Texas Governor Greg Abbott has become the latest state Republican to lash out at a fellow party member in another example of red-on-red attacks over the last year.
Abbott said that he does not “trust” state Representative DeWayne Burns on immigration issues, a key topic for Republicans who blame the border crisis on Democrats and President Joe Biden. The governor also said he did not support Burns on “any issue” and supported his party primary opponent Helen Kerwin for Texas’ House District 58 seat.
Burns said he has shown “consistent and unwavering support for securing our border” throughout his voting history.
But Republicans like Burns have been targeted because of their opposition to a gubernatorial initiative to use taxpayers’ money to allow some students to attend private schools.
The policy was stripped out of an education bill by 21 Texas Republicans who voted with Democrats.
Sergio Flores/Tamir Kalifa/Chip Somodevilla/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images/Getty Images
Abbott previously said that he would now be targeting these Republicans by supporting their primary challengers in a bid to oust them from office.
Newsweek has approached Abbott and Burns via an email out of hours for further comment.
Several issues have plagued the party in recent weeks and months.
Former Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen told Spectrum News on February 15 that tensions in the party have been going on for “probably a decade,” explicitly calling it a “civil war.”
However, Republican Party of Texas (RPT) spokesperson James Wesolek told Newsweek, “Texas Republicans are more united than ever before.”
He added: “The Governor, Lt Governor, and Senate are all working hard for Texans, it’s just House leadership who is kicking against the goads.”
Wesolek was referring to Texas House of Representatives Speaker Dade Phelan, who was censured for supporting impeachment articles against state Attorney General Ken…
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