Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made good on promises to conservatives at the end of the recent legislative session by signing bills to restrict access to abortion, expand the ability to carry guns and more. He also launched a crowdfunding effort for the southern border wall – a move that earned him praise from former President Donal Trump.
Politico national correspondent David Siders says it’s all part of laying a foundation for a 2024 presidential bid. Abbott just has to win reelection to the governorship first.
“He has zero presidential prospects if he doesn’t win reelection; if he’s primaried, you know, that’s a real concern,” Siders said.
Highlights from this segment:
– To win reelection, Abbott will need to overcome criticisms from conservatives about his management of the pandemic, as well as broader concerns among Texans about the state’s power grid and devastating outages during February’s winter storms.
– As of now, Abbott’s weaknesses as a presidential candidate would be that he doesn’t have a strong, “small-dollar fundraising operation,” Siders said, nor has he been traveling to important primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire – both of which could be hindrances if he chooses to run for president.
– What Abbott does have in his favor if he decides to run in 2024 is that he comes from a large state with a lot of voters who do support him.
– Trump’s recent endorsement of Abbott, as well as the former president’s upcoming visit with Abbott at the border on June 30, are “gold” for Abbott’s gubernatorial reelection bid, Siders said. However, he says Abbott likely wouldn’t even think about running in 2024 if Trump decides to run again.
