President Donald Trump and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico held separate rallies in Lubbock on Tuesday. Trump spoke at the Civic Center for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, and Talarico spoke at the Fiesta Center. KCBD reported that Air Force One landed in Lubbock for the visit, the third time a sitting president has campaigned on the South Plains in the past 50 years. Trump flew to Lubbock from Corpus Christi.
Trump asked supporters to vote for Republicans up and down the ballot as early voting continues this week. Speaker Dustin Burrows said about 45,000 Republican voters in Lubbock County have not yet cast a ballot. Trump said Democratic opponents threaten policies and rights his supporters value. "It's very close, and they can turn things down," Trump said. First estimates showed about 15,000 people gathered around the Civic Center, and just over 5,000 got inside.
Paxton thanked Trump for spending the day supporting him and asked supporters to get every Republican to vote over the next seven days. Protesters gathered outside the Civic Center near Tornado Memorial Park. Some said they wanted to raise awareness of issues they believe the government is not focusing on enough.