Unlike the author of Sunday’s Dallas Morning News guest column who claimed her Republican roots and suggested she was through civic duty supporting the Democratic candidate Gina Hinojosa, I am not getting paid to tell you why I am supporting Greg Abbott.
Am I happy with everything Abbott has done as Governor of Texas? No, I’m not. But his record leading our state, protecting our citizenry and positioning Texas for success in the years ahead deserves our support. And he deserves the opportunity to continue to lead our state.
I am not involved in the day-to-day machinations of politics nor do I run political campaigns. So when a friend of mine in Amarillo began to consider a run for the state house, I connected her to an Amarillo area consultant whom I had known years ago from my work in the Texas legislature. Rather than coach and counsel the candidate, who is now the elected state representative from the Texas panhandle, my friend worked aggressively against her campaign. I wouldn’t call that the behavior of a friend, and I wouldn’t call it the leanings of a Republican. So, I wasn’t surprised to see her column endorsing Hinojosa’s candidacy. It goes with her record over the past decade.
She also misled the editorial team when pitching them on her credentials for the guest column by failing to disclose her financial ties to the Hinojosa campaign, where she has collected nearly $60,000 in consulting fees.
The media has no currency other than trust, and her deception undermines that trust and that deception alone should disqualify her for the editorial pages of any reputable publication.
Misleading someone shouldn’t surprise any of us though.
Many candidates on the ballot this year are running campaigns of deception, making some claims in the far left-leaning Democratic primary only to flip those claims as the general election approaches. Hinojosa voted to defund our police; then she claims recently that she did not. Senate candidate James Talarico is trying to walk back so many of his far-left ideas – our border should be a welcome mat to the world, transgender surgeries should be taxpayer supported, and our oil and gas economy should be shuttered. All positions he has conveniently flipped on as he faces the more mainstream general election voters on Tuesday.
With Greg Abbott, you know what you are getting. A steel-spined leader who resists the outside influences seeking to turn our state and nation toward globalism and socialism, demonstrably failed experiments in governance.
Look around, Dallas.
It is Governor Abbott who has marshalled the policies of Texas to create and support the development of Y’all Street. That alone is putting Dallas on the global financial map, ensuring more business, capital and investment is flowing through this city. A city that will soon be the shining star of capitalism around the world as the Texas economy is the envy of the nation and world.
He has moved to bring solutions to failed inner-city school districts in Houston and around the state, and while I personally preferred public school for my children, many low-income families now can find ways to send their children to high-performing schools because of his push toward school choice.
And, over the objections of his opponent who voted against the constitutional ban on a state income tax, Abbott has championed and signed tens of billions of dollars in property tax relief and maintained constitutional prohibitions against personal income, wealth, capital gains, and death taxes. All of these put money back into the pockets of hardworking Texans.
Could he be a kinder, gentler candidate who’s warmer and more reassuring about everyone’s life choices? Certainly. But the world is tough — and growing tougher. Our state and nation need strong, principled leaders who can withstand the outside influences seeking to change our state for the worse.
That’s why this Republican is voting for Greg Abbott for Texas governor.
Thomas Graham is the CEO of Crosswind Media & Public Relations, with offices in Austin and Dallas.
The views expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Dallas Express. The Dallas Express does not endorse political candidates.
