Trump visits South Texas as GOP seeks to build on gains among Latinos in three key House races
AUSTIN, Texas — President Donald Trump delivered a defiant campaign speech here as he sought to cast himself as a warrior against the establishment and an ally to the base in three key House races this week.
In a speech at the annual meeting of the Texas Republican convention here, Trump called out his political foes from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, House Democratic leaders, and congressional Democrats. He promised to deliver big policy wins for Republicans in the three races: Districts 23, 24 and 25.
“I love Texas. It’s a big, beautiful state,” the president said. “We are going to win this race against a strong and intelligent opponent in 2018.”
Later in the day he was campaigning in District 25, where Democrat Gilberto Hinojosa is seeking to unseat Republican Rep. Pete Sessions, who is retiring in 2018. The president was campaigning here on Thursday afternoon and meeting voters outside the event, visiting businesses and talking with voters before a final rally.
“I’m talking to a lot of people,” Trump said. “We do a lot of traveling back and forth. For them to see where we are in the country. It’s good.”
Trump was in Texas, the first state he has visited to campaign for reelection since his inauguration last month. He’ll headline a rally in Amarillo on Friday, and visit Corpus Christi on Saturday. And late Sunday, he’ll campaign in Austin before heading to the border with a stop at Brownsville in Corpus Christi.
Texas is a swing state for the president; Democrats have won five of the last six congressional elections in the state, taking back the House since 2010. The White House is trying to make inroads with Latinos.
Trump traveled to the state in March to visit an Indian reservation and the flood-ravaged town of Houston, where he pledged to rebuild the community with “love.”
In 2017, though, Trump was booed at a
