Candidates for Senate, governor rally together, urge Texans to cast ballots as early voting enters 2nd week
Before a standing room only crowd in Wichita Falls on Monday, Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton told supporters there's too much at stake in this midterm election to stay at home and not vote.
"This isn't just red vs. blue," Paxton said. "It's the America our founders gave us versus something they would never recognize. While you might think you have just one vote, the consequences of that vote will determine what the future of Texas and America look like."
At the same rally, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urged the crowd in his hometown to get to the polls and vote as soon as possible because their way of life was on the line.
"Your values are not being seen at the ballot box," said Abbott. "There are these far leftist Democrats in places like Travis County in Austin, Texas. They're showing up, and voting, and they have no concern and no interest about what your values are. We've got to make sure that your values are represented in this election."
According to VoteHub, which works with the Data Desk at CBS News, early voter turnout from last Monday through this past Saturday night shows more people with a history of voting in a Democratic primary cast their ballots than those with a history of voting in a Republican primary, by a margin of nearly 31% to 28%. Nearly 42% of Texans who've already cast their ballots have no history of voting in a primary.
On Monday, Texas Secretary of State Robert Howden announced that more than 4.2 million Texans cast ballots during the first six days of early voting. That's about 22% of the state's more than 19 million registered voters.
In Weslaco on Sunday, both Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico and gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa campaigned at the same rally. Both urged Democrats to vote to fight against what they called a corrupt system. Talarico told the crowd, "This is the rot at the core of our broken system. It's why so many Texans can't get ahead no matter how hard they work. It's why we can't afford the basics in this economy gas, groceries, utilities, health care because the system has been rigged by crooked politicians just like Ken Paxton."
"We are in the fight of our lives, a fight we cannot afford to lose," Hinojosa told supporters. "Invite Una lucha, the one fight. Who does Texas belong to? Is there going to be a Texas that is by, for the people, or the billionaires' world and we just live here?"
With the polls being as close as they are, both Democrats and Republicans acknowledge this is all about turnout. Early voting runs through Friday at 7 p.m. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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