Fundraising force Greg Abbott, the governor of Texas, generated $19 million in the latter half of 2023 and intends to use it to remove anti-school voucher Republicans from the state legislature.
The $19 million was reportedly revealed by Abbott’s campaign the day before state legislators had to declare their campaign money for the second half of 2023 to the Texas Ethics Commission. The campaign claims that Abbott has $38 million spread over two political accounts.
According to reports, Abbott spent 2023 determined to implement a course of action that would let parents use government cash to assist in covering private school tuition. If implemented, the plan’s education savings accounts would have provided pupils who refused public school with a yearly stipend of $10,500 to go toward private education.
This goal prompted four special sessions. In contrast, 21 Republican House members voted with Democrats in November to remove school vouchers from a proposed education measure.
In light of the proposal’s loss, Abbott has shown his will to push his agenda and back candidates who align with his policy goals by endorsing opponents of the Texas senators who voted against them. Abbott has already supported the main challengers of seven of the twenty-one Republicans running for reelection this year in the House, even though he will not be up for reelection until 2026.
School voucher supporter Jeff Yass is one of the prominent donors who have backed Abbott’s fundraising efforts; Yass contributed over $6 million to Abbott’s campaign. Candidates on the conservative side who agree with Abbott on topics like school choice and lowering property taxes will get this substantial financial advantage.
With the primary elections coming up, Governor Abbott is prepared to back conservative candidates who share his goal of making Texas the greatest state in the nation, according to a statement issued by Kim Snyder, Abbott’s campaign manager. Expanding parental and student agency in public education is central to this goal.
