Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) will not attend a rally held by former President Donald Trump near Corpus Christi, Texas, this weekend, the governor told the Washington Examiner Tuesday morning.
Trump is slated to visit southeastern Texas Saturday evening for a campaign rally two days ahead of the start of early voting in the Lone Star State. Abbott, the state’s top elected official, will be noticeably absent because of a previously scheduled out-of-state fundraiser, he said.
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“I welcome President Trump back to Texas, though I won’t be able to welcome him personally since I will be out-of-state for a pre-planned fundraising trip to Florida,” Abbott said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
Abbott is running for a third term as governor against former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic nominee. However, he is viewed as a contender for the Republican nomination for president in 2024, possibly pitting him against Trump and complicating the pair’s working relationship.
The rally will be held in Robstown, a small town southwest of Corpus Christi. Speakers, announced on Tuesday afternoon, include Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX), former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan, and National Border Patrol Council union President Brandon Judd.
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Trump has endorsed a slate of 33 candidates in Texas, from Abbott to congressional candidates such as Monica De La Cruz, a Latina insurance agent running for one of the three districts in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. All 33 of them have been victorious in their primary elections and are vying for victory in November.
The rally will take place at the Richard M. Borchard Regional Fairgrounds at 7 p.m. local time.
