FRISCO — Gov. Greg Abbott publicly endorsed Rep. Matt Shaheen at a campaign event Friday evening, supporting Shaheen’s bid to continue representing Texas House District 66.
Other public figures were in attendance at the rally, including Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield), Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco), Celina mayor Ryan Tubbs, Republican candidate for Texas House District 70 Steve Kinard, and Prosper ISD trustee Dena Dixon, to name a few.
Shaheen (R-Plano) spoke briefly to the crowd, addressing three key issues: securing the border, protecting children, and property tax cuts.
“It is a travesty that what we are having to do as a state is [because of] the failed policies of Joe Biden,” said Shaheen, referring to the unlawful migration crisis at the southern border.
He went on to tout his and Abbott’s efforts to protect children from being sexualized, pointing to the “all-ages” drag shows that prompted protests in the North Texas area last year.
“We passed legislation, and the governor signed it — you do a sexual performance in front of a child, and you’re going to jail,” said Shaheen.
The last policy issue Shaheen addressed during the event was property taxes. He explained that with the governor’s support, officials used some of the $33 billion surplus coming into the last legislative session to give back to the people by instituting property tax cuts.
After Shaheen introduced Abbott, the governor got straight to the point.
“I wanted to be here for one primary reason,” said Abbott. “I wanted to make sure everyone in this room, everybody in this county, and everybody in this state knows that I endorse and I support the re-election of Matt Shaheen to the Texas House of Representatives.”
Abbott continued to expound on some of the issues he and Shaheen had worked on together, saying, “To have a champion for children, protecting the children in our state, and the way he goes about making sure those bills get passed and those bills get to the governor’s desk — I cannot thank him enough for what he does to protect the kids of our great state.”
The governor moved to a common adversary of theirs when he remarked, “Matt and I also sometimes work together against some things. One thing Matt and I work against is Joe Biden.” Abbott stressed that he and Shaheen were at odds with Biden on two issues: the border and the economy. “Biden has destroyed the economy of the United States of America,” the governor claimed.
“Matt and I are working together to make sure Joe Biden will not destroy the economy of Texas because the Texas economy is number one in the United States of America,” said Abbott. “We are ranked number one for the most new jobs added. Since COVID, Texas has provided 35% of all the new jobs in the United States of America.”
“Here is what has happened during my time as governor, over just the past nine years — it is amazing how we have grown internationally,” said Abbott. “Texas now has the 8th largest economy in the entire world.”
“There are only seven countries in the world with an economy larger than Texas,” said Abbott, noting the seven comprise the United States, China, India, Japan, the UK, Germany and France. “Our economy is on pace so that this time next year, Texas will surpass France, and we will have the seventh largest economy in the entire world.”
The governor added that Texas has the largest budget surplus of any state in the country.
Expanding on Shaheen’s remarks on property taxes, Abbott agreed that the surplus belongs to the citizens. “That money belongs to you,” he said. “That’s why we returned it to you with the largest property tax cut in the history of our state.”
Abbott interjected some humor, getting the crowd’s attention when he said, “I’m going to tell you something under one condition — we have to keep it in this room — but I will tell you in advance. The economy is on track so that when we go back to session next time, we’re going to have another $20 billion surplus, and if you send Matt back to Austin to work with me, he and I will work together and return that money with another property tax cut.”
The governor concluded by stating that he does not work alone. “Matt and I are part of a team,” said Abbott. “[Matt] helps me with assets, with resources, with strategies, with laws so that I’m more equipped to be a better, stronger, and more effective commander in chief for our great state.”
“Working together, Matt and I will keep Texas the best state in the greatest nation in the history of our world,” he said.
