Are Texas Republicans moving away from ex-President Trump?
Travis County Republican President Matt McCowiak and Democratic analyst Ed Espinosa discuss former President Trump’s relationship with Texas Republicans.
Austin, Texas – Has the Trump tide started to turn in Texas? Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan received Donald Trump’s post from Truth Social calling out the former president.
Trump blamed the poor performance of Republicans in the midterm elections for how Texas Republicans handled the abortion issue. In response, Phelan tweeted, “Republicans lost control of the Senate for the third straight cycle, and it wasn’t the pro-life movement’s fault. Your pick underperformed and suffered a crushing defeat.” I am proud to defend the Republican Party’s new leadership fetus.”
Travis County Republican President Matt McCowiak and Democratic analyst Ed Espinosa debated with FOX 7 Austin’s Mike Warren.
Mike Warren: Matt McCowyack. Does this tweet represent a core shift in relations between Texas Republicans and the former president?
Matt McCowyack: Indeed, there is widespread and deep frustration among leading Republicans that they should have won 20 to 30 seats in the 2022 midterm elections. In addition to some state legislatures, perhaps some gubernatorial offices had to be returned to the Senate. You see, there are a lot of responsibilities around. And I think it’s an oversimplification to just blame Trump. But I think it’s an oversimplification to act as if the abortion issue was the only factor in the poor performance. I don’t think we’ve ever had an agenda bold enough to tell voters. I think that’s the problem. The president, the former president, has faced unproven and under scrutiny in key U.S. Senate elections in Georgia, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, key governors in Arizona and Pennsylvania, and many other constituencies across the country. I think I favored candidates who weren’t even tested. But hey, there’s a lot to do. That said, I sympathize with the speaker’s frustration. Donald Trump has cost us the House. He paid us for the White House in his 2020. And now he has lost his Senate at least twice in the Georgia Senate elections, including the 2020 runoff and now his 2022 runoff. Tired of all the victories. I think for many Republicans, they are sick of losing. That said, he’s a very likely candidate. We’ll see what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis does. I think Republicans in Texas support DeSantis at 43% of his poll, and Trump only at 32% of his, according to his November poll. So we’ll see how it develops.
Mike Warren: Ed Espinoza, Can Republicans in Texas break free from Trump? And as Democrats, would you like them to?
Ed Espinoza: The question is whether they can break through. This is a good question. They are? That’s another question. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is proudly chairing Trump’s campaign in Texas. Governor Greg Abbott stands proudly with Trump. You have Republican voters. Primary voters in this state overwhelmingly support Trump over someone like Ted Cruz in this state. As a philosophical question, can they, it’s a more practical question. And they can express their dissatisfaction with Trump, so it’s really hard to say. But this party, that Trump, is just a reflection of where the party has gone. And yeah they have to stay away from him. But what are their alternatives? You might look at someone like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but two years after him from the first primary, or is he a year or two after him? It’s still a political eternity. 6 months is forever. I don’t know where they are going. I think they’re in the congressional majority, but they’re in the wild.
Mike Warren: Matt McCowyak, is there any truth to what Trump said about abortion? Should legislators have made exceptions for rape and incest?
Matt McCowyack: yes. In other words, looks. This is a very thorny policy issue. You know, the exception question has two arguments, right? But on the other hand, if there is a crime committed, it is clearly a horrible way for a human being to be born into this world, and the burden a mother has to deal with in terms of being reminded that that crime was committed. do. In general, I think most Republicans are either in favor of exceptions or in favor of voting on most pro-life bills, whether they are built in or not. I think was the motivation for college-educated women in the suburbs. I guess I should have clarified.I think you are arguing that Biden is bad, inflation is bad. Borders are a disaster. It just gets you so far. When the federal government becomes state government, it must acquire power.
Mike Warren: all right. Ed, your thoughts really quickly and then we have to get it together.
Ed Espinoza: I don’t know what crime Matt is talking about, but if you’re pro-life and you don’t care about your mother’s life, I know voters will be outraged. I don’t know, but look, it’s happening all over this country and will continue to happen. Yes Matt, I agree. It’s not the only problem, but it’s a very big one.
Mike Warren: Okay, Matt, Ed, thank you very much to both of you.
