Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s absence from President Donald Trump’s San Antonio rally is raising eyebrows as Republicans confront surprisingly competitive elections across the state.
Trump traveled to Texas Wednesday for his third visit in a month, campaigning at Freeman Coliseum alongside Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton. The unusually heavy presidential attention comes after polling showed Democrat James Talarico leading Paxton 51% to 45% among likely voters.
Abbott, a longtime Trump ally facing his own tighter-than-expected reelection contest, declined to attend. His team cited other campaign events, but some Texans saw the scheduling conflict as a deliberate attempt to distance themselves from an increasingly unpopular president.
According to Reuters, Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 32% among registered voters. His approval among Hispanic voters, an especially important constituency in Texas, stood at just 24%.
Texas Locals React
Residents discussing the rally on Reddit’s Texas community were quick to question Abbott’s explanation.
Another mocked the rally’s lineup as “a real who’s who of manure,” prompting someone else to reply, “Manure is useful. The who’s who here, not so much.”
Not everyone saw Abbott’s absence as evidence of a political break. One commenter reasonably asked, “Why would Abbott attend a rally for Paxton? Doesn’t make any sense.”
The speculation nevertheless reflects an uncomfortable moment for Texas Republicans. Trump carried the state by 14 points in 2024, but Paxton is now trailing, Abbott’s race has tightened, and several congressional districts have become competitive.
Trump has also offered mixed messages about Paxton, recently calling him “a pain in the ass sometimes” before insisting Republicans still need him. Paxton was separately recorded telling donors that Republican polling declined after an earlier Trump-centered convention.
Abbott may genuinely have had other campaign obligations. However, with Trump making repeated trips to defend what was once considered safe territory, Texans are treating every conspicuous absence as another possible sign of Republican anxiety.
