By Ashlyn Beck | News Editor
Political agendas clashed at McLane Stadium Wednesday afternoon. As Gov. Greg Abbott hosted a State of the State Luncheon at the Baylor Club, McLennan County Democrats protested Abbott’s campaign outside the stadium.
More than 500 attended the luncheon hosted by the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday. In a room of some of Central Texas’s biggest donors and sponsors, Abbott shared some of the highlights from his February State of the State Address and the 89th Legislative Session. Abbott announced legislative wins on issues like housing affordability, small business success and education reform to an applauding audience.
After 13 years as the attorney general for Texas, Abbott set his sights on becoming governor. He faced Democrat candidate Wendy Davis to secure the seat, trading the office of justice for the executive office.
He continued to win Texas with his 2018 race against Democratic candidate Lupe Valdez and, most recently, his 2022 victory over Beto O’Rourke. After three consecutive terms, Abbott is gunning for a fourth, already setting the stage for the 2026 election.
In his address, Abbott acknowledged some of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce Members.
“A privilege I’ve had during my tenure as governor, including going back to when I was attorney general, I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many tremendous leaders right here in the Waco area,” Abbott said.
According to Abbott, following the most recent legislative session, Texas ranks No. 1 in the country for most new jobs added, No. 1 state for doing business and No. 1 in economic development projects. It’s the national champion for exports and has a higher annual GDP than any other state. Waco itself, Abbott said, hit a record high this year in the total number of jobs, total number of Texans working and achieved a faster rate of growth of employment than Austin, Houston and Dallas.
“So what we’ve been able to assemble here in the state is enormous and it redounds to the benefit of every man and woman who calls Texas their home,” Abbott said.
His address continued with comments on the newly expanded power grid, an issue brought to the forefront after the 2021 snowstorms that shook the Texas power grid.
Abbott also highlighted the success of this session in helping small businesses thrive. COVID-19 taught citizens to run businesses from their own homes. This session, Abbott said, enables companies to operate more smoothly without unnecessary interference from cities.
“Small businesses have an extraordinarily powerful role in ensuring the economic success of our state,” Abbott said. “In turn, we wanted to pass laws this session to make sure it was going to be easier for small businesses to succeed in the state of Texas.”
Education was a major theme in Abbott’s February address, and he emphasized the importance of educational reform Wednesday as well. Under Abbott’s guidance, this session advocated for school choice, a parent’s right to choose how their child is schooled.
“I talked about all these ways Texas is No. 1,” Abbott said. “However, before now, no governor has ever talked about things to improve on. I believe Texas should be No. 1 in how we educate the children of our great state.”
Abbott’s plan for educational reform included providing public schools with more funding, paying teachers better and raising student test scores to better prepare them for the workforce.
Finally, Abbott turned to the July 4 tragedy in Central Texas. In wake of the floods that ravaged areas along the Guadalupe River, Abbott promised to improve early warning systems for flash floods and increase relief funding. Despite the “extraordinary grief” rippling throughout Central Texas, Abbott described the actions of state agencies who rescued more than a thousand victims as “extraordinary heroism.” Abbott also committed to expanding mental health care in affected areas and rebuilding homes and small businesses damaged by the floods, recalling what Kerrville residents told him during his July visit — “When waters rise in Texas, so do we.”
“Bottom line, we will stop at nothing to save those lives, to rebuild and to restore business as usual in Kerr County and any other area across our state affected by those floods,” Abbott said.
Following the address was a panel with State Rep. Angelia Orr and State Rep. Pat Curry. Co-Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee Rick Tullis moderated the panel discussing the impacts of the 89th Legislative Session.
As Abbott cited the successes of the 89th Legislature, though, protesters gathered at the corner of I-35 and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Mary Mann, a member of the McLennan County Democratic Party and Texas Democratic Women of Central Texas, was among the protesters.
Among other concerns with the current state government, Mann said she felt that money was being spent unwisely.
“Why did we waste time and special session money when we could have been helping the flood victims of the area around Kerrville and Texas Hill Country that need it desperately?” Mann asked.
