Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced this weekend that he was endorsing former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination. The nod from the leader of the nation’s second-most-populous state could provide significant momentum less than two months before the presidential primary season starts in earnest.
Abbott wrote on social media that the United States “needs a President who will secure the border and prioritize national security.”
“President Trump is the clear choice to get the job done,” he wrote.
Today, I am proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for President.
Now more than ever, America needs a President who will secure the border and prioritize national security.
President Trump is the clear choice to get the job done. pic.twitter.com/gvM7sQH41Q
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 19, 2023
Abbott cited Trump’s ability to “secure the border” and “restore law and order.” He added that the effort would not let “any of these criminals run ransack over the stores that you see images of almost nightly.”
“We need a president who is going to restore world peace as opposed to this outbreak of warfare under Joe Biden. We need Donald J. Trump back as our president of the United States of America,” he said.
Abbott’s endorsement could help Trump in both the primary and the general election. Texas is the largest state that regularly votes Republican and has the largest share of delegates to the Republican National Convention.
The governor’s statement also comes as his home state battles an ongoing wave of illegal immigration.
Abbott established Operation Lone Star, intended to prevent illegal crossings. By utilizing the Texas state police and the Texas National Guard, the program has led to the detention of thousands of illegal crossers and has prevented human trafficking. Texas also announced the seizure of drugs intended for sale in the United States.
Much of the current issue facing the Lone Star State has emerged since President Joe Biden took office in 2021. Biden ended Trump’s Title 42 asylum program, which caused a significant increase in the number of people crossing the border.
The governor cited the high number of individuals on the federal terrorist watchlist who “are roaming around the country” due to what he describes as Biden’s policy failure.
He described Biden’s “open border policies” as causing significant concern at the southern border.