Trump to Texas Republican officials about his rally: "If they don't endorse me, I say don't even come"
TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Former President Donald Trump attracted thousands of supporters to Waco for his first campaign rally of the year. "In 2024, we're going to have the greatest victory of them all."
He praised the Texas Republican elected officials who endorsed him and had this to say to those officials who didn't: "These are all people who've endorsed me because if they didn't endorse me, I say don't even come. I have a few say sir, we love you, we're going to endorse you down the road, I said ok, don't bother coming."
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is the Chairman of Trump's re-election team in Texas for the third time.
He spoke at the rally. "No one in the oval office accomplished more in four years than Donald Trump in the history of the Presidency."
Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller also endorsed Trump and repeatedly advised them, "Re-elect Donald Trump."
North Texas Congressman Roger Williams said the choice was clear. "Let's make America great again, let's re-elect Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States of America."
Attorney General Ken Paxton and other members of Congress from North Texas including Beth Van Duyne, Pat Fallon, Michael Burgess, and Ronny Jackson are also backing Trump.
Senator John Cornyn didn't attend the rally.
In an interview with CBS News Texas Monday, he said he'll support the Republican nominee but is staying out of the primary for now.
Cornyn said he's concerned about the former President still focusing on the 2020 election. "President Trump had a good four years when it comes to policy but unfortunately, he seems obsessed with trying to relitigate things. I don't think it's an attractive message that's likely to beat Joe Biden in 2024. I'm interested in winning the election, we need a Republican President."
Trump won the state of Texas during the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Trump's rally comes as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appears to be gearing up for a run for the White House.
"When we polled people's attitudes on Ron DeSantis in Texas back in February of this year, 75% of Republicans held a favorable view of the Florida Governor. Trump's favorability was at 79%. Abbott's was at 85%. Ultimately, that's a threat to Trump unless he can define DeSantis more negatively for that same set of voters."
At his rally, the former president criticized DeSantis and repeated his nickname for DeSantis. "DeSanctimonious."
The Real Clear Politics average of polls shows Trump leading DeSantis in national Republican primary polls by a 44%-29% margin.
Governor Abbott didn't attend Trump's rally but spoke at an event in Houston Saturday evening.
Senator Ted Cruz didn't appear at the Waco event either.
At the rally, Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz challenged Cruz to endorse Trump.
We asked Cruz's office for a response Monday, but didn't hear back.
Cruz told CBS News Texas last month that he's focused on being re-elected to his Senate seat next year and said there would be plenty of time to talk about 2024.
