South Brazoria News

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) recently endorsed State Rep. Kyle Kacal (R–College Station), a candidate who many conservatives have argued is not conservative enough.

In a Jan. 25 report, Texas Scorecard called Kacal "the most liberal Republican" in the Texas House of Representatives. Kacal will face Ben Bius and Joshua Hamm in the Republican primary on Tuesdady, March 1.

“Texas has been controlled by Republicans for over 20 years, yet our conservative priorities are not law because RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) like Greg Abbott work to keep other fake conservatives in office,” gubernatorial candidate Don Huffines told the South Brazoria News. 

Huffines is among several who are challenging Abbott in the GOP gubernatorial primary. Other Republicans vying for the top office are former Florida Rep. and Texas GOP Chairman Allen West and media personality Chad Prather. 

“I will finally give Greg Abbott a retirement party, and when I am governor, I will work to fill the Republican party with conservatives and patriots,” Huffines said.

Abbott was elected in 2014 and is  serving as the 48th governor of Texas. Before being elected governor, Abbott was the longest-serving attorney general of Texas.

According to The Texas Tribune, this isn’t the first time Abbott has endorsed moderate, and even liberal, Republicans. In the 2020 Senate District 30 runoff between establishment Republican Drew Springer and grassroots conservative Shelley Luther, Abbott endorsed Springer.

Luther, a Dallas salon owner, had made headlines earlier in the year for being arrested after refusing to close her business to comply with Abbott's COVID-19 lockdown orders.

Huffines is the CEO of Huffines Communities, a Dallas/Fort Worth-based real estate development firm. From 2015 to 2019, Huffines served in the Texas Senate, representing the people of Texas' 16th District.

On the Democratic side of the aisle, former El Paso City Council member and U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke leads the Democratic field for nomination to run for governor. O'Rourke previously mounted two unsuccessful campaigns for U.S. Senate and U.S. president.