At Texas GOP convention, Abbott vows to 'demolish' Democrats

Key Points:

• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to decisively defeat Democrats in the November midterm elections, linking them to "Bernie Sanders socialism" during his speech at the Texas GOP convention in Houston.
• Abbott proposed closing GOP primaries to only registered Republicans, banning local governments from sending lobbyists to Austin, regulating data centers, cutting property taxes, and taking a tough stance on immigration.
• The governor criticized Democrats and their U.S. Senate nominee, Rep. James Talarico, branding them as radical socialists and accusing them of leniency on border security, while avoiding mention of his own opponent, Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
• Abbott announced plans to invest $25 million to reclaim Harris County for Republicans, called for expanding the freeze on H-1B visa applications to all state and local governments, and urged outlawing Sharia law with greater AG enforcement powers.
• Hinojosa responded by condemning Abbott’s speech as out of touch and hypocritical, emphasizing her priorities to address rising healthcare costs, utility rates, and improving public schools and healthcare access in Texas.