Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wins reelection

Republican Greg Abbott retained his position as Texas governor on Tuesday, according to preliminary returns from The Associated Press. With about 63 percent of ballots tabulated late Tuesday, Abbott was winning with about 55 percent of the vote against Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s 43 percent. Third-party candidates and write-ins accounted for the remainder.

Who is Abbott? Abbott was first elected governor of Texas in 2014, and he was reelected in 2018. He won both elections by double-digit point margins. He campaigned by touting the billions he’s spent to secure the border and bemoaning the fact that the federal government wasn’t helping more. O’Rourke campaigned against Abbott on a platform supporting gun control and legal abortions.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in Compassion about how record immigrant deaths at the border have left law enforcement reeling.