Gov. Greg Abbott Cruises To Victory In GOP Primary, Don Huffines Concedes
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM/AP) - As expected, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott jumped out to a large lead over his Republican rivals in the GOP primary and cruised to victory Tuesday night, March 1.
Abbott paid little attention during the campaign to retired Lt. Col. Allen West, the former Texas GOP chairman and Florida congressman, and former State Sen. Don Huffines of Dallas.
Abbott will face former Congressman and former presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, who is also on his way to victory, in the November general election.
WATCH GOV.ABBOTT ADDRESS SUPPORTERS
Shortly after 7:30 p.m., Don Huffines conceded the race to Gov. Abbott and announced he would not contest the election results.
He also declared victory on forcing Gov. Abbott to move more to the right.
Huffines released the following statement:
"For over a year our campaign has driven the narrative in Texas and forced Greg Abbott to deliver real conservative victories like the Texas Heartbeat Act, Constitutional Carry, and protecting children from abusive transgender transitioning. When I entered the race, Greg Abbott opposed the border wall, was silent on sex-change surgeries for kids, allowed CRT in Texas classrooms and agencies, and even refused to stop vaccine mandates. Our campaign forced him to address each of these issues and deliver outcomes that will help everyday Texans. Though I will not be contesting the outcome of this election, I will not be going away. I will always fight to defend the God-given rights and liberties of Texans."
Abbott is running for a third term, but the fact that the 64-year-old governor even drew primary challengers underscored his disapproval within the GOP's activist wing.
West, who moved to suburban Dallas after serving one term in Congress as a tea party firebrand in Florida, stepped down as chairman of the Texas GOP to run for governor. He and other challengers had bet that anger within the party's grassroots over Abbott's handling of the pandemic — including a mask mandate in 2020 — could catapult their long shot candidacies.
But Abbott, who had former President Donald Trump's endorsement, all but ignored them. He enters the general election with more than $50 million to spend, a formidable campaign account that ranks among the largest of any governor in the country.
(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
