Former Texas State Senator Don Huffines claims that his presence in the 2022 Republican primaries has compelled Governor Greg Abbott to take a tougher stance on issues that strongly resonate with grassroots conservatives.
According to a report by Spectrum News 1, Huffines believes that Abbott’s decision to ban businesses from mandating COVID vaccines, as well as his plans to build a border wall, have resulted from Huffines’ pressure on the campaign trail.
“I think it’s quite obvious we’re having a huge impact on Texas policy,” Huffines declared during an interview on Capital Tonight. “My campaign is about leadership, no excuses. Right now, we’ve got failed leadership in the state of Texas.”
The Abbott campaign has generally ignored Huffines and has not mentioned the former State Senator by name. Similarly, Abbott has not directly addressed any of his other challengers.
Spectrum News 1 pointed out that when Abbott’s chief strategist Dave Carney was asked to respond to Huffines’ statements, Carney pointedly replied, “Who?”
Huffines belongs to a wealthy business family and is currently the owner of Huffines Enterprises Inc. This year, he left a joint venture with his brother, Huffines Communities.
The former State Senator will have his work cut out for him when running against Abbott. Nevertheless, Huffines has demonstrated solid fundraising chops, as evidenced by his collection of $9 million in donations from May to July.
“We’re gonna have the resources to compete. We’ve already raised more money, with my money and the money I’ve raised, than any other Republican statewide challengers ever raised,” Huffines stated.
When it comes to border security, Huffines has taken a hard line. If elected as governor, the former Texas Senator plans to deploy the entire Texas National Guard to the southern border and to close off all commercial traffic coming from Mexico until it gets its side of the border secured.
Huffines likened the handling of immigration to cancer treatment. “It’s going to be painful, there’s no argument there. But I like to say this: when you’re going to cure cancer, chemotherapy’s painful, too,” Huffines remarked.
Huffines’ immigration plan is posted on his website. According to his plan, Huffines recognizes that, in the past, American states regulated immigration “on their own authority under the U.S. Constitution.”
Instead of exclusively relying on the federal government to regulate immigration, Huffines plans to have the Texas state government take charge of the issue, irrespective of what the federal government, be it the Biden administration or the courts, has to say.
Abbott’s recent actions on the border have followed the same trend. He created the border wall fund to continue work after the Biden administration withdrew funds.
Abbott stated, “While securing the border is the federal government’s responsibility, Texas will not sit idly by as this crisis grows. Texas is responding with the most robust and comprehensive border plan the nation has ever seen.”
The former State Senator is one of several primary challengers vying for a spot in the Governor’s Mansion. Former Texas GOP Chairman Allen West, a conservative commentator, and Internet personality, Chad Prather, have also launched campaigns in the Texas gubernatorial primary.
