Former President Donald Trump returned to San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday to rally support for Ken Paxton’s Senate bid, expressing concern that the state could be on the verge of electing a Democrat for the first time in decades. Trump warned the crowd that a victory for state Representative James Talarico would be an unforgivable offense to the state's Republican base.
"We'll never forgive you for what you have done if you let that happen," Trump told the attendees, as multiple polls suggest Talarico has a chance to win statewide. Trump employed nicknames and repeated claims, including that Talarico is vegan, despite the representative reportedly identifying as a meat-eater.
"The people of Texas are not going to let a weak, gutless, self-hating, transgender-promoting freak show destroy everything that we built," Trump said during the rally, urging voters to cast their ballot for Paxton. He also brought up his plan for a firing-squad execution of a man convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood attack and falsely claimed Democrats intend to eliminate oil and gas jobs in Texas, framing the election as a referendum on gun rights and his own legacy.
The former president's remarks came as national polls indicate a potential shift in congressional control, with Reuters-Ipsos showing Democrats with a seven-point lead. Trump focused on immigration fears, asserting that a Democratic victory would lead to open borders and undesirable consequences for Texas.
"If they get in, they will open your borders and let the entire world pour in like they did before. We can’t let that happen," Trump stated. "A vote for Talafreako is a vote to turn Texas into a dirty, failing, crime-ridden third-world dumping ground."
The rally in San Antonio highlighted Trump's efforts to mobilize his base amid declining approval ratings, with recent surveys indicating that nearly two-thirds of Americans disapprove of his job performance. To counter this, Trump reiterated his promise of $5,000 payments to Americans if Republicans maintain control of the House and Senate, and also mentioned new financial assistance for seniors, promising over $100 in checks or deposits to more than 20 million seniors on Medicare. However, reports indicate that less than a third of Medicare participants would be eligible for the one-time $90 payments.
Notably absent from the rally was Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who is facing a competitive re-election campaign. Trump's primary focus appeared to be on securing Republican majorities in Congress, with holding onto the Senate seat in Texas being crucial to that effort. Trump contrasted Texas with what he described as "failing blue states," warning that Talarico and Democrats would bring similar issues to the state.