Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, issued a strong reaction to the shift in the Democratic presidential race, announcing intentions to bolster his state’s border enforcement. In a statement on the social platform known as X, Abbott expressed his plans in response to Joe Biden endorsing Kamala Harris for the Democratic presidential nomination: “Joe Biden has now endorsed and fully supports his ‘Borders Czar’ Kamala Harris to be the Democrat candidate for president,” he stated. “I think I will need to triple the border wall, razor wire barriers and National Guard on the border.”
Abbott’s comments come amidst a wave of critiques directed at Harris from allies of Trump, following Biden’s exit from the race, as detailed by The Hill. Harris, often referred to as a “border czar”—a title she never held—has been a frequent target due to her immigration stance.
Since 2021, when Abbott launched an initiative to ramp up border security measures in defiance of federal policies, over $11 billion has been dedicated to reinforcing Texas’ southern border with barriers, base establishments, and the transportation of migrants to northern states. Additionally, Texas legislators have allocated another $5 billion in the most recent session to deter immigration into Texas.
Despite these efforts, migration to Texas has recently hit a three-year low, according to CBS, even as immigrants contribute $34 billion to Texas’ economy, per Juan Carlos Cerda of the American Business Immigration Coalition. Harris, while criticized by conservatives for her immigration policies, has also faced disapproval from progressives—one instance being her 2021 directive advising migrants against coming to the U.S. border: “Do not come. Do not come.”
Texas officials also unfoundedly contend that Harris and the Democrats’ positions on immigration are part of a wider conspiracy. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, on X, suggested former President Obama is aiming for an unofficial fourth term through Biden’s and now potentially Harris’s presidency, stating, “Obama has been running the White House and will continue to run it with Michelle or Kamala. They picked Biden in 2020 so Obama could serve a third term, and now Obama seeks a fourth term.” These claims by Patrick echo previous unfounded theories posed after the debate which some said signified a push to replace Biden.
In the realm of electoral politics, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, is facing a strong Democratic contender in Rep. Colin Allred, a Dallas congressman and ex-NFL player from the Democratic Party. Allred outpaced Cruz in fundraising for the second quarter of 2024, bringing in $10.5 million compared to Cruz’s $7.9 million. Despite this, Cruz maintains a 6-point lead and a $1.7 million edge in banked campaign funds.
