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Former president Donald Trump criticized Democrats for a litany of points Saturday, together with inflation and immigration, throughout an Austin rally the place he urged conservative supporters to assist the Republican Party take management of Congress in November’s midterm elections.
“I ask you to get ready to work, get ready to fight, get ready to win — and win like never before,” Trump mentioned to a crowd of hundreds on the Austin Convention Center. “Together, we will take back the House, we will take the Senate, and we will take back our country.”
Despite dropping reelection in 2020, Trump continues to have outsized affect amongst conservatives and his endorsements of candidates have carried vital clout in the Republican Party. The GOP is slated to enhance their margins in each chambers of Congress after the November elections, because the social gathering in management of the White House has traditionally carried out poorly in midterms.
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Trump touted a number of of his Texas endorsements on Saturday — most notably embattled Attorney General Ken Paxton, the state official Trump known as “a fighter like no other” who’s dealing with Land Commissioner George P. Bush in a GOP major runoff this month.
The former president additionally reiterated his assist for Sen. Dawn Buckingham in her quest to turn out to be Texas Land Commissioner, former state Sen. Pete Flores in his marketing campaign to reenter the Legislature, Phil Sorrells in the Tarrant County district lawyer race and Frederick Frazier in House District 61.
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Early voting in the May 24 runoff elections begins Monday.
“Our country in many ways is being destroyed,” Trump mentioned of Democrats. “The Biden disasters are too numerous to count, but inflation is the highest in nearly 50 years. Gas prices have reached the highest price ever in the history of our country, destroying families.”
Trump additionally touched on a number of flashpoint subjects which have energized these on the far proper, together with public schooling, border safety and voting integrity. He additionally raised his debunked false claims of the 2020 election being stolen.
“Under a Republican Congress, we will once and for all ban critical race theory in our schools and we will stand up for parental rights,” Trump mentioned.
[What is critical race theory? Explaining the discipline that Texas’ governor wants to “abolish”]
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Critical race idea is a university-level educational framework that analyzes intersections between race and legislation — and specialists say it isn’t taught in Okay-12 public Texas colleges. Texas lawmakers final 12 months handed a legislation limiting how race and present occasions are mentioned in public colleges. They referred to it because the “critical race theory” invoice, although the time period doesn’t seem in the laws.
Trump additionally mentioned lecturers shouldn’t be allowed to “teach transgender.” Florida lawmakers this 12 months handed a invoice that critics dubbed “don’t say gay” for its restrictions on educating sexual orientation and gender id. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick mentioned he wished to prioritize related laws in Texas subsequent 12 months.
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“We achieved all sorts of things along the border. It was an incredible thing. It was an incredible period of time,” Trump mentioned of his efforts on border safety. “Biden is now systematically surrendering every single advantage that I really brilliantly got. They don’t give me any credit.”
[Texas’ primary runoff election is May 24. Here’s what to know about voting.]
Not all seats in the middle had been stuffed Thursday. Several supporters streamed out of the occasion corridor throughout Trump’s remarks, which capped off an all-day occasion that includes a slate of main voices inside the conservative motion — together with Donald Trump, Jr., former Trump adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The occasion was a part of the bigger America Freedom Tour, which goals to rally conservative power round Trump. The tour will take its subsequent cease in Memphis, Tennessee on June 18.
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Tickets are on sale now for the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, taking place in downtown Austin on Sept. 22-24. Get your TribFest tickets by May 31 and save large!