Thousands of Republicans gathered at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center to hear President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Some wore American flags and sequined cowboy hats. About two dozen protesters gathered across the street, with some signs supporting Democrat James Talarico for U.S. Senate and others opposing Trump.
A few miles away, scores of Talarico supporters held their own rally at the Fiesta Center, with a line that wrapped several city blocks. The Texas Tribune reported that Lubbock became a focus of the political day with the two rallies.
Talarico has held a small but steady lead over Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, his Republican opponent, in most public opinion polls this fall. Talarico spent Tuesday campaigning in West Texas, with rallies in Midland and Amarillo, while Paxton held events in Sherman and Amarillo.
Drew Landry, a political science professor at South Plains College in Levelland, said Democrats are highly motivated to vote. "So how can you stem that tide?" Landry said. "You get the creator of the MAGA movement to come to MAGA country."