With the Texas gubernatorial election rapidly approaching, Texas A&M students weigh in on who, if anybody, they are planning to vote for.

On Nov. 8, residents all across the state of Texas will be able to vote for state governor, which Greg Abbott has held since 2015. This election, his name will be joined by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’ Rourke, Green Party candidate Delilah Barrios, Libertarian candidate Mark Tippetts and two write-in candidates on the ballot. In regards to this election, A&M students, regardless of their organizational affiliation, speak only for their plans, not those of any group of people. 

Economics senior Rachel Sweeney said she intends to vote for Abbott come November. As a member of Young Americans for Freedom, or YAF, Sweeney said Abbott’s policies lined up with her values despite her perception of him as relatively politically moderate.

“[Abbott] doesn’t go as far as some people, like me, want him to go,” Sweeney said. “The best way to get the most votes is to be as moderate as you can without giving up any of your core values.”

Sweeney said she was a strong supporter of separating sporting events by players who were assigned a gender at birth, and continued to identify with it, and those who identified with that gender but were assigned another at birth. She also vocalized her support for Abbott’s pro-life stance.

“He signed in the abortion restriction once Roe v. Wade was overturned, and that’s something that I agree with,” Sweeney said. “That’s one of the reasons I’m voting for him.”

Despite her resolve to vote for Abbott, Sweeney admitted she felt as if Abbott did not take action as quickly as he should. 

By contrast, industrial and systems engineering junior Ewan Laing stated he had never voted in any election, gubernatorial or otherwise, due to his wariness of every candidate. Though he has been eligible to vote since his 18th birthday, Laing felt that his vote did not make much of a difference.

“Picking between politicians is like trying to decide between the less moldy chicken,” Laing said. “I’d rather not have any mold in my food.”

Agricultural economics senior and chairman of the A&M College Republicans Cole Rather spoke of his intent to vote for Abbott and his excitement over the election season.

“The 2022 midterms are obviously a big deal,” Rather said. “Been looking forward to [the election] since 2018.”

Rather said he had voted for Republican candidates since he turned 18. He explained that he has been connected with Abbott since the fall of 2019 via meeting him at his mansion at Christmas parties and the like. Rather said he felt Abbott did a great job in regards to allowing school districts to take whatever precaution they see as necessary and measures taken at the Texas-Mexico border.

“Educators having guns in the classroom or whatever … I am a Second Amendment person,” Rather said. “I’m all about immigration, but I don’t want drugs coming across the border.”
For information regarding voting guidelines in Brazos County, visit their website.