AUSTIN, Texas - Texans head to the polls on Tuesday as the Lone Star State kicks off the 2022 midterm election season, picking their nominees for governor, attorney general, congressional seats and more.With the next state primaries not coming until May, Texas will be far ahead in offering the first glimpse of just how far to the right the Republican Party will shift in a state where many in the party have already tightened their embrace of former President Donald Trump.
It will also preview what messages are sticking for Democrats.Incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott appears well-positioned to secure his party's nomination for another term after Tuesday's voting.
Starting the campaign with more than $50 million, he has built hard-line positions on guns, immigration and abortion. Despite primary challengers, Abbott is expected to prevail and take on likely Democratic nominee Beto O'Rourke in the fall.
Abbott, who has served as Texas governor since 2015, built up a bankroll of money before O’Rourke even entered the race last November — and experts say Beto is unlikely to catch up financially and faces uphill odds."The difficulty for Beto O'Rourke is giving Democrats hope that he can actually be victorious," Mark P.