Protestors Greet Gov. Abbott as He Stumps to Defeat Drew Darby

 

SAN ANGELO, TX -  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott visited San Angelo today, Feb. 23, to once again publicly endorse Stormy Bradley, a Republican candidate running against Rep. Drew Darby for the Texas House District 72 seat.

About 150 people — more than the earlier Abbott rally this month — were packed into the Angry Cactus Bar and Grill, 1 W Concho Ave, at 12:30 p.m. 

About 60 protestors lined up outside to show support for Darby. We saw three Darby supporters wearing "Darby" t-shirts inside the Angry Cactus. The three women were spotted by Abbott's consultants, who summoned the Texas DPS. As the Troopers escorted the three women out, the Troopers told them that the eviction from the Cactus was "for their own safety."

"But we were invited, and we RSVPed," one of the Darby supporters told us later.

Back inside, Bradley took to the floor first to speak while the Governor was just arriving. She spoke extemporaneously and without notecards. She is known to rely upon note cards at other events where she has spoken.

“We are here today to encourage you to vote,” Bradley said. “We have to fight to keep Texas red. And to do that, we have to get me into office.”

After Bradley's introduction, Abbott said that the values of the people in San Angelo are “far different than the values of people over in Austin.”

“You need somebody representing you in the Texas House of Representatives that you know represents the values of San Angelo,” he said, hinting at Bradley. 

He then went over the “Bidenomics disaster.”  

Pro-Drew Darby supporters demonstrate outside the Angry Cactus restaurant where Gov. Greg Abbott was campaigning for Darby's opponent on Feb. 23, 2024.

Pro-Drew Darby supporters demonstrate outside the Angry Cactus restaurant where Gov. Greg Abbott was campaigning for Darby's opponent on Feb. 23, 2024.

A crowd of around 150 people were gathered inside the Angry Cactus to hear Gov. Greg Abbott speak.

A crowd of around 150 people were gathered inside the Angry Cactus to hear Gov. Greg Abbott speak.

Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to a crowd at the Angry Cactus where Abbott was campaigning for Rep. Drew Darby's opponent, Stormy Bradley, who is looking on from the left on Feb. 23, 2024.

Gov. Greg Abbott speaks to a crowd at the Angry Cactus where Abbott was campaigning for Rep. Drew Darby's opponent, Stormy Bradley, who is looking on from the left on Feb. 23, 2024.

About 60 supporters for Darby welcomed Abbott as he arrived at the Angry Cactus in San Angelo:

This is Abbott’s second visit to San Angelo this month.

On Feb. 9, Abbott visited the Old Central Firehouse Pizzeria and Taproom, 200 S Magdalen St in downtown. 

His speech at the Angry Cactus was similar, touching on points such as “No men in women's sports” and “Giant” property tax cuts, with the help of Bradley.  

He also spoke over “Radical leftism” in public schools, mentioning Dallas ISD sharing information with students about how to change genders. 

“They should be learning about math and working on reading,” Abbott said. 

With the topic of school choice being brought up, Darby became the central focus of the speech.

“Right now you have a state representative, who went against this ballot proposition,” he said. 

During a packed rally advocating for public education, Darby addressed a crowd of mostly educators and school district personnel at the Le Grand Alumni & Visitors Center in San Angelo on Thursday, Feb. 15.

Darby said his opposition to vouchers was the only initiative of Abbott's that Darby could not support this past 88th Texas Legislative session. In a conversation with Drew Darby, Darby said Abbott's support of Bradley to "primary" him is over this one single vote.

It was here where Darby accused Abbott and others of manipulating the legislative process. 

He said that a promised bill for teacher pay raises was withdrawn when lawmakers rejected a voucher bill that would have redirected public funds into private schools. The pay raises were packed into the same bill as Abbott's $500 million voucher program.

“But all this time, the governor and others are saying, ‘Will give you all these teacher pay raises, and we’ll agree to all these reforms in education; all you have to do is pass this little voucher bill,’” Darby said. “A little in their mind is $500 million. When we stripped out vouchers, the governor and others said, ‘No, we’re going to pull that bill down. We’re not going to allow you to vote for teacher pay raises.’” 

Darby added that in two years, the $500 million annual voucher program will increase to over $2 billion a year. The House Budget Committee scoring reported this.

“We have school choice already; what we don’t have is your public dollars flowing into private schools,” he said. “This is not about school choice; it’s about taxpayer-funded private school entitlement programs because they (those private schools) are the ones who decide whether to let your child in or not. We’re sending a message back that our rural schools don’t want this.” 

Once again, both Abbott and Bradley said that the number one issue in Texas is “Biden’s open-border policy.” 

Regarding border security, Darby said he’s voted in favor of every one of Abbott’s border security bills.

“But what vouchers do is they run contrary to what the Governor is pushing,” he said. “He (Abbott) is trying to say to you that we are trying to keep illegals out. But, what vouchers do is act as a magnet to bring them in.” 

As the rally concluded, Abbott encouraged attendees to exercise their right to vote.

Early voting continues today (Friday) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., and February 26 – March 1 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Voting can be done at the Edd B. & Frances Frink Keyes Building, 113 W. Beauregard Street, on the 1st Floor.

San Angelo LIVE! captured the entire speech at the rally. 

Watch: 

Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily

The LIVE! Daily is the "newspaper to your email" for San Angelo. Each content-packed edition has weather, the popular Top of the Email opinion and rumor mill column, news around the state of Texas, news around west Texas, the latest news stories from San Angelo LIVE!, events, and the most recent obituaries. The bottom of the email contains the most recent rants and comments. The LIVE! daily is emailed 5 days per week. On Sundays, subscribers receive the West Texas Real Estate LIVE! email.

Required

Most Recent Videos

Comments

I have always been a Darby fan, however recently I have realized that Darby does not hold the same values as most of us.  Today I voted for Bradley.

Thank you… I am doing the same. Love what Gov Abbott stands for. My opinion, Drew Darby has served a decade or more, it is time he returns to live under the laws he has passed and allow new ideas to come forward.  Please people, listen to Gov Abbott s points made in this video.  Time for a change…A politician always protects his own interest , in my opinion, after a decade it is time for someone else. God bless Drew Darby on his new journey of retirement with his loved ones😉

Gotta love this.  This lady is expressing her opinion that it is time for Drew to step aside, let new blood step in behind him, and enjoy a life of retirement filled with time for his loved ones.  She also does it in a gracious way, which is quite unusual in these times.

While I do not necessarily agree with her wish that Drew say adiós, I salute her nonetheless.  She is doing it right.

Thanks to excellent camera work outside of the Angry Cactus by the SAL crew you can actually count all twenty five of the sixty Stormy Bradley protestors. There were also familiar faces from the Ted Cruz protestors when Beto was running for Cruz's Senate Seat and many of the Same crowd protesting  Abbott when Beto was running for Governor. It looks like when a Democrat is in need they are ready to respond. Concerning the blind woman, I never saw her. One thing for sure, a lot of Blind folks support our local RINO Representative.

Post a comment to this article here: