December, 2022
By Mikayla Shanks, Staff Reporter
For the past year, current Texas governor Greg Abbott and former congressman Beto O’Rourke have been competing in an intense campaign to win the votes of Texans in order to be elected as governor. Along with the results, and Abbott’s victory, many mixed emotions came on election day, November 8th, and immediately after.
Moments after the results were finalized, many took to social media to support their extreme happiness or disappointment. For example, “@mostardentlyxo” tweeted, “After a power grid failure during a winter storm + a mass shooting at an elementary school, Texans still elected Abbott because they just can’t vote democrat. Party politics aside, Greg Abbott is literally doing a crap job and y’all still want him? Unbelievable.” Klaricia Hernandez also tweeted, “Sad day to be a parent and woman in Texas.”
But despite the mixed criticisms of the outcome, Abbott still managed to give his thanks and gratitude towards Texas by stating, “Thank you my fellow Texans. I will work everyday to earn the trust you have placed in me. Together we will ensure Texas is exceptional. God bless Texas.” This midterm election further proves how divided communities have become when it comes to political parties. Despite the recent tragedies the state of Texas has overseen, Texans still couldn’t put aside their political party differences, causing one of the most intense and competitive midterm elections our state has seen.
Beto vs. Abbott had become a very widespread and controversial topic throughout the past year. The voter turnout in Uvalde specifically took Texas by surprise. After last May’s devastating shooting in Uvalde’s elementary school, it was assumed that the small town would support gun control, after the many lives lost, but after the town’s support for Abbott was revealed, the victims’ families of the Uvalde shooting spoke out with their extreme hurt and disappointment. Kimberly Mata-Rubio stated, “I wanted to send a message but, instead, the state of Texas sent me a message: my daughter’s murder wasn’t enough,” “Just know, you ****** with the wrong mom. It doesn’t end tonight. I’ll fight until I have nothing left to give. Lexi’s legacy will be change.”
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