Why AP called Texas governor race for Greg Abbott

WASHINGTON (AP) — WHY AP CALLED TEXAS FOR GREG ABBOTT

Gov. Greg Abbott had a wide lead in the same 13 Texas counties that he won in 2018 — and that Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke also won in a Senate race that year.

That’s why The Associated Press called the Texas governor’s race for Abbott on Tuesday.

O’Rourke, the former El Paso congressman and 2020 presidential contender, had sought to become the first Democrat in nearly 30 years to win statewide office in America’s most populous red state.

This year’s gubernatorial matchup was driven by a number of clashes, including a gun control debate following the massacre at an Uvalde elementary school.

Seeking his third term, Abbott never trailed in the contest, which grew into one of the most expensive of the midterm elections, with candidates raising more than $100 million combined.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

___

Check out https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-the-elections to learn more about the issues and factors at play in the 2022 midterm elections. Follow AP’s coverage of the elections at: https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections