DALLAS 性视界传媒 The debate Friday between Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott and Democratic challenger Beto O性视界传媒橰ourke has political intrigue and the potential for gripping drama.
Texans should watch the matchup, despite it happening on a Friday night in the middle of high school football season, to gauge whether it will move the needle in what most polls show is a single-digit race.
Both candidates have experience in big-time debates. Abbott, a former Texas Supreme Court justice and attorney general, clashed with former state Sen. Wendy Davis twice before winning the 2014 governor性视界传媒檚 race. Four years later, he had one debate against former Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez en route to reelection.
In the 2018 Senate race, O性视界传媒橰ourke twice debated Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz, the first being an explosive affair that could have helped turn the close contest to Cruz. O性视界传媒橰ourke also debated during his unsuccessful campaign for president.
Friday性视界传媒檚 debate in the Rio Grande Valley will be different from what Abbott and O性视界传媒橰ourke have faced in the past. The governor was heavily favored in his previous contests and didn性视界传媒檛 have much on the line. O性视界传媒橰ourke, a former congressman, has to adjust his arguments to fit the role of Texas性视界传媒 top executive, which is unlike the Senate post he sought four years ago or the presidency.
Both candidates are preparing for a tactical battle around a clear set of issues that they have been pounding on the campaign trail and in television commercials.
性视界传媒淭he governor will show that O性视界传媒橰ourke is too extreme for Texas,性视界传媒 said Republican political consultant Matt Langston, who in 2018 was part of the group that consulted on Cruz性视界传媒檚 Senate campaign. 性视界传媒淎bbott性视界传媒檚 argument is that Texas is on the right track. If you have the extreme Beto O性视界传媒橰ourke, Texas will absolutely be derailed and suddenly be on the wrong track.性视界传媒
State Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, prepped Davis for her rumbles with Abbott.
性视界传媒淗e needs to be on offense,性视界传媒 Turner said of O性视界传媒橰ourke. 性视界传媒淭his election is a referendum on job performance, and Beto will make the case that Abbott has failed as governor. He性视界传媒檚 failed on the grid, he性视界传媒檚 failed on abortion, he性视界传媒檚 failed on education and he性视界传媒檚 failed on gun safety.性视界传媒
The Friday debate in Edinburg will be broadcast by Nexstar Media Group and televised in English and Spanish in every media market in the state. Britt Moreno of KXAN-TV, Nexstar性视界传媒檚 Austin station, will moderate, and panelists will include Sally Hernandez of KXAN, Steve Spriester of KSAT-TV in San Antonio and me, the political writer for The Dallas Morning News .
In a nutshell, Abbott will attack O性视界传媒橰ourke on issues including border security, energy policy, policing and the policies of President Joe Biden, while O性视界传媒橰ourke will hammer the governor for failing to fix the power grid, as well as signing the state性视界传媒檚 abortion ban and being unwilling to push policies that curb gun violence.
Here are three goals Abbott and O性视界传媒橰ourke should aim to meet during what will likely be their only debate.
Greg Abbott
Outline his vision for a third term
With the 2023 legislative session in view, Texas residents are probably curious about Abbott性视界传媒檚 third-term agenda. There性视界传媒檚 talk about the governor running for president in 2024, if he性视界传媒檚 successful against O性视界传媒橰ourke. He seems to be in competition with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for national headlines related to their immigration tactics, including busing or flying migrants to Washington, New York, Chicago and Massachusetts性视界传媒 Martha性视界传媒檚 Vineyard.
As Abbott brags about Texas性视界传媒 economic clout, he should also tell voters where he wants to take the state in what could be his final term. One of his goals has been meaningful property tax relief.
Bolster his standing with independents, moderate Republicans
Texas politics have lurched further right since Abbott性视界传媒檚 2018 reelection. A near-total ban on abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest, a permitless carry law amid concerns over gun violence and an election law designed to mollify former President Donald Trump raise issues that concern some independents and moderate Republicans.
Throughout his career, Abbott has been able to avoid being labeled too extreme. But polls show O性视界传媒橰ourke is slightly leading the governor with independent voters. The Democrat will look to slash Abbott during the debate on these issues and others, so the governor will have to find ways to cast himself as unifying rather than divisive.
Abbott will also talk a lot about border security, a winning issue for his conservative base.
Tout his executive experience vs. O性视界传媒橰ourke性视界传媒檚
Abbott will portray O性视界传媒橰ourke as too liberal for Texas. He should also show how his executive experience as a former attorney general and governor gives him an advantage over the former congressman. The governor will probably question O性视界传媒橰ourke性视界传媒檚 political motivation, given that it性视界传媒檚 the El Paso Democrat性视界传媒檚 third campaign in four years.
Beto O性视界传媒橰ourke
Label Abbott as too extreme, in the mode of Trump Republicans
When Abbott attacks O性视界传媒橰ourke as out of touch with Texas, the Democrat should flip the script and cast the governor as a national Republican with allegiance to Trump.
At the same time, O性视界传媒橰ourke must remind voters that historically, Texas Republicans and Democrats have disregarded national politics and often worked together on approaches that best serve the state. It性视界传媒檚 why some former state lawmakers from both parties who become federal legislators are taken aback when they encounter the gridlock of Congress.
Be aggressive and fire back when cast as too liberal for Texas
In the first debate of the 2018 Senate race, O性视界传媒橰ourke didn性视界传媒檛 answer Cruz性视界传媒檚 punches and at times seemed unwilling to attack. As he性视界传媒檚 done on the campaign trail, O性视界传媒橰ourke has to commit to aggressively prosecuting the case against Abbott and embrace confrontation.
Abbott is an underrated debater, and O性视界传媒橰ourke will need to match his intensity. He性视界传媒檒l also have to defend the governor性视界传媒檚 claims that not only is he too liberal for Texas, but also that he性视界传媒檚 trying to shift or obscure positions he took while trying to distinguish himself in a large field of progressive candidates for president.
Develop a unifying message around a set of key issues
O性视界传媒橰ourke is at his best when he makes clarion calls for Texas to come together to solve issues related to immigration, affordable health care, economic equality, education and greater participation in democracy. Though he should be on the attack, the Democrat should also make sure his appeals resonate with all Texans, including independents and Republicans.
Voters across the spectrum of Texas politics want to move away from the divisiveness of the Trump era. O性视界传媒橰ourke should signal that he性视界传媒檚 an inclusive leader who can inspire residents across the state, not only Democrats.
