Several Texas Republicans blamed President Donald Trump and outgoing Gov. Greg Abbott for the party's losses on Tuesday night. Voters in Texas and several other states gave Democrats control of state governments and Congress.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Abbott had become a "RINO," a term for Republican in Name Only, in his final months in office and said that was why he lost. The social media platform X suspended one of Abbott's accounts, @GovAbbott, after the election. X has not publicly said why. His official government account was not suspended.
Don Huffines, who will give up the state comptroller's seat to Democrat Sarah Eckhardt, said the party failed to deliver on economic promises during its decades in statewide power. He blamed Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and moderate Republicans in a concession speech. Patrick said the results were a wave election and that he accepted the voters' decision. He said the Republican Party has serious work to do. John Huffman, a Republican and former Southlake mayor, said it was a painful night for the party.