With endorsements continuing to be rolled in runoff election campaigns, a growing trend is beginning to emerge as U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott have endorsed opposing candidates in five races, with potentially more to come.
- In House District 12, Cruz has endorsed Ben Bius, while Abbott has endorsed incumbent Kyle Kacal (R–College Station), the House’s most liberal Republican representative.
- In House District 19, Cruz has endorsed former Austin City Councilmember Ellen Troxclair, while Abbott has endorsed Justin Berry.
- In House District 60, Cruz has endorsed conservative activist Mike Olcott, while Abbott has endorsed freshman State Rep. Glenn Rogers (R–Mineral Wells).
- In House District 70, Cruz has endorsed Eric Bowlin, while Abbott has endorsed Jamee Jolly.
- In House District 73, Cruz has endorsed Carrie Isaac, while Abbott has endorsed Barron Casteel.
Notably, both Justin Berry and Barron Casteel were endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers, a labor union that largely supports Democrats. The union has been a leading voice against education reform, even as parents continue to discover pornographic material and critical race theory being promulgated in public schools.
Rogers and Kacal have had a history of voting against proposals to increase parental choice in education.
Cruz, meanwhile, has noted that the issue would be a critical factor in his decision process for offering endorsements.
The opposing endorsements represent a shift from the normally unified duo. Abbott and Cruz have had a long relationship, with Abbott hiring Cruz to be solicitor general when he was attorney general.
Last year, Cruz supported Abbott in his re-election bid against conservative challengers, saying he would be a “disloyal jackass” if he didn’t endorse him.
Early voting in the primary runoff is Monday-Friday, May 16-20. Election Day is Tuesday, May 24.
