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Even Greg Abbott is avoiding Trump [1]

['Emily Singer']

Date: 2026-10-06  

In the run-up to an election, candidates’ behavior often tells us as much about the political environment as polling and ad spending do. And with exactly four weeks to go until the midterms, many Republican candidates are desperately trying to run away from President Donald Trump—as clear a sign as any that his toxicity could take his entire party down.

Multiple Republican candidates have been trying to distance themselves from Trump’s immigration policies and war in Iran. But on Monday, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said he would not attend a Trump rally in his state, claiming he had a previously scheduled campaign event to go to.

Of course, if the leader of your party is coming to your state, you’d drop any prior plans to go—that is, unless that leader is so unpopular that being seen with them would hurt your political standing more than help.

A supporter holds a sign for Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for governor of Texas, during a rally in July. AP

So the fact that Abbott—who has bent to every one of Trump’s whims over the past decade—is avoiding his Dear Leader tells you all you need to know about how badly things are going for the GOP in the Lone Star State.

When this midterm cycle began, Abbott was seen as a lock to win a fourth term, but he is now losing his grip on his reelection bid as Election Day nears.

The Cook Political Report had rated Abbott’s reelection a “Solid Republican” contest two years ago. But in the last few months, the nonpartisan race-rating organization has shifted the contest two columns over, now saying the race only leans Republican.

Meanwhile, a New York Times/Siena University survey released over the weekend showed Abbott down 3 percentage points to Democratic nominee Gina Hinojosa, garnering 46% to Hinojosa’s 49%. In June, Abbott had led in the same poll by 7 points.

Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton is also struggling in his bid against Democrat James Talarico in Texas, with polls showing Talarico up by an average of 3.4 points, according to election analyst Nate Silver’s forecast.

On Monday, Texas state Rep. Briscoe Cain—a Republican who aided in Trump’s corrupt effort to overturn the 2020 election—had this to say about Republicans’ odds in his state: “If the election were held tomorrow, all state wide races go blue.”

From your lips to God’s ears, Briscoe.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/10/6/800108279/elections/greg-abbott-bails-on-trump-rally/

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