Gov. Greg Abbott | Facebook
Gov. Greg Abbott | Facebook
Gov. Greg Abbott has been formally censured by the Wise County GOP, citing excessive use of emergency powers, a failure to call a special session to ban vaccine mandates and a failure to protect the state’s southern border.
In a statement, gubernatorial candidate Don Huffines told the North Texas News that Abbott should not have followed Dr. Anthony Fauci’s guidance to force closures in Texas for nine months.
“Today, many Texans are still dealing with the consequences of his mask mandates and his refusal to call a special session to stop vaccine mandates,” Huffines said.
Huffines is a gubernatorial candidate who has voiced support for “health freedom.” If elected, Huffines said he is committed to banning vaccine passports and mask mandates, and taking many other actions to protect the “medical liberty” of Texas residents.
The Republican Party of Texas's (PRT) Rule 44 states that a county executive committee can censure an elected official if two-thirds of the committee votes to do so, The Texan reports. The vote among the Wise County committee was unanimous in favor of censuring Abbott.
As part of the censuring, members of the county party will not provide support—financial or otherwise— to Abbott. At least eight other county Republican parties censured the governor in 2020, the report states.
“Not only would these penalties aid Beto’s (O'Rourke) campaign, such a move would also hurt down-ballot Republicans as well,” Mark McCaig, chairman of the Texas Republican Initiative, told The Texan.
Democrat Beto O'Rourke announced he would run for Texas governor in mid-November.
According to the Texas GOP general rules for candidates, rule 44, titled "Censure Process and Penalties," states that a county Republican party may move to censure an elected official who represents part or all of their district if that official has violated at least three of the RPT's core principles as they are defined in the preamble of the party platform. The office holder must be invited to speak in front of the county party before they vote.
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