Texas Republicans find an endorsement from Governor Abbott comes down to one issue

Gov. Greg Abbott says he made a mistake.

The admission came to a crowd of potential Republican primary voters in North Texas, as the governor travels across the state campaigning for candidates he wants to see in the Texas House of Representatives.

“It turns out that I made a mistake last election when I endorsed and supported Glenn Rogers to be your state representative,” the governor said during a stop in Mineral Wells, where he stumped for Mike Olcott.

Rogers was first elected in 2020 and represents House District 60, which spans Parker, Palo Pinto and Stephens counties. He defeated Olcott in a 2022 race for the seat and garnered Abbott’s support as a “staunch defender of the conservative values that have made Texas great.”

This time around, Rogers is one of several Republicans drawing Abbott’s opposition after they voted to remove education savings accounts, a voucher-like program, from an education bill in November. Twenty-one Republicans joined with Democrats to strike the measure.

Abbott has spent significant political capital trying to pass the policy, which would let parents use state dollars for their child’s private education. He has vowed to keep working to pass the policy, even if it means taking the fight to the ballot box.

Traditionally, it’s rare for governors to side with challengers to incumbents, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor.

“Typically governors have tried to work inside the chamber to get more favorable outcomes,” Rottinghaus said.

Cal Jillson, a SMU political science professor, pointed to the actions of former President Donald Trump and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

“It’s more common now for an elected official to endorse a challenger to another elected official of the same party if they have not followed the party line,” he said.

Education savings accounts still a priority

After making education savings accounts a top priority over the past year and calling special sessions to no avail, Abbott has endorsed nine candidates who are challenging Republican incumbents in the March primary. All of the incumbents voted against the governor’s education savings account priority.

Abbott will be in Texarkana and Burleson on Tuesday, supporting Helen Kerwin, who’s challenging Rep. DeWayne Burns of Cleburne, and Chris Spencer, who’s running against Rep. Gary Van Deaver of New Boston.

During Abbott’s Thursday stop in Mineral Wells, his criticisms of Rogers went beyond his November vote — though that was certainly mentioned. Rogers, when he had the chance, voted against “parental empowerment for school choice,” Abbott said. Olcott, on the other hand, will “guarantee education freedom,” Abbott said.

Rogers was not available for an interview Friday, but he addressed the “elephant in the room” during the Parker County Republican Party’s candidate fair Thursday night. His campaign shared a video of his remarks with the Star-Telegram.

“I agree with the governor on every legislative issue, especially the border, what he’s doing on the border, except one, and I’m sure you’re all aware that Gov. Abbott has issued a single issue endorsement this cycle,” Rogers said. “So based on our one and only disagreement, I knew that I would not receive his endorsement this time, and that’s OK.”

He questioned how much Olcott aligned with Abbott on the issues, given he donated to candidates running against Abbott in the 2022 Republican primary.

Abbott endorsing incumbent challengers is uncommon but not unheard of. In 2018 he endorsed the opponents of former Rep. Lyle Larson of San Antonio, former Rep. Sarah Davis of West University Place and former Rep. Wayne Faircloth of Galveston.

Texas Republicans ‘at war’

This cycle’s endorsements come as the Republican Party is “at war” in Texas over issues like education savings accounts and the impeachment of Paxton, said Jim Riddlesperger, a TCU political science professor.

Still, Abbott has endorsed most Republican incumbents who are seeking reelection. He’s reinforced his support at recent campaign events across the state, including in North Texas.

On Thursday evening, Abbott and Rep. Lynn Stucky spoke to a packed room at the Decatur Conference Center. The conversation focused on issues like property tax cuts, water access, higher education and the Texas-Mexico border.

“We need you to work every day, sending to Austin, Texas, people who are going to have the type of values that you have, principles that you have, beliefs that you have, so that those beliefs will show up in the policies passed and legislation passed by people like Lynn Stucky,” Abbott said to attendees at the fundraiser.

Abbott: I need people who have my back

He offered similar words of support for Rep. Stephanie Klick on Friday at Back Forty Smokehouse, a North Richland Hills barbecue restaurant. It was standing room only as people crammed into the industrial-style building — red and blue “Stephanie Klick” signs the backdrop for Abbott’s remarks.

The issue driving Abbott’s endorsement against incumbents is education savings accounts, but Rottinghaus said Abbott also wants to shape the Republican Party in his image.

“And getting people who are loyal to him in office is a big part of that,” Abbott said.

Abbott said as much during the Friday stop, when discussing border security and touting buoys acting as a barrier in the Rio Grande.

“We’ve been able to achieve all of this because I have members of the Texas House of Representatives who support me, who have my back, who assist me in this effort to secure the border, and Stephanie Klick is among those leaders,” Abbott said, continuing that he needs her “back in Austin, Texas.”

With or without Abbott’s support, Jillson expects most incumbents will hold onto their seats because of established relationships in their districts.

Abbott’s endorsement does have weight, but it’s not determinative, he said. Take Tuesday’s special election for Texas’ House District 2, when Republican Brent Money lost to Republican Jill Dutton, despite endorsements from Abbott, Paxton and Sen. Ted Cruz. The seat was open, without an incumbent, after its former representative, Bryan Slaton, resigned and was expelled.

“The endorsements are nice to have, but you’ve got to bring something to the fight yourself,” Jillson said.

The endorsements have more impact when tied to money and local organizations working for the candidate, Riddlesperger said.

Abbott is likely to see some of the new faces he supports at the Capitol after election season, Rottinghaus said.

“The governor can play the long game, and even if he doesn’t win every single one of these endorsed races, he can win enough that that might shift the balance of power,” he said.