From The Texas Tribune · Gabby Birenbaum, Kayla Guo · · 3m
Texas GOP splits the economy into two stories
At a Dallas convention built around Trump, Republicans claimed the tax cuts and blamed Democrats for the prices.
In brief
At a Dallas convention built around Trump, Republicans claimed the tax cuts and blamed Democrats for the prices. The Texas GOP is betting voters will credit Republicans for tax breaks while still blaming Biden and Democrats for what groceries and gas cost. Originally reported by The Texas Tribune.
Two economies, one stage
At the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Texas Republicans praised their own tax breaks while pinning grocery and gas prices on Democrats.
The bet of the midterms
Republican fortunes hinge on voters splitting their feelings the same way. Affordability has ranked as the top issue all cycle.
What speakers praised
No tax on tips, investment accounts for children, and the extension of Trump's 2017 tax cuts got repeated applause lines.
What nobody mentioned
Tariffs and the gas price rise that followed the war with Iran went unspoken by everyone except Trump himself.
Trump owns the gas prices
He retold the complaint he hears and answered it with Iran's nuclear program rather than the pump price.
“I wish you didn't do the war in Iran. Gasoline's up.”
Tied to all of it
Candidates in tough races want to dodge Iran and the trade war, but an event billed as Trump-a-palooza binds them to the unpopular parts too.
Paxton's pitch
The Senate nominee proposed tax breaks for healthcare and housing costs, and admitted Texans are working harder without getting ahead.
“working harder than ever, but still worry that they will never get ahead”
Taxes as the attack
Paxton hit James Talarico for opposing the 2025 megabill, framing it as a plan to tax tips, overtime and Social Security.
“He wants to tax your tips. He wants to tax your overtime.”
Talarico wants this fight
The Democrat runs on high costs, a rigged economy, higher taxes on corporations and billionaires, and a minimum wage increase.
“sold the false Gospel of trickle-down economics”
The socialism line wobbles
Speakers warned of Democratic taxes and socialism, then Trump called for $5,000 dividends to every American adult. Paxton said he would back it.
South Texas siblings
Carlos and Monica De La Cruz talked about humble beginnings, credited the GOP for tax cuts, and blamed Democrats for prices.
“I know what a stack of bills looks like on a kitchen table.”
Democrats aim at tariffs
The House campaign arm tied Monica De La Cruz to tariffs, Medicaid cuts and the Iran war, the exact items the stage skipped.
Border and red meat instead
Eric Flores and Tano Tijerina spoke on immigration. Ted Cruz focused on sharia law and painted Democrats as communists.
Abbott and Patrick go biblical
Both framed the race as light against dark and capitalism against godless communism, without touching the rising costs hitting every state.
“conservative values have made Texas the strongest economy on the planet”
The counterprogramming
Democrats ran ads on Trump's own words about inflation and argued GOP deals for big corporations are what drove costs up.
“Trump's trickle-up economics is taking money out of your pocket”
At a glance
The Texas GOP is betting voters will credit Republicans for tax breaks while still blaming Biden and Democrats for what groceries and gas cost.
