to an end with Tuesday’s loss.
The 50-year-old has now lost three consecutive races after he failed in his bids for senate and president.
“Everything we could possibly give to this campaign, we gave to this,” he said. “I don’t know what my role or yours will be going forward, but I’m in this fight for life.”
O’Rourke ran on emphasizing the power grid failure and saying Abbott had become too extreme on issues such as abortion and guns after the Uvalde school shooting. However, Abbott won Uvalde by over 70 percent of the vote.
Meanwhile, Abbott had argued that O’Rourke was too liberal for Texas, going back to claims he made during O’Rourke’s unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaign. Reports say Abbott may look into running for president in 2024.
